Something attacked my new LT anenome

[MarlinHooker]

Anybody aware of any critters which would attach an anenome siting on the sandbed attached to a rock? Got a new LT Ben about 7" across a week ago and this morning I found it with its base all chewed to help. I moved onto the rocks but don't know if it will make it. I've had 2 bubble tips on the top of my rock work for over a year without issue ...

 

[Swayze27]

LTA have a sensitive foot and can be prone to tearing if not handled with care. It should never be placed on the rocks because it is a sand dwelling anemone and likes to bury its foot in deep sand. If it's foot is torn it will more than likely never attach and will probably not fair well in the end.

 

[FNGsaltwater]

I had a butterfly fish that went after the base of an anemone once. I knew I was playing with fire with him though.

 

[pfan151]

It’s was likely slightly damaged but not really noticeable when you bought it and has deteriorated while out of sight in the sand. I think that is more likely than something eating it.

Any pics?

 

[davocean]

I did once have some very large, 2 foot long bristle worms that did something to bother a Malu(also sand dwellar) and I trapped them and the problem was resolved, but that's just throwing out a real random possibility.
Often we can see an issue when pics are posted, throw some up

 

[FNGsaltwater]

Yes! I had an issue with bristle worms doing the same thing.

 

[MarlinHooker]

ok, thx. I found a 20" bristle worm in my tank about 5 months ago & managed to get rid of it so it's possible there's another one in there ...

It was sitting on the sandbed nestled up against the rockwork but not on it. I only moved it onto the rocks after it got chewed up to try and protect it from whatever was in the sandbed.

I doubt the cause was damage in transport. I didn't take any pics but the morning I first saw it the base looked like it had been through a shredder. That evening it looked perfectly normal. If I didn't know any better it looked like it went into one of my vortechs and then moved itself back onto the sandbed ... not possible since I have covers on them but it sure looked like something was munching on it ...

guess I won't be getting anything else that lives on the sand bed unless I figure out what it was & catch it ...