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Tips for removing BTA’s from pukani rock


Oregonic

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Trying to get rid of the BTA’s from my tank, cant seem to get them to let go. Tried power head pointed at them, tried holding rock upside down outside the tank till I could no longer hold it. Most the feet are deep inside cracks in the rock so can’t really get to the feet. Don’t particularly want to start breaking apart the rock but if thats the only option I guess I will have no choice. Leaving them is not an option as I am trying to move on to growing some more SPS. 

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2 minutes ago, xxkenny90xx said:

Your gonna have to make it very uncomfortable somehow. Maybe flip the rock over so the nem is in the dark and get it while it's on the move? Once the foot is visable they're pretty easy to get off

That actually a gives me a good idea, maybe I can cover them with a dark plastic container and get them to walk.  

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I’ve heard of people using an ice cube on the foot to get them to release. Haven’t done it myself but probably worth a try!

 

have you held them upside down outside of the tank? I drained my tank once and they stretched out really far, would have been easy to remove at that point. Good luck!

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9 minutes ago, Blue Z Reef said:

I’ve heard of people using an ice cube on the foot to get them to release. Haven’t done it myself but probably worth a try!

 

have you held them upside down outside of the tank? I drained my tank once and they stretched out really far, would have been easy to remove at that point. Good luck!

Yea held the rock outside the tank till I couldn’t hold it anymore probably 15 -20 min. The feet are to deep for the ice cube trick. 

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When I did a "lights out" for 4 days, the 2 nems, I had at that time, moved off their rock and moved towards the part of the tank that was getting more light from another nearby tank. So, make it dark and let in some light near a corner, it'll move.
They love them some light!
HTH

Sent from Atlantis 🤙

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Im going to try something I read on Reef2reef. Supposedly if you cove them with a terra cotta pot they will usually walk up the inside towards the drain hole where the light enters. Ill let you guys know how it works thanks for the advice everyone. 

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3 minutes ago, milesmiles902 said:

It depends on how much time you have. 

Safer is better and honestly, the easiest way is to break the rock. 

Not in a huge hurry, want to remove all 7 of them but if it takes a week to gather them so be it. Ideally I would like to preserve my scape but if I will break the rock up if necessary. I will never put BTA’s in my display again lol. 2 small ones turned into 7 large ones over the last 3 years and they just take up to much space.

 

Whats the beat way to house them as I remove them, a plastic strainer? Hoping to sale or trade them in all at once not one at a time as I remove them. 

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I use a flat head stainless steel screwdriver as a chisel, I've done it carefully and very successfully by chiseling around and under the foot with countless nems and it works. It's best if you can remove the rock(s) and put them in a seperate container to work with, carefully chisel around and under their foot until they pop off, it's definitely worth trying and takes only a small amount if any rock with them. I had a 55 with mostly pukani rock as well literally filled with nems at one point and found this solution by far the best and most successful and I've tried everything! I recently removed three speckled bta's from a members tank (Breanna) in less than five minutes doing this, now all three are in my tank [emoji3] it can take a few minutes (be patient on some) or some come off in seconds, I swear to anyone it works and takes very little rock and I have tried everything out there, I just use a regular stainless steel screwdriver to remove them when they have their feet really buried in a hole. It works for a lot of other corals too, I use a small stainless steel screwdriver for zoas, palys, Xenia, Kenya tree etc. Once you've gotten the corner of their foot loose it's easy to pry your thumb under the foot and they tend to pop right off. If you were closer I'd be happy to do it for you [emoji16]

 

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