LTA nem question

TheSaint216 · Oct 30, 2012

Well I bought a nem thats a fellow local reefer had for about 5 years and it was outgrowing his tank. Its a purple LTA, pics and video below and I have a few questions. I am running the 120 watt Chinese Led's and have 2 Ati T5 bulbs to supplement for color. I am also fighting what I believe to be Bryopsis. Taking my mag to 1800. So here's the nem questions. The nem was wide open around noon today almost 8 inches across. Looking awesome, well 3 hours of playing Battlefield 3 and I turn around and cant even see him. I move a rock to the side and he is totally contracted. So I whip out the glove and touch him and he opens right up. Mouth gaping I feed him some Mysis and Rods food. He tore it up. I have 2 Mp-10's running in Reef crest and I turned it down to about 50% to where he is barely moving, you'll see in the video. Is this kind of Behavior normal? He came from about a 2 inch sand bed and I have a barebottom tank. I know they need sand but have read they have been kept in BB's before. He walked acorss a piece of live rock and when I touched him earlier he was locked into a rock and the bottom of the tank. Kinda wigged me out when I saw him totally contracted, just wondering if thats a normal thing or could my elevated Mag be causing this?

[video=youtube_share;SbEdRmFEafM]http://youtu.be/SbEdRmFEafM[/video]

Trex · Oct 31, 2012

You are going to need a sandbed, or a container for this anemone. M. doreensis are sandbed dwelling anemones and will not settle in unless there is one present.

What lights was it under?

The high Mag could be affecting it too, but the bigger concern would be the lack of sand.

KSzegi · Oct 31, 2012

I agree, you're going to need a section of sand or container for him to be happy. I would also suggest a fine grade sand ..... mine was noticeably happier when I upgraded tanks and went from a coarse sand to the sugar sand.