GBTA help !!

[evilskudd]

I just got a gbta from a lfs yesterday and I was under the impression that they need really high lighting. I have a cube tank, so I'm using a kessel light and my gbta pulled itself under a rock and is now " hiding " from the lighting. It's tips are nice and bubbled so I can assume its happy, what can be wrong? My parameters are all ideal, could this be part of the acclimation process? Will it ever come out and make itself be seen? Any advise would be helpful and appreciated, thanks .

 

[KathyC]

I highly doubt it was under such strong lighting at the LFS, so it is likely hiding out until it is comfortable..think like this - it is acclimating itself
Give it some time and it will eventually come out and find a place where it likes the flow & lighting.

 

[kenconnect]

what is ur par readings? it may be to direct light on him and gbta will move till they fine a spot they are happy with lighting and flow.

 

[evilskudd]

the kessel is a 150 watt ocean blue led light and i believe the tank depth is 30". it extends its tips to the ends of the rock, and wont come out past that, so i can see it, but it doesnt want to be seen by the light.

 

[CoralMeister]

It's fine BTAs are known to do this. My rbta didn't come out for the first week. It's all part of it acclimating itself

 

[evilskudd]

ok thanks! any other advise on bta care i shopuld know about?

 

[KathyC]

ok thanks! any other advise on bta care i shopuld know about?

How long has the tank been set up?

 

[evilskudd]

cant remember the exact date, but round about 6 months or so, but my params are fine, and everything else i have is growing better than i can have hoped for

 

[KathyC]

cant remember the exact date, but round about 6 months or so, but my params are fine, and everything else i have is growing better than i can have hoped for

Good, was afraid you might say it's a week old...lol
Be patient, it will come out when it is ready!

 

[evilskudd]

ok thanks to everyone for the advise

 

[Wolverine57]

Give it time, she will come out from hiding. Your getting great advice here, give it time to adjust.

 

[Imbarrie]

BTAs can be challenging but they are one of the easier nems.
They really do not like phosphates.
Or impeller intakes.

 

[CoralMeister]

Or impeller intakes.

LOL been there........not fun

 

[PHiLiPSKim]

Everybody sounds right, but as for me one thing I will add. This coming from a person that seen like 5 rbta die. They find spots ideal for them, but depending on your choice of flow/pump/ jet, watch it when it moves. For some reason they seem to love killing themselves on the roters. Good luck

 

[Imbarrie]

My BTAs all did well. I have had two GBTAs and one watermellon.
I added them to a place in the tank that had a crevice, preferably vertacle, with medium flow and access to light. They all hid, but after a few days they would start to send out tentacles. I would feed these before they really started moving around the tank and they all stayed put until I moved them.
The BTA is looking for certain things and if you supply them, they should have little motivation to move. Those things are a nice firm crevice to plant their foot inside. They can extend as much as they want to receive light. They also want medium flow and food. When all those conditions are met, they should have little motivation to want to leave. Considering the amount of energy needed to move.
When they do plant themselves and remain in a place for a while, I would stop feeding them. If you keep feeding they will expand to a size that threatens all the nearby coral. I fed mine fresh shrimp and they would rarely excrete. Some people feed silversides, but I think they excrete more on that diet. They will also pull food from the water when you feed the tank.

Good Luck,

 

[evilskudd]

Again thanks for the advise I'm being cautious with the nem cuz my sabae killed itself in my powerhead. So I shut it off hear and there when I'm not really watching the tank or being home... I hope this one comes out it was beautiful in the lfs