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First for me!

SirFragalot

SirFragalot

Morn'n all..

A week or so ago, my BTA decided it was time to move from the spot it had been in since I got it last year from a member on here. I'm a little disappointed because it moved behind the big rock that it was on at the back of the tank, taking my Gold Banded Maroon with it. So I get home yesterday after work and say hi to the wife and son before greeting my tank. As I get to the tank, my jaw drops and eyes get all big. There rests a 2" baby BTA about 4" from big mama. I couldnt believe it. I know what some of you are saying... "Big deal, happens to me all the time". Well, this is the first time it has ever happened to me and I felt like I just had a baby. ;D

Here are my questions?

What triggers a BTA to split?
Does water quality have to be a certain way for this to happen?
 
R

ReeferNets

No one really knows exactly what cause this to happen.

Some say water quatlity or a change in the water quality
Some say stress or changes in the tank.

I personally think that BTAs split from stress what causes that stress who knows but your not going divide in half unless you think it will help you survive.

Did you change anything in the tank flow, ph,
 
SirFragalot

SirFragalot

ReeferNets said:
No one really knows exactly what cause this to happen.

Some say water quatlity or a change in the water quality
Some say stress or changes in the tank.

I personally think that BTAs split from stress what causes that stress who knows but your not going divide in half unless you think it will help you survive.

Did you change anything in the tank flow, ph,
Click to expand...

I changed my salt mix from regular Instant Ocean to Reef Crystals a few weeks back. Here I was thinking that it was a good thing that it split.
 
R

ReeferNets

Propagations wise its a great thing it keeps another anemone in the ocean.

The mother anemone should stay in place and the clone should move till it finds a nice place.
 
D

Dave

I have heard stress causes splits, especially if it is happening frequently.

However, I imagine there are situations where the anemone splits for reasons other than stress. I do not think all anemone's in the ocean were "born" out of stress.

I am not sure of this, I am just speculating.
 
SirFragalot

SirFragalot

Dave said:
I have heard stress causes splits, especially if it is happening frequently.

However, I imagine there are situations where the anemone splits for reasons other than stress. I do not think all anemone's in the ocean were "born" out of stress.

I am not sure of this, I am just speculating.
Click to expand...

I would like to think that this one was not born out of stress. I just read that they reproduce sexually and asexually. However, in the same paragraph, it mentions stress as well. The mother had been in the same spot where she was placed last year up until a couple weeks ago. The "baby" anchored itself deep in a crevice only 4" from big mama.
 
D

Dave

SirFragalot said:
I would like to think that this one was not born out of stress. I just read that they reproduce sexually and asexually. However, in the same paragraph, it mentions stress as well. The mother had been in the same spot where she was placed last year up until a couple weeks ago. The "baby" anchored itself deep in a crevice only 4" from big mama.
Click to expand...

So now my only question is...where is my cigar...and where are the pictures..proud papa!!!!

;D
 
R

ReeferNets

Its all normal.

Id like to think its not stress either.

I would almost compare it to a star fish that loses its limb. It know that it will leave if it can give the predator something to munch on.

Thats why i said no one really knows.

For you its a good thing because now you have two.

I have an anemone right now that has two mouths. Its ritteri anemone which split as well but not as often as BTAS.
 
SirFragalot

SirFragalot

I have a NASTY gold banded maroon clown that is VERY protective of the large one. I also saw it trying to swim within the small one's tentecles. Do I need to get the smaller one out soon? Or can I leave it in there? My worry is that the clown will try to protect both BTA's when they move further apart which will give the other fish less room to swim.
 
SirFragalot

SirFragalot

whitebear1020 said:
Congrats on a baby! ;D
How big was your mother BTA before it split? How do you feed? Any chance for a pic?
Click to expand...

A good 8" when fully open.

I don't have to target feed. The clown takes the bigger chunks of food from my fingers when I fed the tank and takes it back to feed the BTA. Fun to watch.

No pics yet. I took one on my phone but i'm dealing with (hopefully the tail end of a hair algae spell) and of course, the rock that the nem is on is the one with the outbreak.
 
JRWOHLER

JRWOHLER

Congrats ...mine split and stayed right next to each other in the back. I figure if the clone ever decides to move I can try to move him out but if happy where it is so be it.
 
SirFragalot

SirFragalot

JRWOHLER said:
Congrats ...mine split and stayed right next to each other in the back. I figure if the clone ever decides to move I can try to move him out but if happy where it is so be it.
Click to expand...

It just sucks though because the big one is now behind the rockwork with only a little bit showing. Guess I can't complain. It's healthy.
 
M

mnat

Officer Emeritus
Staff member
Moderator
Consider yourself lucky that at least it is staying still. Mine wondered on the back glass right up to our pumps for the skimmer and refugium. Thank god we have put covers over them so we avoided that disaster. Last night he moved down the glass and towards the front and parked right over the burrow for our goby and pistol shrimp. He also decided that our duncan was doing too well and nudged up against him for a while. Now I understand why tanks that have really nice corals don't have anemones.
 
JRWOHLER

JRWOHLER

Yep...I can see him from the side...but he isn't cutting a path of destruction through my corals(like before) so happy to let them be.
 
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