Holy multiplying anemones, Batman! My BTA split today!!!
 

I know this is a coral forum, but I just had to share my exuberance. I've had this small green BTA for about a month. For about the last week it seemed to be quite retracted and didn't want to eat at all. Today while passing the tank I noticed that it was extremely deflated/retracted on one side of the hole it lives in. Looking closer, it appeared to have split. I reached in an picked up the rock and sure enough, it looks like I now have two. There is a clear break between the two entities. I wonder if one has to move out now. :eek: I suspect the deflated one will reinflate over the next day or so. I'll get pics up later. Wife took the camera today.:mad:

So, all in all I guess I'm having a good week. Snails laying eggs, new xenia doing nicely and now my BTA split. I guess I must be doing something right (for a change).:rolleyes:

Congratulations EvilTwin! :)
You must be putting something in the water to make your critters so frisky. :D
Been listening to any Barry White albums lately around your tank? :p

Anyways, it is common for BTA's to split in the aquarium. Some say it is a reaction to stress, others say it happens under pristine conditions. I'm not sure as I don't keep BTA's, but it sounds to me like you are doing something right. The deflated one should reinflate soon. No reason to get rid of one unless you can trade for something good. :)

Just look at it this way...If your clowns get into an agrument the male will not have to sleep in the dog house!:D

Well, now they seem to be playing the inflating game, as they have swapped inflate/deflate status.

As for my clowns, they never hosted in it. Maybe now that they have two to choose from, they'll change their minds. Now if I could only find a place in my tank for the xenia that doesn't have too much flow. I know flow is good, but it seems they just want to flop around in the current and not pulse much:(

Are they tank raised clowns?
Usually tank raised clowns will take longer to host.

Congrats on the baby!!!

Nice... You definately are doing something right... Now just to keep it up...

Well, thanks for the vote of confidence. I have to say that it really hasn't been as difficult as some people make this out to be. I spend time reading a bunch of newbie forums on other sites to see what people are doing and get answers to some questions I have. Now, I'm no genius, but even I know that it pays to read a few books and a lot of internet articles to figure out how to do this stuff right. I'm really amazed at the stupid things poeple do when setting up their first tank. I guess I'll keep doing what I'm doing.

LOL some of "those" stupid things have been done by people here on this forum... (present company included.) :laughing9 :icon_lol: :laughing8

Well, it seems that my two anemones are rather cozy together in their little hole. Neither shows any sign of moving. I guess that's a good thing. Here's some pics. The larger group of tentacles to the left is the original, to the right, the new clone. Clowns still shying away. :(

EvilTwin - How big are those anemones? Sorry but this might be a stupid question - Are you sure that they are not Majanos?
Have a look here for identification - http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/bta/not/majano.html
Did you get those at the LFS?

OK, now I'm scratching my head. I did buy it from the LFS. The told me it was a BTA. How do I tell for certain?

What makes me think it is a majano is that it split at such a small size. Not everyone considers majanos to be a pest. I've never had majanos before so I can not say with 100% certainty.
Besides aiptasia here is a photo of my pest anemones (tapetum I believe) -

Every bubble tip I have seen has been at least the size of a baseball up to the size of a basketball. I do not claim to be an anemone expert so please do some research and form your own judgement. Maybe someone else can chime in with another opinion or links to help you identify. If the anemones never grow any larger than they are now and continue to split then I would bet that they are majanos. In that case I would kindly ask your LFS if he would like to purchase them back from you. Sorry.

FO, those "pest anemones" you have are highly desired. people on reef central pay $10 per head. :) i have one that splits serveral times

I'm quite certain that mine are BTAs. They have grown quite a bit in the last two months and have not split again. I think the tank move stressed it enough to split. The clowns are both quite happy these days.

If only they were easier to frag I would be happy to sell every one that I have. At $10 each I could get around $300 for all of them and I would be happy as can be. <sigh> The problem is getting them to detach from the rockwork and onto some rubble so I can sell/trade them without destroying them. I find them to be a nusciance. :)

After seeing more photos of your anemones I am quite certain that they are in fact BTA's. Can't wait to see them when they get bigger. :)

FO, have you tried the ice cube method in trying to get them off? i heard you can put it against the foot and it will release its grip. i've tried it on some btas and worked for me.

Hmmmmm....The ice cube method?!? This is news to me. I will try it and let you know how it works. I have been seriously contemplating getting some Joe's Juice and zapping them. Maybe this will be a better solution, then I can give them to someone who wants them.