LTA Anemone Question

[DrReefer]

I have had this lovely anemone in my tank since Saturday and it thas been getting used to the tank and found a nice spot. I has since mounted to a snail shell and a bit of substrate. This mornning , I noticed that the foot of the Anemon had some white snot like goo comming out of it. Now I know my LFS did a great job and did not dammage the foot as I inspected it when I got home. The Anemon looks fins and it sometime delfates and inflates back in a matter of a few mins. I also noticed that a few of its tentacles deflated and looked dead :S Water is OK except a .5ppm Nitrate that I sorted out with a water change

Any help or pointers would be great !!

Thanks

Goo on Foot:


Fully Opened:


Deflated tentacles:

[Greatwhite]

I went back through your past posts, because I remembered that  you had been asked what kind of lights you were using, and you mentioned that you were saving up LEDs or something - but didn't actually say what you had...  LTAs need a lot of light....

I also don't remember if you mentioned what skimmer you got, aside from showing an interest in the Tunze 9002...

It might just be that he's not completely settled yet, or maybe he is and deflating tentacles is normal.....  When it finds a place it likes, it will bury its foot...  I think you should just leave him to his business.  Make sure it's eating and getting lots of light.

Also, I know your tank is relatively new... I'm not sure that adding an anemone should be done until the tank is more established, but don't quote me on that.

[DrReefer]

I went back through your past posts, because I remembered that  you had been asked what kind of lights you were using, and you mentioned that you were saving up LEDs or something - but didn't actually say what you had...  LTAs need a lot of light....

I also don't remember if you mentioned what skimmer you got, aside from showing an interest in the Tunze 9002...

It might just be that he's not completely settled yet, or maybe he is and deflating tentacles is normal.....  When it finds a place it likes, it will bury its foot...  I think you should just leave him to his business.  Make sure it's eating and getting lots of light.

Also, I know your tank is relatively new... I'm not sure that adding an anemone should be done until the tank is more established, but don't quote me on that.

Thanks for your reply , The tank has a 250W metal halide , 2x96w Actinic and I just got blue LED moonlights so the lighting is tip top for now, As for the skimmer I will be adding one in the next month and It will be a tunze 9002 From what I was told from the LFS you dont want to add the anemone in a New tank that just finished cycling but as of now my tank as been fully cycles for more then 3 months and Its good to add the Anemone when it has space to move and find its spot so you have less chance of it moving over or toutching other corals!

Thanks again for your reply !

[Dakotamay]

Thanks for your reply , The tank has a 250W metal halide , 2x96w Actinic and I just got blue LED moonlights so the lighting is tip top for now, As for the skimmer I will be adding one in the next month and It will be a tunze 9002 From what I was told from the LFS you dont want to add the anemone in a New tank that just finished cycling but as of now my tank as been fully cycles for more then 3 months and Its good to add the Anemone when it has space to move and find its spot so you have less chance of it moving over or toutching other corals!

Thanks again for your reply !

You can never be certain a nem won't move again. You could add a coral that changes the flow enough that the nem will move again. You just never know.
I'd say you are safe with 3 months. Even though most will tell you to wait til a year. The reason for a year is from what I've learned. To make sure that you have learned how to successfully keep your params in check and not have swings. Swings are what will kill a nem.
I'd get that skimmer on there ASAP.  3 months and no skimmer. I hope you have a light bio load.  The new skimmer is going to have it's work cut out for it to catch up.
As for the inflate and deflate etc... I'd say it's normal. Just let him be. He'll do his thing and get settled in. Trying to move it or do anything to it will just stress it out further.
Good luck with your new nem.

[DrReefer]

You can never be certain a nem won't move again. You could add a coral that changes the flow enough that the nem will move again. You just never know.
I'd say you are safe with 3 months. Even though most will tell you to wait til a year. The reason for a year is from what I've learned. To make sure that you have learned how to successfully keep your params in check and not have swings. Swings are what will kill a nem.
I'd get that skimmer on there ASAP.  3 months and no skimmer. I hope you have a light bio load.  The new skimmer is going to have it's work cut out for it to catch up.
As for the inflate and deflate etc... I'd say it's normal. Just let him be. He'll do his thing and get settled in. Trying to move it or do anything to it will just stress it out further.
Good luck with your new nem.

