my new purple LTA and the pink skunk mishap

[prodman]

I just got the purple LTA today from a friend and it came with 2 pink skunks. I already have a pair planned for it so I was going to seperate the fish during acclimation. When I pulled the anemone out to add to the tank I could only find 1 clown. Then I felt the other poking me from the inside of the anemone. The clown somehow made it into the anemone. Just a tip of its tail stuck out. I was able to pull it out with tweezers I dont know if that was good or not. So what are its chances? Here is a pic after being in the tank for an hour.

 

[elegance coral]

He looks pretty good in the pic. Hopefully you didn't do any internal damage by pulling the fish out backwards. If this happens again you should let the fish come back out on its own. How's the fish doing?

 

[prodman]

the fish did not make it. Would it really have been ok to have left it? I was just worried it was going to damage it thrashing around trying to get out. How long should it take for a LTA to settle in and bury?

 

[wicked_NaCl_h2o]

Your new purple LTA looks beautiful like mine..is its mouth tightly closed? I just lost one of my pink skunks to my purple LTA too. It shouldn't take very long for it to bury its foot into the sand if its a really healthy LTA. I think my pink skunk really helped my lta settle in quickly.

 

[prodman]

its mouth is not tightly closed but not gaping either. Its been in all night in the same spot I dug a hole for it but its not digging at all. Do the lights help it settle and do clown really help? I would think they would be disruptive.

 

[skyrne_isk]

Keep everything as normal as possible. Even though you are worried and want to "DO" something and "fix" it.....IME my "fixing" and changing several things in an attempt to nurse back to health only made things worse. Anemones like stability above all else (assuming good conditions will begin with). If it's not digging its foot in, then it's not happy where it's at. Let it move and it WILL put its foot down when happy.

 

[prodman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13245218#post13245218 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by skyrne_isk
Keep everything as normal as possible. Even though you are worried and want to "DO" something and "fix" it.....IME my "fixing" and changing several things in an attempt to nurse back to health only made things worse. Anemones like stability above all else (assuming good conditions will begin with). If it's not digging its foot in, then it's not happy where it's at. Let it move and it WILL put its foot down when happy.

that sounds like a plan

 

[elegance coral]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13244507#post13244507 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by prodman
the fish did not make it. Would it really have been ok to have left it? I was just worried it was going to damage it thrashing around trying to get out. How long should it take for a LTA to settle in and bury?

I doubt the clown fish was trying to get out. It was most likely trying to hide because of the stress of moving it. After it calmed down, it would have most likely turned itself around and came back out head first. Pulling it out backwards could have done damage to the joints that allow the dorsal and other fins to expand and contract, or broke bones. It is highly likely that damage was done to the inside of the anemone as well.

Clown fish will sometimes seek refuge inside of an anemone. If your other clown does this, don't try to remove it. It will come out on its own. I have Saddle backs that did this quite often when I first got them. Especially if I walked up to the tank to fast. Here's a couple of pic's. The clown and anemone are fine.

 

[Coral C's]

I was considering getting a purple LTA, my LFS just got a few in. Are they a good addition, don't want to lose any fish though? They are a beautiful color. They are asking around $120.00. Anyone know if this is a decent price?

 

[phk36]

wow sick

 

[prodman]

elegance coral- I guess I was a bit hasty. It just freaked me out and I didnt feel I had time to figure it out. The anemone is still stressed its open to the light but the mouth is open quite a bit.

 

[wicked_NaCl_h2o]

Can we see another picture?

 

[prodman]

the lights are off now so I can try to get one in the morning

 

[elegance coral]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13255680#post13255680 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by prodman
elegance coral- I guess I was a bit hasty. It just freaked me out and I didnt feel I had time to figure it out. The anemone is still stressed its open to the light but the mouth is open quite a bit.

This behavior isn't all that common, so I imagine, many people would react just as you did after seeing it for the first time. I'm sorry to hear about the fish, and I hope the anemone pulls through for you.

 

[prodman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13257714#post13257714 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by elegance coral
This behavior isn't all that common, so I imagine, many people would react just as you did after seeing it for the first time. I'm sorry to hear about the fish, and I hope the anemone pulls through for you.

Thanks. I think moving the fish with the anemone together was a mistake. I wont do it that way again.

 

[wicked_NaCl_h2o]

It seems like LTAs have a tighter mouth than the carpet anemones. I guess diving into a LTAs mouth is suicide. Once my pink skunk went in..she couldn't get out and then became an extra meal for my PLTA. Some times my LTA gets ahold of my fingers and it takes a while to get it to let go.
Still waiting for another picture of yours

 

[elegance coral]

Christina, Was your clown alive and moving while it was inside the anemone?

 

[wicked_NaCl_h2o]

My husband said he saw her hop right into the anemones mouth. We thought nothing of it, just figured it was a thing for the clown to do when scared. Usually she will just go under the anemone and hide there. When we didn't see her come out after feeding, we thought she had maybe found a place to hide in the rocks and was still scared. The next day my anemone looked all happy and fluffy like it just had a big meal. Later on that day the anemone spitted out her remains.

 

[prodman]

the LTA did ot make it. It sucks leaning lessons at the expense of the life of creatures.

 

[wicked_NaCl_h2o]

Aww that does suck..that anemones color looked great. I hope you can some day get a healthy one. How is the other clown doing?