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Unread 03/16/2018, 03:58 PM   #1
930Reef
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HELP! Have you ever seen an LTA do this?

My LTA nem has been in tank for about a week. He's been attached to rock instead of sand the whole time, partially in shade.

Today I came home from work and he had done this while I was gone! His tentacles have disappeared, and he looks like he's folded up inside himself. I'm worried as I've grown to really like the little guy. His color has been fine, etc., the whole time. The only out-of-ordinary thing I did last night was top off with 1/3 gallon of distilled water, as I was out of RODI. Total system has about 30-35 gallons in it.

Tank parameters are fine. 1.025 sg
0 phosphates
Minor nitrates but nothing spiking.
Ph 8.4

I have no idea. Thanks guys and gals.


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Unread 03/16/2018, 04:07 PM   #2
930Reef
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I should say I know they close up at times, (this guy hasn't yet), but I didn't know if it could happen completely like this. Sorry if it's a stupid question, but I'm new to nems and love the forum. Thoughts?


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Unread 03/16/2018, 04:20 PM   #3
930Reef
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Haha!

Ok, ok, so he's opening up again. Sorry, just a new parent here. If there's anything you think I should know about the situation, or the fact that he's an LTA anchored in rock instead of sandbed, let me know. Otherwise, sorry about the rookie post

These things are amazing!


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Unread 03/16/2018, 04:20 PM   #4
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Looks like he's just retracted into himself. I'd think he'll open back up shortly


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Unread 03/16/2018, 04:22 PM   #5
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Typically they would draw down into the sand bed


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Unread 03/18/2018, 07:09 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by 930Reef View Post
Ok, ok, so he's opening up again. Sorry, just a new parent here. If there's anything you think I should know about the situation, or the fact that he's an LTA anchored in rock instead of sandbed, let me know. Otherwise, sorry about the rookie post



These things are amazing!


Nothing against BTAs but LTs are my favs due to the fact they don’t seem to move much and you don’t need to anemone proof your tank as in the filtration covering to keep from the anemone from an awful demise. Mine is medium size brownish and greenish tint under blue light wedged underneath a rock in the sand with two orange clowns hosting. It hasn’t moved in months since adding him.
Mine does that every once in awhile, my guess to expel wastes but comes back to life again.
I find them so much easier to keep too at least for me.


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Unread 03/19/2018, 08:17 AM   #7
930Reef
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Nothing against BTAs but LTs are my favs due to the fact they don’t seem to move much and you don’t need to anemone proof your tank as in the filtration covering to keep from the anemone from an awful demise. Mine is medium size brownish and greenish tint under blue light wedged underneath a rock in the sand with two orange clowns hosting. It hasn’t moved in months since adding him.
Mine does that every once in awhile, my guess to expel wastes but comes back to life again.
I find them so much easier to keep too at least for me.


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So far, I totally agree with you! I went to the LFS with a BTA in mind. Those BTAs are absolutely gorgeous, but I've grown to really like the LTs. Again, when I have more room (and possibly a dedicated nem tank in the future), I'd love to try some BTAs, where I can let them move around in a nem-proof tank, but this LTA has been cooperative so far. He stretched out from the hole in the rock so far, to access the light, that he detached himself. I took advantage and repositioned him into the sandbed, building it up around him to cover his foot and stalk. That was around 18 hours ago, and when I left for work a little while ago, he seems content. I still left powerhead off for the day, but I'm hoping he likes the spot.

It's funny, too, that the clowns seem more interested in the LTA now that it's in the sandbed and pointing up, rather than sideways in the rockwork. Hoping for hosting, but either way it's just a cool addition to the tank. It's set the clock on needing a larger setup though.........


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Unread 03/19/2018, 08:32 AM   #8
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Very common for them to ball up like that, and good that you got him in sand bed, that would be a bigger concern to me that it was attached to rock, they usually only do that to reach for more light if weak lighting.


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Unread 03/19/2018, 10:47 AM   #9
930Reef
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Very common for them to ball up like that, and good that you got him in sand bed, that would be a bigger concern to me that it was attached to rock, they usually only do that to reach for more light if weak lighting.
Great to know, thanks. I have my whites on 10% and my actinics on 50%, bc they're pretty strong reef-grade LEDs. Checked my lighting setup with my LFS before I purchased, who I trust, and they thought it was good, but it did seem like he was stretching for light. Hopefully now he's seen that he gets fed more and lighted more in the sand.


