Nennie novice

Tim S

Tim S

Joined
11 Jul 2009
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Location
Cape Town
Hi all,

I got a rose BTA as a birthday gift (in April) from the wife. My have always wanted one but have been hesitant to take the plunge so to speak. I'd like to check with you on his condition etc. My system is 800l total woth 2 x 150 w (20 000k) MH's and a vortex for flow. Second one broken. It's been running for 2,5 years now and quite stable appart from Nitrates which have started to climb lately. When it was collected they could not get it off the rockmit was on so it came already attached. I placed the rok in my DT and he has not moved a millimetre since. He's foot is slightly in underneath a crevice in this rock and would like to get him to move off it.

Does this mean he quite happy? The inner (central to mouth) tenticles are plumped up and full bodied but the ones on the outer edge are thin and 'deflated'. Is there a reason for this or could it be that the rock is irritating it? Could it be too far from the lights?

I feed him every 3rd day with a piece of chokka and he takes it in quickly. I fed a piece of muscle and he reacted very badly by deflating and releasing it after a while. Was fine the next morning. What is their prefered cuisine?

Your comments welcome please.
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If it isnt happy it will move. They can usually take less lighting than sps corals as they filter feed, might be going through a phase. Trying feeding it pieces of hake, raw shrimp etc.
 
Another question, I have a captive bred Percula clown (I think) and he wants nothing to do with the nennie. Was realy hoping he would host.
 
My clownfish has particularly taken to the couple large pin cushions and zoas, does yours perhaps have a spot it likes or hides in?
 
The bta's been in my tank for 3 weeks now and looks the same as when I got it. I know the pic quality is por but I'm certain he should look better. The clown has a spot in the back of the tank in the corner. The flow seems to 'hold' him up against the glass, so he does not come to the front very often. I'm not even sure he has seen the nennie?
 
Bubble-tips have their tentacles either way, its not a sign that its doing badly if its tentacles are different shapes. You would only be worried if the tentacles were damaged. IF the nennie wants more light it will move out from under the rock. As it hasnt moved it must mean that it likes where it is. Just watch its colour, if it goes whiter you may have a problem. IF its feeding though, you dont have to worry, bleached nennies can recover fully when they eat properly. Hake is good as hails said, but always feed small pieces of food when you do feed. Like the size of your fingernail. When you feed a piece that is too big, it tries to eat it, expends energy getting it into its mouth, finds it too big and then ejects it at another energy cost so it actually makes things worse. Your nennie will tell you what foods it doesnt like, mine loved mussels and everything else I gave it, so you can find out what yours likes. I think you should leave it on its rock and not try to move it as this could irritate the nennie and then 'the walkies' begin :(

As far as the clowns go, captive bred clowns are less likely to host than wild caught ones. But give them time, they might grow interested. If not you could always swap your clowns out.
 
Tim S said:
Another question, I have a captive bred Percula clown (I think) and he wants nothing to do with the nennie. Was realy hoping he would host.
Click to expand...

Anemone looks fine. They often take a while to settle in, so don't worry too much. Only feed small pieces of food, they'll reject food that is too big. Prawn and fish would be a more natural diet, rather than mussel.

The clown will possibly host at a later stage, though bubbletips are not a natural host anemone for perculas. In tanks, sometimes they will, sometimes they won't. Small anemones often take a beating from clowns anyway, so might be for the best if it doesn't host yet.
 
Hi Hails, geese the tenticles on your pin cussion are very long. My one has them only extending by a couple of millimetres. This happened after I changed from 10 000k to 20 000k lamps.
 
Tim S said:
Another question, I have a captive bred Percula clown (I think) and he wants nothing to do with the nennie. Was realy hoping he would host.
Click to expand...
My one Clown hosts my GHA and the other one is hosting my powerhead...not one is interested in any of my Corals...:p There is no guarantee that they will host a Nennie..
 
Gesiggies clowns also host on the back of the glass, they tend to find a spot they like and stick to it. What are your water parameters? Do you have a pic of the tank? Are you running any carbon or phosphate removers?
 
Tim S said:
Hi Hails, geese the tenticles on your pin cussion are very long. My one has them only extending by a couple of millimetres. This happened after I changed from 10 000k to 20 000k lamps.
Click to expand...

They were probably extended more to get light when you had the 10 000k, globes may have been old. Probably just the breed of pin cushion, we have a couple large ones and a few frags that are doing very well.
 
Hi Guys jus a quick question....if A anemone is lookin pale from
Is Normal colour when introduced in a new tank wat does that mean
An Wat can one do to get a RBTA back to its normal colour....
Any Tips
 
Pic taken this morning. Fed a piece of hake and moved his rock to a more elevated position and facing directly upwards. Looking much happier with all tenticles full with body.

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@Tim S, i have the same nennie but much larger and he took a while to find his preferred place but is very happy now. I have a clarki clown and he also took abot 4 week before he hosted in the nennie. I think it will take time just be patient.
 
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