LTA experts

[Gold Stripe]

Just introduced a 10 inch LTA to my tank. Looks like it survived the shipping ok but will need some TLC. Mouth was open about the size of a nickle when it got here and stayed that way until lights went out. Now its open about the size of a quarter, maybe a hair more. The body is a little bleached but still a nice tan with some green coloring on the tentacles and the foot is nice and red but it has not attached to anything yet. Only been in the tank 8 to 10 hours. Tank parameters are perfect.

My questions:

Do they like ditrect flow or indirect? I dont want to beat him to death or stress him out but I like where he is sitting right now and I want to try and make the conditions ideal for him there so he wont want to move. Where he is he gets direct light from my 175 MHs but he has an overhang he can move under if he wants to and he gets direct flow from my OM 2 way shooting from across the 4' tank intermitantly. He has not attempted to move but I dont know if thats because he doesnt want to or because he cant due to the current. Again, he has not planted his foot yet.

Second, do I need to be overly concerned that he has not planted his foot and that his mouth is open a little. I figured a quarter size opening for a 10 inch anemone wasnt terrible but what do I know.

 

[elegance coral]

The mouth being open is a concern. I would keep an eye on that. It can be hard to encourage LTA's to plant their foot sometimes. I wouldn't stress that too much, unless there is physical damage to the foot. They do not like alot of flow. The higher the flow, the harder it will be to get them to plant their foot, and stay there once they do. This is just my opinion based on my experience with them.

 

[Gold Stripe]

What a difference a day makes! Foot planted and mouth closed. My GSMs are in heaven. Just for comparison sake, the GSM is 5.5 inches long.

 

[stagefright13]

I have mostly experience with the BTA. But I recently bought an LTA and it seems to be the same. Low Flow. It planted itself in 4 inches of sand in A quite corner. It's tentacles move around some from the pumps but not a whole lot.

 

[davocean]

Mine likes medium flow/light.