Cleaner shrimp and a BTA question

UTTAngel · 02/15/2008, 10:15 PM

I've had my BTA since Monday, I'm still not sure if it's decided on where it wants to stay.. When I got home today it was in the back of my tank so I turned the rock around and hopefully it'll stay there or near by... anyway back on topic..

My cleaner shrimp is frequently walks in the BTA... I'm not sure if it's trying to find left overs or what but if the shrimp notices the BTA moving.. he has to go investigate and walk all over the BTA again.. He makes the BTA close up every time he does it.. Is this normal? or should I be grounding my shrimp lol! I just want to make sure that the shrimp isn't going to hurt my BTA....

Thanks!

k9gunner · 02/15/2008, 10:22 PM

I have a sally lightfoot that is always bumping into my BTA. It closing is it's defense mechanisim. It is just protecting itself. I dont think the cleaner shrimp will hurt it but I am sure someone who knows more than I will come along.

As for it closing up, as long as it is eating, I would not worry about it closing up.

kau_cinta_ku · 02/15/2008, 10:23 PM

the shrimp will not harm the BTA. if anything the shimp could become the BTA's lunch.

and if your BTA likes the back of the tank he will move back there again, turning the rock around isn't gonna stop it. they do what they want.

seapug · 02/15/2008, 10:24 PM

Keep an eye on it. Most shrimp will steal food from it but some will start picking at them. I had a coral banded shrimp that would rip tentacle tips off my RBTA-- "HAD" being the key word.

UTTAngel · 02/15/2008, 10:25 PM

I guess I kinda worded that funny... I meant is it normal for the shrimp to mess with the BTA.. but I hope you are right about the shrimp not hurting it... anyone else have any ideas?

k9gunner · 02/15/2008, 10:29 PM

Sam, do you have any thoughts on them moving to the back of the tank? I have lost 2 BTA' because they have moved to the back out of the light and where I cant get to them to feed them. This is in a 29 gallon biocube with factory lighting. Is it a flow issue? They died due to them moving back there?

Quote:

Originally posted by kau_cinta_ku
the shrimp will not harm the BTA. if anything the shimp could become the BTA's lunch.

and if your BTA likes the back of the tank he will move back there again, turning the rock around isn't gonna stop it. they do what they want.

UTTAngel · 02/15/2008, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kau_cinta_ku
the shrimp will not harm the BTA. if anything the shimp could become the BTA's lunch.

and if your BTA likes the back of the tank he will move back there again, turning the rock around isn't gonna stop it. they do what they want.

well maybe he won't.. I would like to be able to see him lol!
I'm hoping it was more that he liked the crevice in the rock rather than the particular location.. he hasn't moved since I moved the rock so I'll keep my fingers crossed!

I'll keep an eye on the shrimp though..

Thanks for the input!

kau_cinta_ku · 02/15/2008, 10:42 PM

I can't say why they do it. I had a RBTA that would hide in a cave for months at a time, yet stayed very healthy.

the anemone will move to a spot that it likes, there is no stopping that. but IMHO I think they died due to other reasons besides hiding in the back of the tank. why they died I can't say for sure. but I am sure if it wated light it would have moved back. anemones are very touchy inverts and if something happened to the parameters even for a little bit that could cause it also, which is why it is reccommended not to get an anemone for 8-10 monthes when you know your tank real well and the parameters stay stable.

tmz · 02/15/2008, 11:42 PM

I've seen them move to the back of the rock in a shaded low flow area to split(clone) or when they are stressed.

curtis hi-tech · 02/16/2008, 02:31 AM

Those BTA's can be funny about where they want to stay . Mine moved to the top of the rock and is getting hammered my a Tunze 6100 but he loves it there ,go figure.

NewFish3 · 02/16/2008, 11:58 AM

UTT angel,

I got my BTA about 4 weeks ago. At first I was freaking out because he moved about 4 times in the first 2 days. Then he kept shrinking up & the opening up, he kept doing this for about 2 weeks. I knick named FREAK SHOW. I now learned that they will do this. Dont worry where he goes, when he finds a spot that he likes he will stay. I had 2 rocks fall when I was cleaning the tank, the Anemone moved again because he got freaked. The next day he was right back in the same spot. Thats where he likes it. As long as you see him open up & close up, & eating he will be fine.

