Need help identifying anemone
- Thread starter TomTheWicked
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TomTheWicked
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kretzkiller
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ya, bta.
TomTheWicked
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Thanks for all the responses guys.
Gary, there are definite white spots on the column, just below where the tentacles are. Does this make it LTA or BTA? I looked at pictures of a few LTA's and I believe this is what this is.
How can you tell that its color is bleached? I've got to finish up my 60-LED bar tomorrow and I'm going to put it in my tank to nurse it back to 100%, but I'm going to need a good bit of help if I'm going to be successful.
Gary, there are definite white spots on the column, just below where the tentacles are. Does this make it LTA or BTA? I looked at pictures of a few LTA's and I believe this is what this is.
How can you tell that its color is bleached? I've got to finish up my 60-LED bar tomorrow and I'm going to put it in my tank to nurse it back to 100%, but I'm going to need a good bit of help if I'm going to be successful.
TomTheWicked
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rssjsb
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It's definitely an LTA. The dots (verrucae) confirm it. We can tell it's bleached because the oral disc and tentacles are white and sort of translucent. Healthy LTAs are opaque and are never white.
We should probably also know some other details. How long have you been up and running? Can you give us some details? Lighting, sand depth, what kind of flow you've got?
This anemone needs to be on the sand bed (looks like it's there now). Turn off your pumps and dig a hole in the sand next to one of your rocks. Put the anemone's foot in the hole and see if it will set its food down.
We should probably also know some other details. How long have you been up and running? Can you give us some details? Lighting, sand depth, what kind of flow you've got?
This anemone needs to be on the sand bed (looks like it's there now). Turn off your pumps and dig a hole in the sand next to one of your rocks. Put the anemone's foot in the hole and see if it will set its food down.
Yes, that makes it an LTA. An orangish/reddish base plus white verrucae, the spots on the column, definitely identify it. Macrodacyla doreensis, LTAs, prefer a deep sand bed to dig into. Not sure how deep your sand is, but if you only have a shallow one, you can get a tupperware container or PVC pipe and fill it with sand, let the anemone dig in, then arrange the liverock to conceal the pipe or container. In that last pic it looks like it's digging in, hopefully that is the case. Happy LTAs are always securely planted below the sand.
TomTheWicked
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Okay, thanks for all the help guys.
rssjsb, here's the answers to your questions.
My tank is a 65G tall which measures 18D x 36W x 24T. The sand bed is from 1-3 inches, but probably a little under an inch where the Anemone has made "home." I know this is probably a little concerning, so I'll try to find methods to move him and make the sandbed deeper. How deep should it be?
For lights, I have an AquaStyleOnline 48-LED set plus 12 additional Violet LED's. There's 24 x Royal Blue, 12 x 10000K White and 12 x 6500K White. I previously had them dimmed quite a bit, but I've turned up the intensity since I've put the anemone in the tank.
For flow, I'm flowing about 380GPH through the sump according to the calculator, and I'm running 2 x Koralia 750GPH pumps, of which I usually only have 1 turned on at a time.
Anything other things you need to know?
Again, thanks to everyone for the help.
rssjsb, here's the answers to your questions.
When I first posted, this guy was at the LFS. They are just getting back up-and-running after an HVAC upgrade, and weren't prepared to handle anemone's this soon. Again, this anemone was just dropped off at the LFS by someone who was giving up their tank. I told the LFS my setup and they said that I am able to support this anemone and asked if I would do it until they were up and running. I double-checked this info with a friend and he seemed to agree, but had concerns because my tank was so new. Unfortunately, my tank has only been up and running for less than a month. Even though the tank is so new, should I be able to keep this guy for a while if I do EVERYTHING right? Or should I try to re-home him?
My tank is a 65G tall which measures 18D x 36W x 24T. The sand bed is from 1-3 inches, but probably a little under an inch where the Anemone has made "home." I know this is probably a little concerning, so I'll try to find methods to move him and make the sandbed deeper. How deep should it be?
For lights, I have an AquaStyleOnline 48-LED set plus 12 additional Violet LED's. There's 24 x Royal Blue, 12 x 10000K White and 12 x 6500K White. I previously had them dimmed quite a bit, but I've turned up the intensity since I've put the anemone in the tank.
