Roaming or Rolling LTA

Reef Aquarium & Tank Building Forum

Help Support Reef Aquarium & Tank Building Forum:

M

mkaiman

Active member
Joined
Jan 29, 2007
Messages
30
I know, I know "just let it find its place" but this is getting very frustrating. I purchased a macro doreensis from a LFS with a super reputation and seemingly pristine tanks. It has been in my nano 14gal reef tank for 1 week and fails to attach. This morning I found it wedged behind a rock and had to do some rearranging. I Keep the lighting (actinic) and a 10,000 fluorescent tube on for about 9hr/d and then just leave the fluorecsent on for another 2-3 hrs. Ph is 8.5, nitrate and nitrites are 0 and sg is 1.025. Temp is 71-72F. It has live sand and about 12lbs of cured rock with plenty of coraline algae. The LTA was purchased unattached, 1 week ago, and was spinning in the current on top of an aragonite base. Very health in appearance. The foot is red-orange and the tenticles are fluorescent green with mauve colored tips. The trunk is somewhat shortened and intact. The mouth is closed. It is very responsive to Mitis shrimp, and light, which I fed it 3 days ago. It reacted to the food and stimulus normally. I left the pump off one night to see if it would help it find a comfortable spot but no change. It usually lays about 45 degrees to one side. Keeps drifting. Read somewhere about burying it in the sand or even using a short piece of 3.5"pvc pipe to make it its home. It seems like a spunky nomad. I would want it to settle before introducing a clown. Should I just back off and wait? Is temp too low? Iodine/Lugos solution? Any suggestions.
 
I believe most reefs are around 78 degrees. Are you keeping a mediterranean tank, that's why the temp is so low? I am not sure the LTA likes the low temps...
 
That long tentacle anemone I believe is from the Indo-Pacific area, so temp ranges from about 72-78. They do require very strong lighting to be happy. Usually burry their foot in soft sand (sugar size). Intermediate water flow (not too strong, not too whimpy). Definately want to keep your water quality very high, pH 8.1-8.4, S.G. 1.025 +/- .01.
 
Thanks for the post. I am keeping the temp at the 72 deg point because that's the ambient temp of the room which keeps the tank at that temp with minor fluctuations. I do have a 50W heater which I have not installed yet because, as I always found that, I had a healthier tank (freshwater experience) without resorting to its use. I'll give it a shot and set it for 78F.
 
You will definately need to increase the temp on the tank, and your lighting might not be sufficient for the anemone's needs. Generally, movement is a sign that the environment its in isnt sufficient for it.

Nick
 
LTA settled down

I fed the LTA yesterday with some defrosted MITIS shrimp and once again it seemed to have a good appetite. The tank experienced a diatomaceous algae bloom shortly thereafter and it's being delt with with a reduction in actinic light timing. This, I understand has to be dealt with in a balanced way. I was told by the LFS that it was ok to stock a nano tank right-away as long as the readings were right, which they were. The feeder shrimp caused the bloom which I hope resolves and the anemone lives. He's been situated in a low flow area of the tank for 3x days now subsequent to placing it in a low-flow area with a little man-made aragonite sand dune. The barred moray seems healthy as well. No other company in the tank.
 
I would guess it is your lighting. When I moved my anemone (which I think is a LTA) from my 45g to my 130g it began to have the same behavior as you are describing. The 130 had an old hood with old lights. It moved/floated/tumbled constantly for a couple months and my clowns were quite upset with it. In December I replaced the hood and put in MH lighting. Within hours the anemone put its foot down and has not moved since.
 
The tank is 3x weeks old and went through a diatom algae bloom which is now over. It was a brand new 14 gal nano cube...new lights. I placed a Clarkii in there 2 days ago and it took right to the LTA. Really cute. I placed the LTA in a relatively calm area of the aragonite bed and there it stayed x 1 week until the Clarkii came. This AM it settled in a LR cove and they both seem pretty happy. Stay tuned .
 
The LTA (Haitian/sand anemone) settled in a cove between 3 rocks which I filled with aragonite. I seems to be happy and eating well. It had hosted a clarki which subsequently died. I had stirred the sand too much and I think that was the cause.
 
If the tank is only 3 week old, it is probally not done cycling, your initial parameters look good except (IMO) the temp, has the tank only been up a total of 3 weeks?
 
Since advised, I have been maintaining the temp @ 75.2F. The clarki looked healthy and energetic until I stirred up the sand. May have shocked him.
 
A three week old tank is not mature enough for a anemone, unless you plan on religiously doing water changes to keep the spikes down. Anemones are sensitive to ammonia spikes.
 
I have about 15lbs of live rock and LS. The anemone has been eating well and appears to be in good shape. He is firmly planted and seems to be happy. I do weekly water changes of ~10% of the total volume. I hope I'm on the right track.
 
I perform weekly H2O changes of 10% of the volume and have increased the temp. The tank is 4 weeks old today. The anemone appears healthy and is eating and pooping well.
 
10% weekly would be 40% monthly I would think that would do a pretty good job of keeping the ammonia down as long as you aren't overfeeding and skimming well.
 
Except for the copepod bloom everything seems fine. It went thru a diatomaceous bloom last week and has passed without any ill effects that I can see. The only other "fish: in there is a barred moray who eats shrimp and seems OK. It's a 14 gal nano and I will be getting a reef test kit for the basics in a couple of days. I'll keep you posted.
 
You LFS gave you bad information. It is definiately not OK to stock a nano right away. It goes through the same cycles as any other tank and is not OK to stock up until 6-8 weeks. Not only that but there are pretty much no cubes on the market with good enough lights to support an anenome long term. It will probably make it a few months if the water cycles don't do it in. I would not listen to anything that you LFS tells you and instead do your own research before purchasing anything. Not trying to be negative, but I want to help you save yourself a lot of money and heartache in the long run.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top