RBTA Behavior
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Invertebrates
Forum Description: This is the place to ask questions about invertebrates.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29687
Printed Date: August 05 2025 at 10:32pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: RBTA Behavior
Posted By: Kynneke
Subject: RBTA Behavior
Date Posted: November 30 2008 at 7:00pm
My RBTA is doing the strangest thing... as a true paranoid reefer I'm gonna ask  First off, it's doing wonderfully! It stretches out all day with huge bulbs, normally in a circle that'd be bigger than my hand. Then today it started to form almost an oval shape with the top part attaching to a rock above it. Weird, I know, is it trying to move? The part that's attached to the top rock isn't really near it's foot though.The circled part is the part that looks attached to the rock above. I could be completely smoking something and should stop staring at my anemone and let it PMS alone. Oh I should mention, this is after lights out, normally it looks a LOT happier and a lot more bulb like.  |
Replies:
Posted By: Kynneke
Date Posted: November 30 2008 at 7:03pm
As a side note.. this is my favorite sponge formation in the main tank. |
Posted By: tazman1982
Date Posted: November 30 2008 at 7:26pm
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looks like it might be splitting! u can have 2 of them now. but not sure. ------------- 75 Reef 55 Reef |
Posted By: GentlemanBean
Date Posted: November 30 2008 at 7:48pm
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What is the texture of that sponge? It looks almost like caulerpa.
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Posted By: Kynneke
Date Posted: November 30 2008 at 8:29pm
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I haven't touched it but it's very porous. It started off as just a tiny white speck on that rock and has grown into that, it's still white but gradually turns black on some arms. Splitting eh? Hmmmm, just after all the lights went out it let go of the rock at the top and went to sleep. I would love to have 2 of them, hope it does split. |
Posted By: cl2ysta1
Date Posted: November 30 2008 at 8:54pm
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we have that same sponge. It just showed up out of nowhere... it however has become a pain on a couple of my zoa frags choking them out. Its not afraid of light.
as far as the nem. that is perfectly normal behavior. It looks like its stretching up toward the light a bit. Ours attach like that to the rocks and glass during the day than shrink up at night ------------- I <3 Boxers Achilles tang lover |
Posted By: Kynneke
Date Posted: November 30 2008 at 9:25pm
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Aww man lol was thinking he may decide to split but it really does look like he's stretching for the lights, at night he pretty much turns into a ball. So far I really like the sponge, he's kind of near some Ric's but not near enough to bother them.. yet. |
Posted By: cl2ysta1
Date Posted: November 30 2008 at 11:02pm
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feed it a lot if you want it to split. ------------- I <3 Boxers Achilles tang lover |
Posted By: Kynneke
Date Posted: December 01 2008 at 10:08am
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I'll try that! |
Posted By: chk4tix
Date Posted: December 01 2008 at 7:47pm
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Yep, I agree that is looks like it could be splitting. I say feed it and it will split, that is what I do when I need some extra money. lol. As far as the sponge goes, I have a ton of those, some are black, some are blue, and some are white. They have over taken a rock that I have my large green fuzzy mushrooms on, so the mushrooms only half attach to the rock. This sure helps me out when I need to frag a mushroom or two because they just come right off and then new mushrooms grow right back in the same place. ------------- Original Crappy Reef Club Member #2 |
Posted By: Kynneke
Date Posted: December 01 2008 at 8:40pm
My confused clowns took a lot of the food from the anemone, I mistakenly thought they were supposed to take care of their anem not steal from it  LOL He still got a lot to eat and puffed up... hoping for another one soon, that'd be great to have 2.
