Will a LTA host a Perc?

[Ryn0]

Just curious if my new LTA will host my existing Perc? If so, how long does it take for them to realize each other? Is there anything I can do to help?

[GSMguy]

just wait and see i usually try to place the anemone where the clowns hang out

[racrumrine]

I have false percs hosting in mine.

It took months before they decided to host in it.

Best of luck,

Roy

[Ryn0]

I placed the LTA up in a nice concave hole in a tall piece live rock but I just checked on it and it has moved back down to the crushed coral and looks like thats going to be its home I think its digging in now, it keeps rising up then digging down. I should have gotten of of these guys along time ago... So much fun to watch...Esp. under the lunar lights. I just put it in the tank this afternoon and it is already all puffed out and seems to be pretty happy. Hope I can keep it that way. Any suggestions on food for this guy? I fed it a couple sinking pellets tonight and it gobbled them right up, I guess I can't really see this being enough. Any thoughts?

[racrumrine]

A LTA needs to have its foot buried in the sand.

I feed my a couple of pieces of silversides every few days.

Best of luck,

Roy

[GSMguy]

feed frozen silverses cut into small peices ad soaked in selcon

[rogart]

The LTA will host anything it can't eat, it doesn't have much choice. The perc may or may not change its host if it is established. Whether that be a rock, coral, tank corner, etc. You can try GSm guys method which should work if the anemone stays put. One thing that worked to keep a pair away from a another mated pair of gobies, was to chase them persitently with a net stopping when they reached the area I wanted them to call home. Worked after about a week. But this did stress the fish considerably.

[apayne]

A LTA needs to have its foot buried in the sand.

Mine is up in the rocks, I don't think all have to be in the sand.

[illcssd]

I bet yours isnt a true long tentacle anemone then. I have never, ever seen a longtentacle attach to rocks for any given amount of time.

[don954]

My LTA is also a sand dweller, i have a female perc hosting it right now, and her mate is hosting a Sabe about 12 inches from it. The LTA is pretty skiddish, if i touch it too hard when giving it food, it retracts entirely under the sand. This freaks out the clowns, they start running around where it was in circles until they spin enough sand out to uncover it... i like watching them, i just wish my LTA would quit burying itself. Its foot is all the way though my DSB and is attached to the bottom glass...

[55semireef]

LTAs are true sand dwellers. The only reason why an LTA would move up into the rocks would be to acquire more light. Maybe it wanted more flow too.

[apayne]

I think I have a M. dorrensis, it has an orange foot and is brown with white stripes.
I will try and get a newer pic, but here is an old one from when first got it. It was a bit bleached, but is doing great now.
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/110521LTA_1.JPG

Its foot is not attached to a rock, but it is up in the rocks. It has a foot that is about 6-8" long.
What do you think?

[GSMguy]

thats a BTA i apayne :)

[racrumrine]

Most people refer to Macrodactyla doreensis as LTA (which is what I have). Though, other anemone species are also called LTA.

Here is a link to more facts about the various species. http://www.carlosreef.com/AnemoneFAQ.pdf

The experts say a Macrodactyla doreensis will always want to bury its foot in the sand. Mine does this also.

Best of luck,

Roy

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9618263#post9618263 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by racrumrine
A LTA needs to have its foot buried in the sand.

I feed mine a couple of pieces of silversides every few days.

Best of luck,

Roy

[apayne]

thats a BTA i apayne

I don't think so, but I will get a better pic tonight and see what you think.

[apayne]

My nem looks just like the Macrodactyla doreensis pic in the link provised by racrumrine

[apayne]

here is a good pic of my nem:
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/110521lta_new_pic.JPG

What do people think it is. i think it is a Macrodactyla Doreensis, but i could be wrong.

Thanks.

[GSMguy]

teeny tiny pictures but that looks like an M Dorensis. much darker that the anemone in the first pic as well

[apayne]

yea, he has come around, looks much better than when I first got him.

[racrumrine]

The easiest way to tell if it is a Macrodactyla doreensis is if you could shoot a picture of the underside of the oral disk. They have holes or bumps called verrucae that show up very clearly.

They are also known as a corkscrew anemone because many times the ends of the tentacles will twist. Mine does this.

You can see the curls on the left side of this photo. On the right of the photo is an Entacmaea quadricolor (RBTA).

Best of luck,

Roy

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c19/Reef2005/157d1117.jpg

[apayne]

It has not provided me w/ the oppertunity for a shot of the verrucae, but I know it has them, i have seen them in the past.

I am 100% positive it is a Macrodactyla Doreensis.

Thanks,
Aaron