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Unread 03/19/2018, 07:00 PM   #10
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Personally I don't feed new nems at least a week or two, unless they are bleached, I let them settle first, and really I rarely spot, though they may pick up mysis at fish feedings.

Overfeeding can actually stress them.

LTA are not super light needy, and its a good idea to place by a ledge if you can so they can pull in or out of light as needed, they often do that, but I would leave it alone now if it's foot is set.


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Unread 03/19/2018, 09:22 PM   #11
930Reef
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Personally I don't feed new nems at least a week or two, unless they are bleached, I let them settle first, and really I rarely spot, though they may pick up mysis at fish feedings.

Overfeeding can actually stress them.

LTA are not super light needy, and its a good idea to place by a ledge if you can so they can pull in or out of light as needed, they often do that, but I would leave it alone now if it's foot is set.
So you got me thinking...below are my two possible scenarios for placement. Which do you think would be more preferential?

Scenario 1 (where he was before): Under a rock ledge. Foot stuck through hole in base of LR and touching sand. Attached, but would detach when stretching out to the light (which is how I moved him to sandbed). Somewhat side-ways mounted.

Scenario 2 (current placement) In sandbed hole, with foot down near/on bottom glass. Facing rightside up now, but not as much shade available if he wants it. Open all day; closes at night.

Scenario 3: I should shut up, stop worrying about it, and as long as it maintains color, stickiness, shape, and relative appetite, it's fine. It'll move if it really isn't doing well. After all, there is a cave 3 inches away that it could pull into

I've been told that LTAs don't travel as much as BTAs, but can that be a downside if he won't move if he's not happy with placement?

Am I the only one who worries more about this than my two actual human children that are somewhere in my house right now, doing god knows what?


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Unread 03/20/2018, 11:08 AM   #12
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LOL, definitely step 3!

While they don't wander much, it can shift, and it will stay at sand bed, so relatively safe.

Definitely check on kids, they are thinking of doing wrongful mischievious things, it's what they do!


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Unread 03/21/2018, 08:56 AM   #13
930Reef
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LOL, definitely step 3!

While they don't wander much, it can shift, and it will stay at sand bed, so relatively safe.

Definitely check on kids, they are thinking of doing wrongful mischievious things, it's what they do!
Great news! I woke up this morning and overnight, my larger ocellaris has taken up residence in the LTA. The move to the sand bed seemed to do the trick. The smaller paired black ocellaris was also contemplating when I left for work this morning. So, so excited! (So are the kids.)


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Unread 03/21/2018, 10:29 AM   #14
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Nice, hopefully you come home to a happy anemone hosted couple!


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Unread 08/12/2018, 06:19 PM   #15
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Great news! I woke up this morning and overnight, my larger ocellaris has taken up residence in the LTA. The move to the sand bed seemed to do the trick. The smaller paired black ocellaris was also contemplating when I left for work this morning. So, so excited! (So are the kids.)


Nice to hear. LTs are cool anemones and I don’t see as many posts as to say BTAs lol. I got two and they are growing everyday and I might need to get a bigger tank for them. The ones I got is one is completely radioactive green including the base. I actually mistaken for a Condy and got it at a Condy price too. The other one is brown color and tips have hints of green but not entirely green like my other LTs. They are so big my two clowns hide in them to where I don’t even know where the are. The one on the left is that is light brown is really green under the blue light. There are 2 clowns calling them home in the anemones.


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Unread 08/28/2018, 08:56 PM   #16
930Reef
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Nice to hear. LTs are cool anemones and I don’t see as many posts as to say BTAs lol. I got two and they are growing everyday and I might need to get a bigger tank for them. The ones I got is one is completely radioactive green including the base. I actually mistaken for a Condy and got it at a Condy price too. The other one is brown color and tips have hints of green but not entirely green like my other LTs. They are so big my two clowns hide in them to where I don’t even know where the are. The one on the left is that is light brown is really green under the blue light. There are 2 clowns calling them home in the anemones.


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Awesome!


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