What's wrong with my BTA?

Weboh · 08/12/2018, 06:26 PM

I have what I think is a BTA. I've had it for about a year and seen practically no growth. I read they grow like crazy so I think I may be doing something wrong. The thing is, I've had consistent conditions in the tank for most of the time it's been in there. I've also put Reef Chili in there for it to filter feed and feed it mysis shrimp every two weeks or so.

Occasionally, it will look stressed and I ramp down the light for awhile and it recovers. I used to think it was my cleaner shrimp causing it to be stressed. But now, without a cleaner shrimp, it's in a two foot high tank, on the bottom, beneath some other rocks shadowing it and still looks stressed. The only thing that I think may be wrong is the lighting being too bright, as it does seem to recover some when the light is turned down. But I have some hammer coral that's in close to the same position (without shade) that wants more light. Since they want similar lighting, I'm not sure that's the issue.

Is what's wrong maybe something about the trace minerals? I don't really dose anything besides calcium (and Mg when I need it, which has been once in the 8 months I've been dosing them) and I use regular salt water. Would switching to reef water help? Or maybe I got a weak anemone? It doesn't have a strong pigment. Any advice would be helpful. I can post pictures if needed.

Uncle99 · 08/12/2018, 06:53 PM

Do you know your parameters?
Nitrate, phosphate, CA,MG,ALK,Temp,salinity, and what type of lighting...

Nems will move themselves to the spot that's best for them in terms of light and flow.

Yup, a pic might help

BeachVacationer · 08/23/2018, 06:58 PM

I've had BTAs for a few years now and honestly I don't feed mine at all. Mine grow very slowly. I don't feed them I don't want it to split. They live forever so slow steady growth to a foot wide is what I'm looking for. I also have a couple BTAs in a shady spot. It's been there for almost a year. I guess it gets enough light to survive. I'm thinking these guys rather find a spot with good footing than best light exposure. It can stretch a lot to find more light but mine doesn't move, go figure.

cuadradoa1 · 08/24/2018, 06:55 PM

Nitrates 10ppm, Ammonia 0, Salinity 1.025, 78 degrees
I just got my BTA two weeks ago. It moved 3 times until it settled in the back of the tank behind rock work basically hiding. The BTA has had a shrunken look for two days... I had turned off the power head because I did not want it to get stuck in there while moving. I turned it back on today in hopes that it will begin to bubble up again. I believe that when I purchased from the LFS, it had just split because when I first placed in tank, the first spot it was it left some dried blood behind. I complete weekly water changes, about 15%.
Normal behavior, or something I should be concerned about?

BeachVacationer · 08/25/2018, 08:20 PM

Probably still adjusting to different water conditions. Check your ALK too. Are you using RODI and reef salt? If not, I would.

08/12/2018, 06:26 PM	#1
Weboh Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: St. Petersburg, FL Posts: 217	What's wrong with my BTA? I have what I think is a BTA. I've had it for about a year and seen practically no growth. I read they grow like crazy so I think I may be doing something wrong. The thing is, I've had consistent conditions in the tank for most of the time it's been in there. I've also put Reef Chili in there for it to filter feed and feed it mysis shrimp every two weeks or so. Occasionally, it will look stressed and I ramp down the light for awhile and it recovers. I used to think it was my cleaner shrimp causing it to be stressed. But now, without a cleaner shrimp, it's in a two foot high tank, on the bottom, beneath some other rocks shadowing it and still looks stressed. The only thing that I think may be wrong is the lighting being too bright, as it does seem to recover some when the light is turned down. But I have some hammer coral that's in close to the same position (without shade) that wants more light. Since they want similar lighting, I'm not sure that's the issue. Is what's wrong maybe something about the trace minerals? I don't really dose anything besides calcium (and Mg when I need it, which has been once in the 8 months I've been dosing them) and I use regular salt water. Would switching to reef water help? Or maybe I got a weak anemone? It doesn't have a strong pigment. Any advice would be helpful. I can post pictures if needed.

08/12/2018, 06:53 PM	#2
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	Do you know your parameters? Nitrate, phosphate, CA,MG,ALK,Temp,salinity, and what type of lighting... Nems will move themselves to the spot that's best for them in terms of light and flow. Yup, a pic might help Last edited by Uncle99; 08/12/2018 at 07:00 PM.

08/23/2018, 06:58 PM	#3
BeachVacationer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Naperville, IL Posts: 546	I've had BTAs for a few years now and honestly I don't feed mine at all. Mine grow very slowly. I don't feed them I don't want it to split. They live forever so slow steady growth to a foot wide is what I'm looking for. I also have a couple BTAs in a shady spot. It's been there for almost a year. I guess it gets enough light to survive. I'm thinking these guys rather find a spot with good footing than best light exposure. It can stretch a lot to find more light but mine doesn't move, go figure.

08/24/2018, 06:55 PM	#4
cuadradoa1 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Bronx, NY Posts: 4	Nitrates 10ppm, Ammonia 0, Salinity 1.025, 78 degrees I just got my BTA two weeks ago. It moved 3 times until it settled in the back of the tank behind rock work basically hiding. The BTA has had a shrunken look for two days... I had turned off the power head because I did not want it to get stuck in there while moving. I turned it back on today in hopes that it will begin to bubble up again. I believe that when I purchased from the LFS, it had just split because when I first placed in tank, the first spot it was it left some dried blood behind. I complete weekly water changes, about 15%. Normal behavior, or something I should be concerned about?

08/25/2018, 08:20 PM	#5
BeachVacationer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Naperville, IL Posts: 546	Probably still adjusting to different water conditions. Check your ALK too. Are you using RODI and reef salt? If not, I would.