Macrodactyla doreensis (LTA) Diary
- Thread starter 4runner
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4runner
New member
Quick video after being in my care for a little over 2 weeks. It has settled in nicely. I feed it a small amount of mysis every 3 days (whenever my fish get it), and my LEDs are currently at 40% blue/35% white (still slowly ramping it up). Everything else is doing really well: my Duncans are growing a new head, my Xenia are threatening to take over the whole tank, and my Green Star Polyps are losing their nice Christmas tree shape because of new growth.
4runner
New member
Thanks garygb! I'm going to test parameters again today, because the LTA moved! I don't know whether to be concerned or excited. It didn't uproot and float to a new place, but physically moved through the sand a few inches away. It's now in an area of greater flow, but not directly under the LEDs. I did up the white by 5 percent so maybe that is one of the factors.
Here's a pic where you can see the foot through the 5 inches of sand:
4runner
New member
I tested all parameters and am proud to announce that Phosphates and Nitrates are undetectable! Calcium and Alkalinity are a little low, but I'm not going to trip about it since I don't have any sps in the tank. I am dripping in kalkwasser now however.
Here's how it looks now:
Close up of verrucae:
I actually like its new spot. I love how I can see its column through the sand, and its collar and verrucae. I've got more room in the tank now too!
Here's how it looks now:
Close up of verrucae:
I actually like its new spot. I love how I can see its column through the sand, and its collar and verrucae. I've got more room in the tank now too!
4runner
New member
Well, no sooner than you mentioned that, and it took off! You're the nem whisperer OrionN! It only had about 3 inches of sand in that area as it dug out a depression, but my tank has 5 inches all around. I documented the whole thing with pictures and video.
Climbing out:
Free:
On the move:
Pedal Disc:
Still hadn't planted in the morning:
Settled in this afternoon:
I turned off my powerbeads during this whole process with only my sump return providing flow. I'm going to keep them off and see how it responds. It has that classic LTA look now with the corkscrew tentacles, and honestly is the "happiest" I've seen it. I'll share video of it in my next post.
Sweitz1972
New member
Awesome runner, I was experiencing the same thing. After my last post of the Nem settling, he picked up and started to move again. I was unsure if it was the lighting or substrate, so I prepped the area with more sand, thus killing two birds with one stone by giving him a deeper sand bed, and moving him slightly closer to the lights by a couple inches. I check water every couple of days, as I've read how things can turn bad if you don't stay on top of things, so I'm picky about that. I still have to get a magnesium test tho.
He has been in his prepped area for four days or so, and has had two successful feedings of table shrimp, seems to be settling in nicely and feeding. He's not a very big anemone, but I like the way he looks now, looking healthier all the time, even saw my two juvenile black ocellaris messing around with him, what do you guys think?
He has been in his prepped area for four days or so, and has had two successful feedings of table shrimp, seems to be settling in nicely and feeding. He's not a very big anemone, but I like the way he looks now, looking healthier all the time, even saw my two juvenile black ocellaris messing around with him, what do you guys think?
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Irishdolphin
New member
@4runner - great videos. When it relocated, did it dig itself into the sandbed on its own or did you give some assistance?
4runner
New member
Looking good!
4runner
New member
I 100% left it alone and it dug in on its own. I was very pleased to come home from work about 12 hours later to see it settled in.
OrionN
Moved on
These are pictures of my Doreensis today. I tool a picture of the sand bed dept that he is happy in. He moved until I got the sand dept to about 5 inches or so. I think at this dept, he is happy. Although he likely can do with less.
This is the sand bed. The tank is a 40 gal breeder. I make sure the picture included the top and bottom of the tank.
Top down though the turbulence of the water surface
This is the sand bed. The tank is a 40 gal breeder. I make sure the picture included the top and bottom of the tank.
Top down though the turbulence of the water surface
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Sweitz1972
New member
Beautiful Minh. Mine still doesn't seem happy, he hasn't really moved from the area, but he moves out a little bit, then digs back in. I plan on making his area deeper, and going with finer sand now. His tentacles are much more sparse than yours and runners. Is that just the specimen I have or because he is small and has some growing to do?
4runner
New member
One of the most stunning anemones I've ever seen Minh, regardless of species.
Here's a pic of mine showing how deep the sand bed is. That's definitely a requirement for this species.
4runner
New member
I think once you meet its requirements, it will expand and show off at its best. Here's a recent pic of mine:
I added more live rock and re-aquascaped my system today, and the lta carried on its business as usual. it wasn't phased with my hands being in and out of the tank for approximately 30 minutes (all other corals closed up). With more rock, I decided to turn on one of my powerbeads to increase flow. After a few minutes, I noticed it had lost its "happy" look, and unplugged the powerhead. We'll see how it responds to the new rock work tomorrow.
OrionN
Moved on
Thanks. Your's is small with some growing to do. He will gain the long tentacle length and number with increase in size.
Thanks
I also find that they don't like lot of flow. Your anemone looks great.
Irishdolphin
New member
Minh - it looks like you created a sandhill for him; i.e. rest of sandbed is not as deep?
I had 2 LTA's before but they didn't last too long and realise from this thread that my sandbed was definitely too shallow
I had 2 LTA's before but they didn't last too long and realise from this thread that my sandbed was definitely too shallow
