LTA help needed

[Aquarist007]

three weeks ago I purchased a nice purple long tenctacle---had a brilliant orange foot.
It immediately settled into the spot where I placed it in the tank--as pictured below.
I have spot fed it twice a week and it has taken the food.

Last week it started wandering--it seemed as though it wanted to move under the shade of a large mushroom coral.
Today it had move across the tank to the right corner and was just suspended there. The food colour has changed to a very off white colour and the tentacles have become very thin and close to the body.
I removed it to the qt tank in lieu that it might be sick and I didn't want it attacking other corals.

Is this anenome dying--I thought they prefered light and flow which it was getting where it was placed.

three weeks ago--placed here and seemed to be okay with its placement up to last weekend:

from this larger view---last night it moved over the right corner rocks and was suspended in the corner between the rocks and the substrate and reef.:

I'm sorry I didn't have time to post a picture of it this morning before I went to work.

 

[GSMguy]

LTA's biggest problem is wandering, the original spot looked perfect, yet the anemone still wanders.

try and make it comfy in its original spot. They like to have their foot well buried in sand and attached to a rock or the bottom of the tank.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11187719#post11187719 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
LTA's biggest problem is wandering, the original spot looked perfect, yet the anemone still wanders.

try and make it comfy in its original spot. They like to have their foot well buried in sand and attached to a rock or the bottom of the tank.

appreciate the prompt response---

do they destroy corals they meet up in their wandering?

the foot turning from orange to white--what does that indicate

 

[Toddrtrex]

IME, yes they will damage/destroy corals when they come in contact with them (( my experiences have been with SPS ))

The foot changing colors isn't a good sign, still should be bright red/orange. Recently lost one, and its foot was doing the exact same thing -- and it wouldn't stay in place. I took a closer look at the foot and noticed a hole on the side of it -- not sure if when a birds nest frag fell on it if it punctured it or not, but two days later I had to remove it from the tank for good.

I have found that LTAs are most fickle anemones that I have ever kept, (( I've have kept BTAs [ both green and red ] and haddoniis )) they seem to move without warning and with no changes in the tank at all. I have a purple LTA in my 58 that will seem to move every 2 months, for no real reason, it has been doing this for a couple of years now. It is starting to get annoying.

 

[davocean]

In the 5yrs I've had mine it has changed color from different lights and size/shape has changed as well.
When it was it's biggest was when it actually was trying to get more light, and when I upgraded light it actually got smaller, but nicer color.
I would expect it to look different from when you bought due to acclimation and new environment/lighting.
It may move for different flow as well as light, and yeah, most corals are going to show signs of stress where touched.
That looks like good placement, but I'd want more of a buffer zone, like 4-5" from any corals.
I have both an LTA and Sebae, and they both got so big(about 20"-22") I had to get a 180g just to have room for them and corals.
Looking back sometimes I wish I had stuck w/ just one nem.

 

[GSMguy]

Mine was always healthy even when i bought it for 12 dollars at petco.

I dont get how they can lose foot color ive seen BTA and LTA with disintegrating bodies that still had their foot color.
not saying they cant just new to me

 

[traveller7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11187858#post11187858 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
do they destroy corals they meet up in their wandering?

Neither are happy with the meeting, corals typically show damage, anemones typically just keep moving along nursing their wounds.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11187858#post11187858 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
the foot turning from orange to white--what does that indicate

Such an even is typically coupled with erosion, not good at all. Have not seen it stop in the few LTAs I have kept which exhibited such a condition.

 

[GSMguy]

I think i mentioned in the other thread that mine has had to Change owners 2 times after leaving me as it just keeps growing.

 

[Aquarist007]

thanks for all the input guys-----

I think I will keep it in my qt tank for three or 4 weeks and observe. And even then I don't think it is worth having if it is going to wander.

I payed 20 for it--- and as you guys know a heck of alot more for the coral in my tank.
It looks as though its wandering as taken out a nice colony of purple zoos that I have been nursing for six months.