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Posted By: cl2ysta1
Date Posted: December 01 2008 at 9:01pm
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our clowns will actually feed their anemone before they feed themselves. Quite cute. We cut our anemones in half with scissors and razor blades. ------------- I <3 Boxers Achilles tang lover |
Posted By: chk4tix
Date Posted: December 01 2008 at 9:05pm
I have heard that people do this, but I dont quite dare do that yet since they split so often enough without for me. ------------- Original Crappy Reef Club Member #2 |
cl2ysta1 wrote:Posted By: cl2ysta1
Date Posted: December 01 2008 at 9:33pm
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i have 100 percent sucess :) ------------- I <3 Boxers Achilles tang lover |
Posted By: chk4tix
Date Posted: December 02 2008 at 1:48am
next time you split one, take pictures because I would like to see how it is done ------------- Original Crappy Reef Club Member #2 |
Posted By: KludgeGuru
Date Posted: December 02 2008 at 8:36am
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There are a bunch of videos on youtube on how to frag an anemone. This one is with scissors: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7BdqxW4ka0 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7BdqxW4ka0 This one is with a razor blade: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOXZEWIAYEY - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOXZEWIAYEY This is a really good video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5tDIoLROyA&feature=related - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5tDIoLROyA&feature=related I would suggest wearing gloves though. -Rocks |
Posted By: Kynneke
Date Posted: December 02 2008 at 10:39am
Ooooooh.. ya'll put bad thoughts in my head lol I've been wanting 2 RBTA's, one on each end (not that I get to choose exactly). I've killed the 4 corals I've fragged, dare I try an anemone?? Hmmm... an no fair Crystal! How come your clowns don't steal too? 
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Posted By: cl2ysta1
Date Posted: December 02 2008 at 11:17am
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they must think they need their nems. I've cut three anemones in the past three days. they are already healed up and attached. ------------- I <3 Boxers Achilles tang lover |
Posted By: cl2ysta1
Date Posted: December 02 2008 at 11:17am
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i forgot to say.. I cut three RBTAs in the past three days.
my next feat will be a red carpet anemone. I just have to save up 600-800 dollars to buy one first ------------- I <3 Boxers Achilles tang lover |
Posted By: Kynneke
Date Posted: December 02 2008 at 11:20am
| My clowns are divorced anyway, one lives in the condy and one in the RBTA, maybe they are traumatized from the break-up and don't feel the need to take care of their nem's. As soon as I can see youtube I'll go look at those videos. Honestly though, fragged a kenya tree twice... dead. Fragged some zoo's... dead. Fragged a Xenia... dead lol I see a pattern emerging. |
Posted By: cl2ysta1
Date Posted: December 02 2008 at 11:58am
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perhaps you were fragging wrong... i'll help you later. gotta hit the road ------------- I <3 Boxers Achilles tang lover |
Posted By: Chevmaro
Date Posted: December 02 2008 at 12:39pm
I dont really understand nem's. Are they alive? I know they are somewhat an invert but do they feel pain when they get cut in half or are they more like a coral? Seems like animal cruelty to me but i dunno  .
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Posted By: KludgeGuru
Date Posted: December 02 2008 at 2:21pm
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I had a RBTA that was being eaten by a Raccoon butterfly fish. I tried to remove it from the tank but it was attached to two rocks and I ended up ripping it in half. Both halves have survived and are doing really well. I've found that RBTAs are very hearty and I've never killed one even after ripping it's foot to shreds trying to get it off a rock. -Rocks |
Posted By: Kynneke
Date Posted: December 02 2008 at 7:34pm
Thanks for the videos! I'm.. just.. well.. in shock lol |
Posted By: Sculpin
Date Posted: December 04 2008 at 12:21am
You guys are sick... plain sick. There is no way I would ever do that to my baby.   She stays the way she is... lovely and whole. Oh and btw mine always stretches out and looks like she's about to split but never does. Don't worry about it, totally normal. And on the topic of propagating anemones, someone told me in order to get them to split you need to make life uncomfortable for them. Such as running the lights 24 hours on and 24 off. Does this even work or was this LFS employee full of crap? Sculpin
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Posted By: cl2ysta1
Date Posted: December 05 2008 at 12:02am
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Stress makes them split. So does lots of feeding. And of course.... Chopping!!!!! ------------- I <3 Boxers Achilles tang lover |