RBTA - what and how often do you feed

[b_james]

Just curious, what are you guys feeding your BTA's and how often. I've been feeding mine once every 1-2 weeks each time a different meat such as one week squid, next week krill or mysis. Also how large are the servings?

[DanG]

usually I feed mine once or twice a month, and it's a piece of scallop, shrimp or squid, all about the size of a dime. I feed fairly heavy most of the time, so it grabs a fair bit and my maroon clown is a big help by feeding it fairly often as well.

[Joe Reefer]

I feed mine once or twice a month also, most of the time it gets a cube of squid.

[b_james]

Originally Posted by DanG

my maroon clown is a big help by feeding it fairly often as well.

My maroon clowns always try to steal the food away from the BTA. Honestly sometimes I think the clowns get on the BTA's nerves.

[Beverly]

I started out feeding our BTAs a large pinch of PE mysis every 2-3 days when they were smaller.

Now I'm feeding them either scallop or jumbo shrimp every 4-5 days. I make sure I rinse the scallop/shrimp really, really well in RO water to remove preservatives. Then I chop them into small pieces for easier digestion (I hope). Now that both BTAs are larger, they each get about a quarter of a scallop or the equivelant amount of shrimp.

Video of feeding PE mysis to our RBTA....

http://www.lostmymarblz.com/v-rbta-f...s-ja-26-06.wmv
(320 x 240 pixels, 9.3 MB, 2:11 minutes)

Video of feeding jumbo shrimp to our GBTA....

http://www.lostmymarblz.com/v-gbta-f...n-27-28-06.wmv
(320 x 240 pixels, 12.0 MB, 2:45 minutes)

[b_james]

wow... I really like the idea of using the clear tubing.. thanks Bev

[briansmyth]

I feed my two rbta's and a LTA a pinch of food each almost every other day - I feed them directly with my index finger and thum holding the pinch. Are these anemones gluttons? They don't seem to mind this quantity of plankton, mysis or bloodworms. The one rbta does have an anemone crab who may grab some of the food, but the other `clown resident' bta's don't seem to share much with the fish.

[rickjames]

I used to feed mine, but quit direct feeding probably a year ago. Since he is pretty close to the surface, i just dump my daily feeding of mysis over top of him and the anemone always catches some. And since the clowns are out eating in the water column, he gets a chance to eat what he catches. I just have to make sure there is enough shrimp to go around!

[Beverly]

Originally Posted by b_james

wow... I really like the idea of using the clear tubing.. thanks Bev

You're welcome

[EmilyB]

I haven't target fed my BTA's in years. Nor do they poop like Bev's ! Well, not that I have ever seen. Quite likely the hosting maroon pair takes care of the poop if there is any, the female definitely brings back enough frozen to feed it.