Thanks alot for the reply!

The new skimmer should be in next weekend! No idea of whats on the foot of the nem ??

[Greatwhite]

That "goop" is probably normal...  I don't generally look at their feet....

And ya - get that skimmer....  They like "pristine" water conditions, and you won't have that without a skimmer... 

In my opinion, you've added that guy way too early.  I understand that the tank is cycled, but it's still a little fresh.  I hope I'm wrong...

[DrReefer]

That "goop" is probably normal...  I don't generally look at their feet....

And ya - get that skimmer....  They like "pristine" water conditions, and you won't have that without a skimmer... 

In my opinion, you've added that guy way too early.  I understand that the tank is cycled, but it's still a little fresh.  I hope I'm wrong...

Thanks GreatWhite !

Skimmer will be going in and parameters will be measured daily to assure it gets the best conditions that I can provide him.

[Dakotamay]

The foot looks fine to me. He's just ticked off right now with the move and trying to settle in.  Was he under MH where you got him? If not then he's got to adjust to that.  He was likely on a different lighting schedule than you are. Either receiving more or less light per day. These are all things he has to adjust too. Give him time. I'm sure he'll be fine. But as Great White said. They like pristine conditions where the params don't swing drastically.  Just get that skimmer on there ASAP, keep your tank stable by doing regular water changes and don't over feed the tank. You should be fine. Yes early. But should be fine.

[redbelly]

Your LTA looks fine to me.
The good around the foot is waste and it is normal.

I used to have a 14" LTA in my tank. Some days it would be open and supper happy under my 400W halides, then 2 hours later it would be smaller, then open again fully 2 hours later.
Dont worry about it too much if its full extended vs slightly extended on different days or at different times.

Nems do definately prefer more stable systems...

Pay more attention to if it maintaining or improving in color vs bleaching, pay attention if it never comes out, and feel free to feed it every now and then while it settles in to help it settle into your tank.

[DrReefer]

First of all , thanks alot for all the replys guys!! I really appreciate it.

I dont think it was under MH at the LFS , I am not giving the 9hrs of MH atm , I'm at 5hrs and bumping it up 1hrs ea day till I get to 9Hrs so my light cyle is 1.5hrs of actinic + Mh 9hrs+ 1.5hrs of actinic for the full 12 hrs then the moonlights are on for 12Hrs.

Last night was the worst night for me and the nem :S It expanded his foot alot and it detached from the rock it was on. I had to turn off the Circulation pump and leave the power head for it not to flip flop around the tank. My Nitrates are under controle and all other parameters are ok. Tentacles are still sticky and react when a hermit comes close to it. I also notice they is a little crowd of Hermies that hang around it and eats its defecations when it spits them out. No collor change and it still looks nice under MH/actinic/moonlights.

LAst Night pics:






It looks not to be fine to me yet I never had a anemone so I would not really know. If its not better by the weekend I will try to find a good home for it as I would not want it do die because I can not provide it a decent home Il try contacting the LFS see if they can house it and try to save it :\ Do you guys think this is still normal activity ??

This morning: ** Notice the puffed Oral disc

[redbelly]

Yeah that tank is WAY to young!!
I am sure it is in another thread, but how new is this tank exactly?

Thats not a happy looking new...

Typically to help an LTA settle into a new tank though you should dig out a bunch of the gravel from the base of your rock structure and place the LTA there.
LTA like to reach under the rockwork and attach to the underside of a rock so that they can pull themselves under the rockwork if they are threatened.

[Dakotamay]

+1 Redbelly. He's not a happy camper. I wouldn't say throw in the towel though. I'd do what Redbelly suggested. He seems to be staying in that same area of your tank. Just not attaching and settling in.   I'd dig out a spot and place him into it. Let him get attached and feel safe.
I had a green bubble tip nem that I bought. No matter what I did to try and make him happy. He just didn't like my system. I already had 2 rose bubble tips happily living in the system. Just this green bubble tip would not get happy. I found him another home and he's fine to this day. So, it could be a case that he just won't like your system and the next LTA you try settles right in. I gave the green bubble tip about 3 weeks to settle in though. Not a few days.  I'd say patience for a little longer unless he really noticeably turns around for the worse.
See too if he'll take a small piece of uncooked shrimp with no shell. If he eats. Then I would expect he'll settle in.

