LTA Acting Weird

[ScoobyElla]

I’ve had this LTA for about a month now. My tank has been up and running since August of 2020. Only parameters that are off are my nitrates and phosphates. I do not have a sump or protein skimmer. I have micro algae in the tank and do weekly water changes to keep my Nitrates at approx 30ppm.

LTA has been moving around the tank and yet to dig itself into the sand bed. I have plenty of sand it’s at least 4 inches. Some places more, depending on what my pistol and goby are up to. Not sure why he won’t dig into the sand but it picked a spot about 2 weeks ago and hasn’t moved. Won’t attach tho. I came home today and now the LTA is like this. What the heck is going on ! LOL I read that anemones are interesting and weird creatures but should I have anything to worry about with the LTA not attaching and doing stuff like this?
Any advice to get the LTA to stay? I’ve tried doing the hole thing and that didn’t work either.
My Condy anem hasn’t moved since I got it and loves the tank. Even after a power head got its tentacles.

 

[00W]

Hi and welcome!
I have an LTA but I am definitely no nem expert. Your tank looks pretty clean.
Let's call on the experts here @vetteguy or @Orion and maybe they can shed some light on your situation.
Remember to try and give tank size and good params so we can get you the best help.

 

[GoReefin]

Foot looks puffed up like he is trying to move. Why not try and bury the foot next to a rock and see how he does.

 

[old salt reefer]

Do you see any foot damage at all? It looks like it's got a part of the foot attached to the rock in your picture. With a LTA if it has ANY foot damage it will never attach. I have a LTA in a bare bottom tank and even though it has a container with gravel it never stays in it. You can look at my threads on it it's most certainly happy and is always attached to the bottom glass or rocks around it.

 

[ScoobyElla]

Hi and welcome!
I have an LTA but I am definitely no nem expert. Your tank looks pretty clean.
Let's call on the experts here @vetteguy or @Orion and maybe they can shed some light on your situation.
Remember to try and give tank size and good params so we can get you the best help.

Tank is 55gal
Amm/nitrites 0
Nitrates 30
Phosphate .5
Calcium 480
Magnesium 1470
Alk 8.9
PH 8.0
sg 1.025

 

[ScoobyElla]

Here’s a new pic. Def attaching to the rocks instead of the sand..

 

[ScoobyElla]

Do you see any foot damage at all? It looks like it's got a part of the foot attached to the rock in your picture. With a LTA if it has ANY foot damage it will never attach. I have a LTA in a bare bottom tank and even though it has a container with gravel it never stays in it. You can look at my threads on it it's most certainly happy and is always attached to the bottom glass or rocks around it.

What does a healthy foot look like?

 

[chizerbunoi]

 

[old salt reefer]

Those little white dots on it's foot worries me. Since I'm not there I can't tell if those are just sand grains, bottom scum, etc.
Here is a picture of a LTA foot with damage that I found on the web by googling it. The white thing in the center is the anemones insides coming out a tiny hole in the foot. Never heard of a LTA with foot damage living. It may take months for the anemone to die--but it will.

 

[ScoobyElla]

Welp, I just got home From work and my LTA did not make it, was melting really good. Doing a 20% WC. What parameters do I need to watch?

 

[ScoobyElla]

Just tested the water. No change in ammonia and nitrates. Keeping close watch on the tank, my condy anemone has closed up. But that’s not out of the ordinary every couple days.

 

[GoReefin]

Sorry for your loss

 

[chizerbunoi]

Sorry to hear that about your LTA.

I’ll be honest that keeping anemones are not easy. We really have to work at it to ensure their health. Especially in the acclimation period. They go through a lot of stress and get sick from collectors to distributors to wholesale to fish store. Then to your home tank.

Many of us seasoned anemone experts unfortunately have learned from each other and experienced the demise of many anemones. But give it some time and then you can try again right?

The picture that I posted above had sand in it. But the foot shouldn’t have any injuries on the bottom. Normally when they melt like this, they either had an injury or a preexisting bacterial infection.

 

[dedragon]

Sorry for the loss, but anemones are notorious for dying quickly after being shipped for seemingly no reason. Most likely not your fault. I would add a good amount of carbon to the tank in a filter bag. Should help if anything was leftover from the anemone