My RBTA lost it's B's

[Fliger]

Been meaning to ask this for a while ...

I know Erin's famous RBTA clones are in various tanks. Did anyone else's keep their Bubble tips? Mine did initially, but only when it felt it had anough light. Then it split, and neither have bubbles. I know they're getting enough light but I only direct feed them every couple weeks.

Anyway, they're beautiful, and with the longer, deep red tentacles they are extremely dramatic. When friends come over (non-reefers) they're always amazed.

Erin, did your's always have the bubble tips?

A friend of mine bought one online and it looks SO different. BTW, they seem to have settled in very nicely, they haven't moved in quite a while.

[Reefmaiden]

Hey David-

No, they didn't always have the bulb tips - I'm really not sure what effects that. I did feed mine more frequently, though - in the beginning I fed about 3x's a week, but once I had about 7 BTA's in my tank I cut back feeding to about once per week hoping it would stop them from cloning! :eek2:

Glad to hear yours split for you. Just wait, you will soon have a ton more! Maybe one of these days I'll have to buy one back from one of you guys.... (to be put in a seperate tank - never again in my main SPS tank!) :)

[kirstenk]

Mine is doing great but I don't get the bubble tips either. It attached to a rock in the rear of the tank but it's so huge it expands out over the rock. My pair of GSM spawn on a regular basis at the base. No splits yet but hoping soon.

kirsten

[newbieneedshelp]

I don't know much about anemones, but have recently become interested in them. I don't have one or anything. But once I get my tank running good again, I may do some research and invest.

My biggest fear is that of it moving around? If they really do it, that would destroy my tank. If they do move around, doesn't that mean you should put them in first? Yet they also need to be in a mature tank? With my limited knowledge, I have come to that problem.

-Robin

[Gerard the fish]

A large marjority of BTA's lose thier bubbles in captive care. It has more to do with the captive part than the care though :-D

- g

[beefcake]

I also bought mine from alvin off of e-bay. It had beautiful bubble tips when I got it and have since dissapeared. It is still dong great but no bubble tips.

Fliger: How did you get yous to split ??? I wish I could get mine to split. :-(

[Fliger]

Total luck. I wanted him to stay put so I put some powerheads to block his exit. He tried to crawl under one and the current split him right into two at the mouth, I thought for sure he was dead, but a day later I had two. **Do not try this at home**

The current wasn't even really that strong, probably a 300 gph PH.

These guys are kill proof, I had one get munched by a different PH, all the way down to the foot. My sand was covered in little red bits, and all the tentacles were munched all the way down in the impeller - he was surely dead. A month later and he's perfectly fine.

Wow, this thread just reminded me that I have a missing LTA. He was about a 4" across and I haven't seen him in a couple weeks. Maybe that was why I had a nutrient spike/cyano outbreak! Big
"Duh".

edit - Newbie, your tank is way too small for one. They grow fast, move and sting other corals. It's kind of a headache even in a large tank.

[Gerard the fish]

Here is my version of a BTA :rollface:

http://www.gerardrodriguez.com/photos/reeftank/P9170008.jpg

[soosberries]

Me & my buddy also bought two of them together from Erin - neither one has ever had the bubble ends that are found on ones that I have seen in the wild. They are both happy and healthy now again. I had a similar experience with a power head and one of the RBTA's. I had a foam cover around the PHead and it still managed to find one tiny spot I couldn't protect. I awoke to find that all the red tentacles were littered through out the tank and starting to melt. I watched him for a few days thinking that at any minute the main body would perish. It has been several months now and the tentacles have returned and the color is starting to change from bright pink to the dark red that it should be. The other one hasn't split and is still wandering a little. I love the RBTA's and everyone who sees them does too but, I think they would be best in a tank alone with a pair of clowns as when they decide to wander and stretch, they also like to sting anything and everything they can in there path. I recently gave the one my buddy bought to him after babysitting it and now who's tank has been running for some time but without corals and very limited livestock. He hopes that it will find a spot it likes before he starts to add and corals in the hope that it will eliminate some of the problems that I have with it stinging nearby Zoos and leathers. I have also heard that a big changes in tank parameters can often cause it to split but, often that is because the new or current parametes are bad/worse and it spilts hoping that one half or both halfs will survive ? After one week the RBTA, has decided that the back of the tank where no one can see it is where it wants to be.:rolleye1:
it may also be that the change in lighting and par will take time for it to adjust before moving to a better spot for both the creature and it's caregiver.

Norm