Well crap

[Gryphon]

My BTA which took to wandering again after having been in one spot for about three month is currently sitting down in my sump, and I didn't put it there. Last week or so it had been hang around the bottom of my overflow box, but hadn't shown any movement upwards on the box. Well apparently today while I had my wife at the doctors office it decided to climb up, and well you can guess the rest. Worst part right now is it look so damn small, I'm worried it split before the water slide trip and the other half is still sitting in my overflow box and/or plumbing. I checked all I could see, didn't see another one anywhere else.

 

[Gryphon]

Finally got it out, it was stuck between a baffle and my skimmer. Man it looks chewed up, can't tell it was damage from a split or damage from going down the overflow.

 

[Gryphon]

Well it definitely split, just found the mother hanging off the front glass of my tank. I've got the clone sitting inside a coffee mug in the tank for the time being until I can get my HT set up tomorrow.

 

[Gryphon]

Question is now, did it split then the clone got sucked down the overflow, or did it get torn in two by the over flow. Modern day Aquarium mystery.

 

[mfinn]

I think it would be fine in the main tank without moving it to another tank, unless you don't want 2 in the main tank.
It probably split.

 

[1guydude]

+1 u can place it back in ur dt or a light on the sump and some rock for it to attach to. It will either recover and do better or start to close up and glob up, in which case I'd toss it. Sounds like u got some trade equity now lol.
D

 

[Gryphon]

Well the clone is now MIA from the coffee mug this morning, I was wanting to get it into an HT due to the fact it was all tore up.

 

[Gryphon]

Update: Both are looking ok at the moment. The mother is currently sitting back behind my rockwork, and the clone moves back and forth in a 4 in area. Looks like both should make it ok.

 

[mfinn]

Sounds like what happens in my tank. When they split naturally or by accident, both pieces usually look like crap for a while, but both should make it.

 

[Gryphon]

So far so good. Not sure if I'm going to keep the clone, or put it up for sale.

 

[riemannp]

Ahhh, memories of wandering BTA children. I've been there. The trick is to "store" the clones pending sale/pickup, without escaping again or damaging themselves. I once bought a plastic colander at GoodWill to store a BTA in my sump, and this worked for the short term. A forever wondering BTA is a tough one. Regardless of what well-meaning people suggest, I do not believe there is anything one can do to control where the BTA wishes to go. Best wishes.

 

[mfinn]

A colander is what I've used too.

 

[Gryphon]

And....the mother just split again lol

 

[ngreenaway]

moms goin nuts!

 

[1guydude]

How often do you feed him/her?
Change ur lights? Could be just the season! Lol
-d

 

[Gryphon]

I haven't been able to feed them due to where they had been hiding. I can see them, but not get food down to them.

 

[Maxx]

If your BTA's are splitting this often, there is something going on with your tank.
What are your parameters?
Have you checked your pH after the lights have gone out?

 

[Irchikg87]

Our BTA used to always head towards the overflow.. have no idea why. It also almost got caught in on of the pumps.

 

[Gryphon]

pH is stable, I have a light on in my sump that is opposite of my regular lighting. All parameters are normal, so no clue why the second split happened.