[DrReefer]

Thanks guys !! I will try to dig him a little hole tonight and see if it helps him attach. Il also try feeding him a small piece of raw shrimp if I finally opens up by tonight ( it usually does when the MH comes on ). I'm just so used to everthing acclimating so quickly like a fish or easy corals that I'm maybe just to stressed out and overthinking this situation. Called my LFS and got the same answers so I'm not as stressed as I was the past few days :S He also told me that the waterchanges that I did to reduce my 5ppm Nitrate as maybe stressed the anemone a bit. I will give it a few weeks and take a decision from there.

Thanks for all your replies now I know my tank is young a bit (4-5 months) since cycled finished + a month of cycling so somewhat 5 to 6 months old and the skimmer is going to go in for sure this weekend now I just Hope the little bugger is going to acclimate and feel at home in my tank


Thanks again guys for assisting me in this time of crisis!

[Dakotamay]

You're very welcome. Let us know how he does. I think he'll adjust though. Just be patient.

[DrReefer]

unfortunately it has gone to fishy heaven I got home last night and it was all closed up and a few hours later the anemone started to disintegrated. This lesson learner I will get my skimmer in this weekend and wait another year before trying to care for this wonderful creature

I'm more sad that it died then the money I spent on it but IL take this as a lesson and try to provide a better home for the next one I will get

Thanks allot guys

Case Closed

[Greatwhite]

Live & learn....  I'm sure that every one of us has done something "too soon" and has had a similar result.  It's  too bad that the LTA had to pay the price, though.

I had suspected that the tank was too new, and since you didn't have all the necessary equipment yet even......

Get the skimmer going, add some fish slowly, add a few "easy" corals... If you want something nice that grows well and is "beginner friendly", look for a leather or finger coral.  They're not as exciting as an anemone, but it's like getting a kid a gold fish before a puppy...  If you want movement, get a torch...  You have the same wavy movement as an anemone, only it doesn't move around and you don't have to worry so much about feeding it (it's photosynthetic)...

[vonG]

skimmer first.

recommendation for torch coral is excellent.
I have a two head torch that's huge when extended.

no need to feed it, but will happily take brine shrimp if given

[az]

add flow, all anemone stress can be cut in half if it gets good flow, I dont think there was enough flow there(apart from tank being new), tunze 9002 are not that good so if you have space try something else.

[DrReefer]

I agree GreatWhite , It is very sad that the LTA has passed away and that I was not able to move it to a better system to try and save it.

I will look into other "beginner" corals before I get another anemone and give my tank another 6 months and proper filtration. As for flow for a 33Gal I have 2x Maxijets 600 (one in circ mode and another in Power head mode) Now I know Az said I did not have enough but even If i have the 2x 600 on Circ mode I have a hard time dialling in there positions not to have a sand storm in the tank :S

As for skimmer , I don't want a HOB because of the common spill problems so what would be a different in tank other then the Tunze that I could look in ??

Thanks again guys for all the help and Info!


RIP LTA ;(

[Greatwhite]

Sorry - common spill problems?  I had a Deltec MCE600 - that never spilled a drop... I had a crappy Seaclone skimmer that I had hanging on my salt water mixer tank to help stir that water, and it ran for 5 years non stop without a spill (and that's a horrible skimmer!)

I'd prefer a HOB skimmer over something that takes up any room inside the tank, personally.

Maxijet 600 is not a great pump to use for a powerhead, because it is a more focused flow of water, not to mention a focused intake, which can clog easily.  Something like a Tunze 60xx or Hydor Koralia with the whole pump body being the intake is ideal.. The outward flow is bigger and less focused too.

I think you can get attachments for the pumps you have that will disperse the water and/or you get get a Koralia Flo thing to stick on the output, which spins slowly causing wave effects.