Whats wrong with this picture?

[parajack]

The entire front of this picture would normally be fillled with my Bali LTA. This morning he was moved for the first time since introducing him to my 55 display 6 months ago. Its been eating well and growing like a dandelion. Is it most likely getting ready to split? I've read that they seek darker conditions before splitting but I've never been through this. Of course I'm about to go out of town for 5 days. Should I move the star polyps? Do I need to take any other measures (not that I'll be around to do it ) before I leave tonight?
I guess the jpg was a bit big for Reef Frontiers... Here is a link to the picture... http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=727417

 

[NaH2O]

One thing I'd be concerned about is the anemone getting sucked into powerheads or other intakes. You might want to cover those in case it continues to wander while you are gone.

 

[parajack]

Thanks Nikki,
If it is splitting, how long of a process is this usually... days.. weeks?
Do you know of any good threads which talk about it?
Jack

 

[steve-s]

If it does split (which I doubt), it will take hours not days. They will more commonly do it at night and the process will be done with before morning.

If you get the opportunity for clear viewing, look at the mouth area. That's where the split will begin. Not much to go on by that pic but it looks like the anemone is simpley withdrawn. More commonly they will move because of some change in the tank environment, usually sparked by altering water flow direction/force or the lighting is altered or aging.

How are the water specs since you added the fish back?

Cheers
Steve

 

[Maxx]

AFAIK, LTA's have not split in captivity. Delbeek and Sprung have indicated they think its possible, but no-one has documented it happening in a home aquarium.
I've done some looking around on the web, and found several reports of H.magnifica and E.quadricolor splitting, but nothing on LTA's.
I did some looking around on RC and found references to propagating anemones by cutting them in half with a knife, (bisecting the anemone across the short side of the mouth...instead of an O youwould be left two U's if that makes sense), and have seen reports of S.haddoni anemones surviving that. The one LTA that I read a report on being split in that manner did not survive.
Dauphne Fautin and Gerald Allen suggest in their book "Anemone Fishes and their Host Sea Anemones" LTA's, (M.Doreensis, which is what you have shown in the pic) actually have seperate sexes and require both to reproduce.

Nick