HELP BTA on the warpath

[Grav]

I have had a BTA for 6-7 months or so.  She has never wandered, and always been in good health.  Growth has been good more than doubling in size.  She eats well and has good color... but never any "B" in my BTA.  All along she had been out in the open, nearly straining to the surface for more light.

 

Since making a lighting upgrade (FROM: 130w of 50/50 PC TO 226w of PC '130 10k & 96 blue') While she never looked bad, now she looks 100% better.  No longer reaching for the sun, suddenly there were real bubbles like in the pictures. Sort of setteling in a crevas like they are supposed to. This was a happy looking animal!

 

Then I went and did it.

 

I moved her rock.  Why you ask? She was looking so nice, wanted to show her a little better.  After giving 3 or 4 weeks to adjust to both the light upgrade and then the switch to new bulbs (away from 50/50) I moved her closer to the front of the tank.

 

Now she wont stop moving around.  She is everyplace.  I put her in light, she moves.  She gets somplace with shade, and OVERNIGHT she moves.  I fixed her a nice crevas in her old spot... still on the move.

 

Getting VERY worried she is going to get sucked into a filter or powerhead, get her self shreaded and crash the tank.

 

Tank maint. and water parms are constant since November (when we moved.) Water changes 10% / week since I can remember. Newer RO membrain, pre filter carbon block and DI unit.  Filter and skimmer cleanings unchanged.  Added a few LPS about the same time as the light change... could that me it?

 

Please, all thoughts are welcome.

 

Thanks all

 

Phil

[AquariaUSA]

Hi Phil,

Few questions:

 

1. Does the anemone host clownfish? If so, what are they doing?

 

2. Any new circulation pumps added?

 

3. Having Bubble Tips does not always mean it enjoys the light...Most of the time they will not have the bubble tips if neighboring corals (LPS) are releasing any kind of toxins/terpenoids into the water...this seems to stimulate them to "extend" their tentacles into the open water, possibly to put out stinger sweeper tentacles.

 

4. Are you feeding the anemone? What?

 

5. We keep all of our anemones under metal halide lighting. The success rates (longterm) are so much better IMO , and they do tend to split much faster than if under VHO, PC, or T5. Just an observation. Upgrading the lighting should actually help the anemone do better, but the wandering sounds like something totally separate from the lighting.

[Grav]

1. No, not really.  There are 2 O-silly-airis that hang near the BTA stealing food and waste, espically the femail.  They are not "bathing"... they are not as close as normail, but I guessed that is due to the fact that the BTA is not in the normal place. 

2. No.

3. Interesting.  There are SPSs.

4. Yes, a mix of: Mysis, Table shrimp, Scalops soaked in Sel Con, and Eddi's home made fish food.

5. The lighting doesn't seem to be it.  I'm at 7.5 w/gal now, and that isn't too high.  Some many things it could be.  Water quality, flow, light, other livestock... too many things to guess at.

 

Thanks again everyone for the feedack!

 

Phil

[traveller7]

Anemones are critters with very simple sensory systems, so I imagine the relocation of the rock post lighting upgrade triggered the movement.

 

It will likely settle down in under a week or so.

 

fwiw:  One of my BTAs will start to wander pre-split and has been doing that for at least 6 splits over the years.

fwiw2:  My BTAs do much better when feed whole silversides.

[Grav]

That is a very interesting point.  She really does look very good, just on the move.  Perhaps she is getting ready to split.

 

Been thinking of adding silversides to the mix, I like giving a mixed diet to all critters.

[mutley29]

On the subject of  BTA's, my Pacific Rose just won't eat, it looks fine 99% of the time, it has a dodgy looking 5 mins some days, have tried silversides, krill, fresh fish, all the above soaked in selcon still won't take anything, i give up.

 

Anyone got any suggestions?  ???

 

it has stayed put, just where i put it, about 5 inchs off the bottom of the tank between 2 rocks, very gentle current, under soon to be changed 12000k MH's

 

it bubbles up, and the colours are fantastic, but it does worry me.

 

All advise welcome

 

Thanks

 

Anton ::

[traveller7]

Lack of feeding response after more then 2 weeks would concern me.

 

Try the silversides w/o selcon.

 

Might also want to increase the flow a bit to bring more 02 and wash away waste products.