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Tips/Tricks for BTA release


VTBig053

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Anyone have any tips/tricks for getting a BTA to release its foot from a crevice in the rock? I've heard of directing high flow at it, blocking the light, and placing an ice cube near the foot, but none of these methods has worked for me. Any other tricks out there?

 

Sorry if there is already a thread on this. I didn't see anything recent though.

 

Thanks!

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I've had 100% success rate with taking the rock out, flat head screwdriver, and hammer, chisel the rock behind the foot off.

 

 

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I had considered the screw driver chisel method, but was hesitant because I was afraid I may damage the foot. Last resort I guess.

 

I've been pummeling this sucker with flow from the return and a powerhead for about 12 hrs and it hasn't budged. Stubborn like it's owner I guess.

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Are you directing the flow at the foot or are you pummeling the whole anemone? I’ve always had the best success directing the flow at the foot to encourage them to move. Then you have to grab them while they are on the move. I’ve always gotten mine to move within a day or two, but my last one took about two weeks. That one was stubborn.

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The whole nem. It's not very big (3-3.5"), so directing at the foot only isn't really an option.

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Try directing the flow to hit the anemone from the side rather than head on if you can. Flow is the only thing that’s ever worked for me. I’ve seen suggestions of putting ice in a ziplock bag and holding it against the foot or base, but that didn’t work for me. Ice melted before the anemone released.

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I have the return and a powerhead pointed at it from different angles. I'll give it a little more time but I think I am going to have to go the chisel route.

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I've had 100% success rate with taking the rock out, flat head screwdriver, and hammer, chisel the rock behind the foot off.

 

what he said +1. just break the rock with a hammer and the shock of just the hammer to the rock will often be all that's necessary but a directed blow with flat head an inch or so behind the foot with a hammer will definitely do it.

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If you can reach the edge of the anemone's foot, you can take a soft bondo spreader and gently stroke the anemone's foot like you're trying to lift the edge. Gradually more and more of the foot comes loose, until the whole thing is free of the rock. 

 

It's my go-to method. It works best if the anemone is on a smooth surface, but I've done it several times when it's attached to a rock by using the corner of the spreader. You just keep picking at a spot until it gets loose.

 

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I've read that pulling the rock partially out of the water and hanging the anemone upside down so the foot is out of the water but the body is in the water works; supposedly they drop off on there own after some time. 

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I've read that pulling the rock partially out of the water and hanging the anemone upside down so the foot is out of the water but the body is in the water works; supposedly they drop off on there own after some time.

 

I've done this (many years ago). Suspend the anemone out of the water so it's foot is out but it's body is in the water. (You'll have to invert it somewhat quickly to keep it from retracting back into its hole. Better for it to have a lot of water in it - it lets gravity work for you.) I'll then take a hammer to the back of the rock, tapping the rock and sending shock waves through it to encourage the anemone to release. It's better, in a case like this, to let the anemone release itself from the rough crevice than to try to scrape it out.

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