My gut reaction still maintains it is sick-especially with the body colour

I guess I have had good luck with the rose anenome--it has stayed near its rock for 8 months--no problems

how are plate anenomes for staying put??

 

[Aquarist007]

the actually size of the anenome is pretty big and heavy. I imagine you would get quite an ammonia spike if it was able to move behind the reef and die there---or is the body all water?

 

[davocean]

Yeah, it would cause a good spike.
Honestly when I look at your tank I would stick w/ just the BTA you already have.
If the LTA got comfy and stretched out it would sting alot of stuff, including your BTA.
I've heard of chem warfare between nems, not sure if that could be an issue or as stated maybe the LTA got a tear on foot or something.
I'd be hesitant to keep in QT very long unless you have it really stable as far as water params.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11188709#post11188709 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by davocean
Yeah, it would cause a good spike.
Honestly when I look at your tank I would stick w/ just the BTA you already have.
If the LTA got comfy and stretched out it would sting alot of stuff, including your BTA.
I've heard of chem warfare between nems, not sure if that could be an issue or as stated maybe the LTA got a tear on foot or something.
I'd be hesitant to keep in QT very long unless you have it really stable as far as water params.

thanks--I'm glad I removed it before I went to work--or I would be really sweating it right now:eek2:
I heard horry stories from local reefers going away for weekends only to come back with all their coral gone because a big anenome decided to go for a walk

 

[wicked_NaCl_h2o]

It could have been damaged by your corals wandering around in your tank. The corals around its original spot could have annoyed it and caused it to wander. I've had mine for a month and it have not wandered yet. Are LTAs really known for wandering around in the tank?..just as bad as BTAs? I hope mine stays put.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Not sure, my BTA hasn't moved in over 3 years (( excluding me redoing the rockwork )). I have a green LTA that hasn't moved since I've had it ( about 9 months ), but any of the purple ones that I have had move every one in a while. Though I really don't know what color would have to do with it.

 

[davocean]

From what I've read here over the years it seems BTA's often wander, many times even like a year later for no obvious reason.
Both my LTA and sebae have been in the same spot for over 5 yrs now.
Even when I swapped from my 90-180 I set tank up basically the same and put nems in the same spot and they stayed put.
Pretty much every time I've heard them move either tank was new or light was weak.

 

[Aquarist007]

How deep is your sand bed. I recently increased mine to 3 inches. But the area where it was was only a couple.
When I removed it and put it in my 30 gal--which has about six inches in it---it immediatly dug in close to the front glass and has been happy there.
I also notice that when it dug its foot under the surface of the sand it has turned back to orange again.
I wonder it the foot colour change is due to not being able to be covered up?

 

[Aquarist007]

I also wonder if the pagoda coral--in the picture above slimed it--I've seen it do that before to other corals.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11190102#post11190102 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Toddrtrex
Not sure, my BTA hasn't moved in over 3 years (( excluding me redoing the rockwork )). I have a green LTA that hasn't moved since I've had it ( about 9 months ), but any of the purple ones that I have had move every one in a while. Though I really don't know what color would have to do with it.

did it bother other corals when it moved?

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11198221#post11198221 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
did it bother other corals when it moved?

Yes it did. Lucky enough I've been home each time so it wasn't too long in contact with them, they were SPS, and bleached a little bit, but came back in color after a few weeks.

 

[FishPassion]

A shot in the dark here Capn, I tried an LTA in my tank last year.
Is it possible there is some incompatablity and chemical warfare going on between the two anemones? When I bought my lta and introduced it to the tank it was fine for a cpl of days, then my gbta started to move which it hasnt done in a year and a half. The gbta moved with in 6-10 inches of the lta and that was the time my lta started looking sickly same thing foot went from pink to white etc. I took the nem out quickly and qt'd it but to late it liquified in no time.