GBTA location

outacontrol · #1 02-03-2010, 12:54 AM

So I bought a GBTA 1.5 weeks ago and it has been walking around my tank, and it seems to have decided to set up on the same rock that I have Green Star Polyps and Green Button Polyps. The 2 different polyps have been fighting over that rock for that last 3 years and together they cover the entire top and most of the sides of the rock.
The anemone has picked the side of the rock, near where the 2 types of polyps meet. You can see that they are stinging each other.
My question is: Will this solve it self? Or should I move one of my Korelias to change the water movement and hope the anemone will decide to move to a better spot?

mike31154 · #2 02-03-2010, 01:21 AM

Interesting... I can't really advise here, but I have a similar situation with the GSP and some brown zoanthids that are battling it out at the moment. Seems like the GSP are winning and so far I'm letting nature take it's course. My GBTA has been pretty much stationary since I introduced it almost 3 years ago, well away from the soft coral battle. It's hosting a Maroon Clownfish pair. The corals were added much later than the BTA.

The one and only time my BTA moved, it didn't go far, but decided to move behind/under the original rock I placed it on. I observed it for almost a month, which was difficult since it was at the back out of sight. Used a mirror. Saw that it was shrinking & bleaching due to lack of light and I ended up rotating the rock to get it back into view and the light. I'm not a fan of rearranging my rock work, but had to or the BTA was toast. After that incident, it's stayed put thankfully. The foot/base is in a good sized hollow in the rock and I have read elsewhere that BTAs do like to set themselves up that way, foot in a slight hollow. Not sure that changing the flow will make a difference, unless you point it right at the foot to get it to release.

Good luck, hopefully someone with some better advice or experience will chime in.

outacontrol · #3 02-03-2010, 03:35 AM

I really hopes this works out, I really like the GBTA and do not want to lose him.

whatcaneyedo · #4 02-03-2010, 04:33 AM

This is a good article that may help you.
http://www.carlosreef.com/download/fclick.php?1