Here is a link to a picture of my nano cube, you can see the FREAK SHOW in there

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/...oCube_14-4.jpg

02/15/2008, 10:15 PM	#1
UTTAngel Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: East Texas Posts: 144	Cleaner shrimp and a BTA question I've had my BTA since Monday, I'm still not sure if it's decided on where it wants to stay.. When I got home today it was in the back of my tank so I turned the rock around and hopefully it'll stay there or near by... anyway back on topic.. My cleaner shrimp is frequently walks in the BTA... I'm not sure if it's trying to find left overs or what but if the shrimp notices the BTA moving.. he has to go investigate and walk all over the BTA again.. He makes the BTA close up every time he does it.. Is this normal? or should I be grounding my shrimp lol! I just want to make sure that the shrimp isn't going to hurt my BTA.... Thanks! __________________ RBTA, Mushrooms, Green Star Polyps, 1 Fire Shrimp, 1 Flametail Blenny Current Tank Info: 75g Reef -Remora Pro, 40 lbs LR- Yes I know I need more.

02/15/2008, 10:24 PM	#4
seapug Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: 4980 ft. Posts: 7,954 Blog Entries: 1	Keep an eye on it. Most shrimp will steal food from it but some will start picking at them. I had a coral banded shrimp that would rip tentacle tips off my RBTA-- "HAD" being the key word. __________________ insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009.

02/15/2008, 10:25 PM	#5
UTTAngel Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: East Texas Posts: 144	I guess I kinda worded that funny... I meant is it normal for the shrimp to mess with the BTA.. but I hope you are right about the shrimp not hurting it... anyone else have any ideas? __________________ RBTA, Mushrooms, Green Star Polyps, 1 Fire Shrimp, 1 Flametail Blenny Current Tank Info: 75g Reef -Remora Pro, 40 lbs LR- Yes I know I need more.

02/15/2008, 11:42 PM	#9
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	I've seen them move to the back of the rock in a shaded low flow area to split(clone) or when they are stressed. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

02/16/2008, 02:31 AM	#10
curtis hi-tech Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: asheville Posts: 65	Those BTA's can be funny about where they want to stay . Mine moved to the top of the rock and is getting hammered my a Tunze 6100 but he loves it there ,go figure. __________________ When all else fails go dig the directions out of the trash Current Tank Info: 5 years 135 oceainc reef(55g sump 55g fug.,3-250watt mh , 4-65 watt pc atinic, Lighthouse controller, h&s A200-1260 skimmer geo 6x24 Ca.reactor 2-tunze 6100 w/7095 )

02/15/2008, 10:22 PM	#2
k9gunner Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Dayton Ohio Posts: 325	I have a sally lightfoot that is always bumping into my BTA. It closing is it's defense mechanisim. It is just protecting itself. I dont think the cleaner shrimp will hurt it but I am sure someone who knows more than I will come along. As for it closing up, as long as it is eating, I would not worry about it closing up.

02/15/2008, 10:23 PM	#3
kau_cinta_ku Moved On Join Date: May 2005 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,669	the shrimp will not harm the BTA. if anything the shimp could become the BTA's lunch. and if your BTA likes the back of the tank he will move back there again, turning the rock around isn't gonna stop it. they do what they want.

02/15/2008, 10:42 PM	#8
kau_cinta_ku Moved On Join Date: May 2005 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,669	I can't say why they do it. I had a RBTA that would hide in a cave for months at a time, yet stayed very healthy. the anemone will move to a spot that it likes, there is no stopping that. but IMHO I think they died due to other reasons besides hiding in the back of the tank. why they died I can't say for sure. but I am sure if it wated light it would have moved back. anemones are very touchy inverts and if something happened to the parameters even for a little bit that could cause it also, which is why it is reccommended not to get an anemone for 8-10 monthes when you know your tank real well and the parameters stay stable.

02/16/2008, 11:58 AM	#11
NewFish3 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,096	UTT angel, I got my BTA about 4 weeks ago. At first I was freaking out because he moved about 4 times in the first 2 days. Then he kept shrinking up & the opening up, he kept doing this for about 2 weeks. I knick named FREAK SHOW. I now learned that they will do this. Dont worry where he goes, when he finds a spot that he likes he will stay. I had 2 rocks fall when I was cleaning the tank, the Anemone moved again because he got freaked. The next day he was right back in the same spot. Thats where he likes it. As long as you see him open up & close up, & eating he will be fine. Here is a link to a picture of my nano cube, you can see the FREAK SHOW in there http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/...oCube_14-4.jpg __________________ On a scuba dive in the Cayman Islands, I kept thinking.........Why is that Fish getting bigger.........Then it hit me Current Tank Info: 7 years saltwater.. Setting up a 120 gal reef. Office BioCube 14...1 perc clown, 1 royal gramma, 1 six line wrasse, fire shrimp, cleaner shrimp, green stripe, brown shrooms, coco worm, purple leather, Misc CUC