For flow, I'm flowing about 380GPH through the sump according to the calculator, and I'm running 2 x Koralia 750GPH pumps, of which I usually only have 1 turned on at a time.
Anything other things you need to know?
Again, thanks to everyone for the help.
TomTheWicked
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Gary, if I get stuck moving it to a Tupperware container, what's your recommended method of moving it?
TomTheWicked
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So, here's the care plan...
I'm going to keep the light fairly dim for the first 4-5 days, gradually increasing the intensity over a period of several weeks. I read that exposing a bleached nem to intense light may cause additional, unnecessary stress.
I'm going to wait until next weekend before I try to feed it, then I'll feed it some mysis or krill at least once a week if there's no problems. What's the recommended method for feeding an Anemone? Just touch the shrimp on the tentacles until it starts to close? Then release it?
I'm going to keep the light fairly dim for the first 4-5 days, gradually increasing the intensity over a period of several weeks. I read that exposing a bleached nem to intense light may cause additional, unnecessary stress.
I'm going to wait until next weekend before I try to feed it, then I'll feed it some mysis or krill at least once a week if there's no problems. What's the recommended method for feeding an Anemone? Just touch the shrimp on the tentacles until it starts to close? Then release it?
TomTheWicked
New member
So, here's the care plan...
I'm going to keep the light fairly dim for the first 4-5 days, gradually increasing the intensity over a period of several weeks. I read that exposing a bleached nem to intense light may cause additional, unnecessary stress.
I'm going to wait until next weekend before I try to feed it, then I'll feed it some mysis or krill at least once a week if there's no problems. What's the recommended method for feeding an Anemone? Just touch the shrimp on the tentacles until it starts to close? Then release it?
I'm going to keep the light fairly dim for the first 4-5 days, gradually increasing the intensity over a period of several weeks. I read that exposing a bleached nem to intense light may cause additional, unnecessary stress.
I'm going to wait until next weekend before I try to feed it, then I'll feed it some mysis or krill at least once a week if there's no problems. What's the recommended method for feeding an Anemone? Just touch the shrimp on the tentacles until it starts to close? Then release it?
rssjsb
New member
Has it got its foot planted? If so, I wouldn't move it, even if the sand is shallow where it is.
If you try to feed it, make sure the pieces are small - like no bigger than the eraser on a No. 2 pencil. Just place the food on a tentacle and see if it sticks, then let it go. It will either draw the food to its mouth or release it.
If you try to feed it, make sure the pieces are small - like no bigger than the eraser on a No. 2 pencil. Just place the food on a tentacle and see if it sticks, then let it go. It will either draw the food to its mouth or release it.
TomTheWicked
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Its foot is planted so I'll just leave it be. I figure he may eventually move to a place with more sand, but I'll leave it be for now.
I'll make sure I only feed it small bits for now. What about the lighting? Does it make sense to do this? Or should I just leave them at full intensity for 7-8 hours/day?
EDIT: FWIW, I talked to the original owner today. The only light they had over the tank was a single 48" T-8 white light. They said it didn't seem to like the light because it would close-up when the light was on, and would open up when the light was off.
I'll make sure I only feed it small bits for now. What about the lighting? Does it make sense to do this? Or should I just leave them at full intensity for 7-8 hours/day?
EDIT: FWIW, I talked to the original owner today. The only light they had over the tank was a single 48" T-8 white light. They said it didn't seem to like the light because it would close-up when the light was on, and would open up when the light was off.
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Yeah, just leave it until it lets go and starts to move around. They prefer sand 4 to 6 inches deep, depending on how large the anemone is. It will most likely let go at some point, since the sand is so shallow. Then put it in the tupperware with say 3 inches of sand, once it digs in, fill the container to the top and put some liverock around it to hide the container. Keep the water quality in the correct range, and you should be ok, even though one month is early to keep an anemone. Preferably the nitrates will be undetectable, specific gravity 1.026, temp 80-82. Ca is unimportant for anemones, ph preferably 8-8.3, your lighting should be sufficient. Anemones are fine without supplements, a water change schedule of 20%/month supplies sufficient iodine, etc.
