Long tentacle anemone

[ralph82396]

Hi all,

I just got my very first long tentacle anemone after 10 years in the hobby, I picked it out last week for my new 55 gallon mixed reef tank that has been cycling for 2 months. I got him last week and he immediately buried into the substrate and stayed there until last night, I had ordered a new canister filter for the tank but cycled it with an old HOB I had laying around so when the filter got here yesterday I switched it (I placed the filter floss and ceramic bio balls from the old filter into the new to not lose any bacteria). the filter has much more flow and the anemones foot slowly dethatched after install, I've checked the bottom for any cuts or tears and he's fine but he wont re anchor his foot. (Mind you even with his foot dethatched HE IS BIGGER THAN EVER) Any advice on how to get him to re anchor would be greatly appreciated

Nitrates - 2
Salinity - 1.025
Ammonia - 0
PH - 8.2
Temp - 77

(P.S. I have the whites on in this light for better clarity)


Thank you!!

 

[griss]

The change in flow is likely causing the anemone to look for the right place to anchor That said, keep a close eye on it so it doesn't get sucked up into the intake of the canister filter or powerheads while it's roaming around.

I don't know your experience with anemones, but a two month old tank is a bit "new" IMO for an anemone.

 

[ralph82396]

The change in flow is likely causing the anemone to look for the right place to anchor That said, keep a close eye on it so it doesn't get sucked up into the intake of the canister filter or powerheads while it's roaming around.

I don't know your experience with anemones, but a two month old tank is a bit "new" IMO for an anemone.

I've had BTAs in the past, currently have a carpet in the 150, IMO the six month to a year time frame people say we should wait before getting an anemone is for the aquarist's experience not maturity of the tank ( if the parameter's have been stable for a minimum of three weeks I usually say go for it ) but again that's just an opinion. I figured he's looking for another spot but in my past experience with the BTAs and the carpet when and if they move they anchor to a new spot rather quickly this guy has been like this for about 18 hours, he hasn't moved from the spot he's just detached and tilted over.

 

[griss]

I've had BTAs in the past, currently have a carpet in the 150, IMO the six month to a year time frame people say we should wait before getting an anemone is for the aquarist's experience not maturity of the tank ( if the parameter's have been stable for a minimum of three weeks I usually say go for it ) but again that's just an opinion. I figured he's looking for another spot but in my past experience with the BTAs and the carpet when and if they move they anchor to a new spot rather quickly this guy has been like this for about 18 hours, he hasn't moved from the spot he's just detached and tilted over.

Ah, I missed that you have 10 years experience in the hobby Hmmm, 18 hours does seem a bit long.

 

[griss]

FWIW, I added an LTA to my tank several months ago and it hasn't moved from where I originally placed it...medium/high lighting and moderate flow.

 

[ralph82396]

FWIW, I added an LTA to my tank several months ago and it hasn't moved from where I originally placed it...medium/high lighting and moderate flow.

that's what I think my issue was, I treated it like my carpet which gets moderate to high. I've been told but not sure how true it is that the longer the anemone's tentacles the lower the flow I've adjusted my powerheads and the duck bill on the filter to give moderate flow and have re positioned him in the tank using some live rock to guide him in anchoring ( not squished but comfortable) lets hope his foot anchors in

 

[ralph82396]

that's what I think my issue was, I treated it like my carpet which gets moderate to high. I've been told but not sure how true it is that the longer the anemone's tentacles the lower the flow I've adjusted my powerheads and the duck bill on the filter to give moderate flow and have re positioned him in the tank using some live rock to guide him in anchoring ( not squished but comfortable) lets hope his foot anchors in

ignore the glue spot that's where I had my Xenia in my old tank and REFUSE to have them in this one

 

[griss]

that's what I think my issue was, I treated it like my carpet which gets moderate to high. I've been told but not sure how true it is that the longer the anemone's tentacles the lower the flow I've adjusted my powerheads and the duck bill on the filter to give moderate flow and have re positioned him in the tank using some live rock to guide him in anchoring ( not squished but comfortable) lets hope his foot anchors in

 

[griss]

@Anemone @kharmaguru @reefing102 @OldReefGuy @wvned

 

[ralph82396]

Hi i left it alone for a few hours to get some work done and came back to it on the other side of the tank looking like this.... any advice?

 

[OldReefGuy]

I would kill the flow and see if it settles down.

 

[ralph82396]

I would kill the flow and see if it settles down.

done. thank you, as far damage or health is there anything I should be concerned about? ive never had this happen with my BTAs or my carpet

 

[Reefing102]

I can’t give too much more advise than this. My LTA did the same and wound up in a powerhead

 

[ralph82396]

Hi everyone, He’s anchored and and back to normal thank you all might I add LTAs are weird

 

[ralph82396]

for anyone who sees this thread and cant get an LTA to anchor their foot. I ended up taking two new cups of sand putting the anemone in a rock "cage" and filling the sand around the foot like I was planting a tree, his foot started to dig in to the sand and is now anchored to the glass and we're out here thriving this morning. and for those that say the LTAs wont host ocellaris (which I have read from multiple people) the captive bred female has just moved in this morning after I rearranged the aquascape i'm going to try to get a pc this afternoon when all the fish are up this nem really puts the tank together now for more corals

 

[JohnL]

Good thinking. Best of luck. Tank look great.

 

[Reefing102]

Looks awesome!

 

[zachts]

good thinking! they like to burry their foot in the sand quite deep when possible but still anchored on a rock or the glass. the few I've had I've always made them a deep hole in the sand next to a rock that goes to the bottom of the tank. Keep it well fed and it should stay put.

 

[OrionN]

LTA normally do not like a lot of flow. They often attach to a rock on/near the surface of the sand then use it as leverage to dig deeper. Without something to attach to, they often cannot dig deep.
It is likely that the new canister filter changes the chemistry (possible carbon in it?) and also possibility of change in flow.
I hope he is settling now and will do fine in the future.

 

[ralph82396]

LTA normally do not like a lot of flow. They often attach to a rock on/near the surface of the sand then use it as leverage to dig deeper. Without something to attach to, they often cannot dig deep.
It is likely that the new canister filter changes the chemistry (possible carbon in it?) and also possibility of change in flow.
I hope he is settling now and will do fine in the future.

Thank you, I actually traded him with a friend of mine he had a beautiful Green BTA which i have always preferred over the RBTA covered in speckles an beautiful big bubble tips, and he liked the size of my LTA and had the appropriate sand bed depth for it so we traded. but the LTA did eventually take to the substrate.