LTA the come back

[celamb89]

Hi everyone...

So after a couple of failed attempts at keeping a nem, Im going for a dive again... First one was a LTA which was doing good but lack of care due to family struggles made the nem detach and go for the PH... Secong nem was a BTA, I covered the PH with dental floss but I guess not well enough and same story:sad1:

I just ordered a new LTA, hopefully it will be shipped today arriving tomorrow... Taking preventive steps I covered my PH's in a mesh like the one on Algae scrubbers, I didint take any pictures but here is one for reference only, the square are about 2x2(mm)...

I also prepared a PVC 3" wide and 4" tall, I read that you can "help" them attach to the sand filled pipe and leave it at a spot the nem seems to like...
Here it is:

The LTA will be in a 125gal mixed reef, mostly SPS and LPS with some softies... all corals are growing good, I currently have one ocellaris hosting a frogspawn which doesnt really like it...

Ca: 460
KH:10
I dose vodka so No3 are undetectable and P04 also since I also run RowaPhos... I havent tested in a long time but no algae and corals are happy so I just assume its all good...

Lights are a Cree DIY LED fixture running on an Arduino controller:
36 XTE Royal Blue @ 700mA and 60 degree lenses
12 XPE Blue @700mA and 60 degree lenses
24 XPG CWhite @900mA and 60 degree lenses
12 XPG NWhite @900mA and 60 degree lenses
6 XML Cyan @350mA
4 RapidLed UV @350mA
2 XPE Red @350mA
2 XPE Green @350mA

Any tips, comments are welcome... I want to maximize chances of success, I know nems are hard to keep..

 

[Raeloni]

Thats a beautiful Nem. I'll tag along since I just put my first nem in my tank and it's been a week. doing ok I guess.

 

[celamb89]

Thanks! I'll post some pics tomorrow, I'm picking it up tomorrow after work...
Hopefully I got things covered, I'm going to cover the PVC with some sand to camo it a little...

 

[celamb89]

nem is waiting at the hub... gonna pick it up after work... its making me nervous working and knowing the nem is waiting!!!

 

[celamb89]

Im back, still at work but anyways...

here is a pic of the cage and the pvc tube:

and the nem arriving to the tank after the acclimation process:

So here is the bad news, it seems that the nem is "shedding" or peeling a little from the foot, I noticed this after noticing it had not attached itself, I started the nem in a moderate high-flow, then moved to a moderate and it is currently in a low flow cage with no cage, it opens up nicely and everything but doesnt attach and is shedding a little from the foot, Im hoping it will recover

Anyone had any experience? I will try to post some pics when I can get off work maybe next century

 

[SNAKEMANVET]

With my lta I shut off all flow and dug out a hole near the rocks and placed it in it.It attached to the bottom glass and never moved.It was in a low flow area when all powerheads were running. Good luck.

 

[celamb89]

ok, Ill try it! My sand bed isnt deep, the deepest part is in a high flow area due to personal acquascaping taste of my orangeshoulder tang...

Ill look at options of placing some sand near rocks and low flow

 

[Slickcg33]

In my experiences a hole, or damage to an LTA's foot is 100% fatal. Ive tried to recover many LTA's from said damage without successful results. Good luck to you though.

 

[celamb89]

In my experiences a hole, or damage to an LTA's foot is 100% fatal. Ive tried to recover many LTA's from said damage without successful results. Good luck to you though.

IYE what caused the imminent death to LTA's with damage to the foot... it seems like under the right conditions they could recover all do Im just guessing... My LTA is currently sitting in the PVC which holds the nem like a bowl, I believe with propoer feeding, stress free environment and light it should recover.... What do u think?

 

[Slickcg33]

I also attempted the PVC method and sustained a large LTA for a month and a half but it never took Hold to anything in the tank and eventually the foot deteoriated to the point the CUC was picking at it. Other species of nems I've brought back from damage to the foot but I was never successfull with LTA.

I'm not saying it can't be don't just saying I have never been successfull at it :/ I wish you the best of luck and will be following your progress.

 

[celamb89]

Thanks Slickg, from what u say I guess Ill leave in the PVC hoping for the best... I cant visually see a tear just small amounts of slime shedding from the foot... if i get of work on time today Ill get a pic and post it...

For now the plan is to leave it and feed it once a week a small piece of raw shrimp...

 

[celamb89]

Got home from work yesterday, the nem is getting worse :S... it started out with a small edge and is now like this:

And the top:

 

[Slickcg33]

Unfortunately that's what Ive have experienced every time with the damaged foot. More and more innards start to protrude through the foot and eventually everything around that spot starts to deteriorate.:sad1:

 

[brchapm]

Tagging along...interested to see how this goes. Best of luck!

 

[celamb89]

Im thinking on cutting the bad chunk with some sharp scissors... I know bta nems are the ones that split but I remember reading a couple of threads on gigs and ritteris being cut-split ... If slickg has already been through this same process with no luck, maybe I should try and cut it, what do u guys think?

 

[Rippinfrags]

Im thinking on cutting the bad chunk with some sharp scissors... I know bta nems are the ones that split but I remember reading a couple of threads on gigs and ritteris being cut-split ... If slickg has already been through this same process with no luck, maybe I should try and cut it, what do u guys think?

Bad idea, cutting it will only make it worse. A very small number of people have successfully cut and split an h. Magnifica. However, H. Magnificas are know to split and LTA's/M. Doreensis are not.

 

[celamb89]

Bad idea, cutting it will only make it worse. A very small number of people have successfully cut and split an h. Magnifica. However, H. Magnificas are know to split and LTA's/M. Doreensis are not.

I know, I've read a lot of threads just dont know what to do in order to help the nem... Thanks for the reply, I guess Ill just hope for the best

 

[jarrod13]

I agree on both parts cutting it will surely kill it and I've tried multiple times as well to bring them back from a torn foot with zero success, I hope by some miracle yours turns out differently because that sure is a beauty. Sorry for your disappointment. Do you have a guarantee? I'd be sending them pics asap

 

[celamb89]

Nem passed away last night... Woke up and it was pretty much gone... I guess Im on the lookout for a new one...

This was the first nem I had shipped, I told them about the problem but they said I should had contacted them with the problem upon arrival, the tear was so small and the nem being shrunk upon arrival made it difficult to spot... I did look at it but seemed ok, anyway no guarantee, Im gonna look for a nem at my LFS from now on...

 

[sqwat]

i would tell the place you ordered it from they f3534 it up.get my monry back cause lta's are ther easiest of all the nems.if you use the pvc and start a hole they never move youres were moving cause something is off that neeting will not deter it at all i bet one will easly move it .they move slow but have power and are persistant.get youre money back and find a reputable dealer and make sure every thing is ok in tank and the spot you want him in is one of the brightest .dig hole and put down pvc and put him in it.the hole you started should be only 1 inch from the bottom of tank so he can attach easily.feed soon so he nows it is a good spot if all ok he attach.they should not have sold that nem to you.