LTA Disappeared??

[noraspop]

I have stopped the flow, strapped on the long gloves, turned over every rock, and as best I could looked into the rocks for any evidence. My Anemone has vanished from my 29 gallon standard aquarium two weeks ago. Attached is a pic of how it looked just days before it left me? I've done as comprehensive a search as I can and I have not seen one ounce of evidence that it is still in there. It had been in there over six months; it ate well and grew consistently. The tank contains a couple Clowns, a Goby/Shrimp team and various Snails.

<a href="http://s886.photobucket.com/albums/ac68/happygirl74/?action=view&current=9610067.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac68/happygirl74/9610067.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[Newreeflady]

weird. I would think if it degraded you'd see an ammonia spike- have you checked? It could be over by now, though, if it was 2 weeks.

Could it have pulled itself into a hole in the rock?
-A

 

[noraspop]

Yeah, I tested after a week, nothing. My eyes are on this tank everyday. I didn't want to disturb it so I waited another week to feel around. Palys, a large colony of Duncan and the few animals lived on as normally as always.

 

[davocean]

I'd still do a decent WC
I did once have my LTA suck into the sand and dissapear once for a week(and weird cause I had it 5 and half years, and it only did this once) and I even sifted through sand where it was, nada, but low and behold it popped back up same spot.
What were you feeding it?

 

[noraspop]

It’s fed the occasional silverside but mostly it grabs Mysis when everyone eats. Gently I raked through the sand where I thought it would be. I have done a couple water changes since it disappeared. This has been defiantly weird.

 

[davocean]

OK, I asked because a number of us have lost nems to bad silversides, seems to be happening quite a bit.

 

[Newreeflady]

I'm sorry to hijack, but what's the deal with the silversides? I hear that food you buy at the market could have chlorine added, and now that silversides may be bad. What is one supposed to feed anemones, then?

-A

 

[PIMPALA]

What is one supposed to feed anemones, then?

-A

Krill... or Nothing at all. I still have to see any evidence that nems NEED to be fed. I doubt in the ocean that large chunks of fish just happen to float into nems mouths on a weekly basis.

 

[Newreeflady]

Krill... or Nothing at all. I still have to see any evidence that nems NEED to be fed. I doubt in the ocean that large chunks of fish just happen to float into nems mouths on a weekly basis.

Can't krill get contaminated just like silversides? Has anyone confirmed that the silversides were actually contaminated, or is this all speculation (my nem died, it must be the food)?

I agree on the floating fish, but in nature don't the anemonefishes feed them sometimes? In our tanks often we have captive raised clowns and they don't do a good job of that, right?

-A

 

[elegance coral]

You can feed grocery store seafood. You just have to rinse is very well first. I feed mine shrimp, fish, squid, krill, mysis, crab legs, or anything I can get my hands on. Other than silver sides.

Large meals are probably pretty rare for most anemones. Excluding those in shallow water, fish nurseries, like haddoni. That doesn't mean they aren't eating on a regular basis. The ocean is teaming with small zooplankton. Many of the anemones we keep are experts at capturing small organisms from the water. Like magnifica. I don't see how withholding food from an anemone can be beneficial.

 

[elegance coral]

Can't krill get contaminated just like silversides? Has anyone confirmed that the silversides were actually contaminated, or is this all speculation (my nem died, it must be the food)?

There is no conclusive scientific evidence to show that silver sides are any worse than other types of food. There is a ton of circumstantial evidence though. Silver sides contain bones and scales that are usually discharged after the meat is consumed. Why feed it to them if they can't digest it? It will only rot in the tank. Silver sides are to big IMHO, and the opinion of 99% of the other anemone keepers I've talked to. Foods like mysis and small pieces of meat get consumed with little to no discharge afterwords.

I agree on the floating fish, but in nature don't the anemonefishes feed them sometimes? In our tanks often we have captive raised clowns and they don't do a good job of that, right?
-A

To the best of my knowledge, anemonefish have not been seen "feeding" their anemone in the wild. At least as of a couple of years ago, Dr. Daphne Fautin was unaware of this behavior taking place in nature. It seems to be a behavior seen only in captivity. I don't believe the fish are consciously "feeding" their host. In captivity, they often get food that is to large for them to eat, or they get more food than they can eat at once. What else are they to do with the left overs, but take them home? I doubt they get very many left overs in the wild.

 

[Newreeflady]

Thanks for the info.

-a

 

[davocean]

For the first year and half of keeping both my LTA and Sebae I never spot fed, but I did have a pair of clarki's that actually fed the nems BEFORE eating for themselves, brine and mysis.
I firmly believe light is their main source of energy, but agree they eat free floating foods.
I've known exp reefers that do NOT spot feed in order to keep them small, or rarely spot feed.
I do have to admit though, I've seen my nems color look brighter after spot feeding.
These are just my own readings and observations, take what you will from them,I've had SW tanks for 25 years now, ALWAYS have had nems, and the only losses I've had were 2 badly bleached LTA's that never took, and 3 healthy LTA's that died overnight after feeding sliversides, and there were no other changes made to tank, and I replaced them very shortly after w/out probs.
That and other very exp reefers saying same tells me why advocate or risk it when there are much safer options, mysis, shrimp, scallop...

 

[Newreeflady]

Hmm. How about soaking the grocery seafood in water with Prime or something, due to the chlorine?

Thanks!

 

[davocean]

I just use fresh raw scallops or shrimp, I don't think there's anything in there harmful, no need to soak other than thaw, and I do that in tank water.

 

[elegance coral]

Hmm. How about soaking the grocery seafood in water with Prime or something, due to the chlorine?

Thanks!

Personally, I wouldn't use chemicals to get rid of chemicals in the food I feed to my pets. I would just rinse the food well. Prime wouldn't do anything for the phosphates they add to seafood either.

I just use fresh raw scallops or shrimp, I don't think there's anything in there harmful, no need to soak other than thaw, and I do that in tank water.

I think that depends on the stores definition of "fresh". In the fresh seafood department at most large grocery store chains, the food is treated with preservatives. Like phosphates and chlorine. Living near the coast, you may have real fresh seafood stores. We have a small local seafood store that gets its food before it is treated with chemicals. If you live close enough to the coast, you can go to bait shops and get live bait shrimp. I usually pick up a couple dozen and keep them in the fuge/sump until feeding time.