My new LTA

[Jovreefer]

Went to the LFS for a few new CUC yesterday and saw a beautiful green LTA with purple ends sitting under NO lights in an upper compartment of an invert tank with no sand. Snuggled up to it was the cutest porcelain crab. The foot was in great condition and it was nice and sticky. It did have a bit of a gaping mouth, but I did not think it was too bad to not recover in better conditions, so after haggling with the owner I came home with a new Anem and free crab buddy.

2 hr aclimation, pump off except return, dug a hole in my 5 inch sandbed where I would love for it to reside, asked it to stay put and plopped it down. It stayed there the whole day, but popped out overnight :/ oh well, eager to see where it decides to live. The anem crab jumped in it seconds after I placed it in the tank, clowns have been curious and hovering around it but neither have taken the brave leap in yet.

The mouth is about half as wide as it was when I put it in.

I have some experience with BTA's and a carpet but absolutly no experience with LTA's, they are my favorite and I've always wanted one though. Any first hand experience or tips would be great!

Here are a few Iphone pics. First was taken right after aclimation. What do you think of the mouth, easy recovery or long road ahead?

 

[Jovreefer]

And a shot of the crab snuggling in for the night. It was amazing to watch the crab interact with the anem.

 

[Jovreefer]

No one likes LTA's or has any input?

How about when they go roaming ... do they walk with their foot or roll around till they find a spot they like to dig in?

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

It looks great. I love the pic with the crab and the LTA.

 

[revsgirl]

Pretty!!

 

[Jovreefer]

Thanks I tried to dig a hole all the way to the glass and place it one last time, but this morning it was out again so I guess I'll just let it roll around.

 

[Trex]

No one likes LTA's or has any input?

How about when they go roaming ... do they walk with their foot or roll around till they find a spot they like to dig in?

It depends on how settled in it is --- about a month ago I cleaned my Vortec and didn't put it back in the exact same spot -- so my M. doreensis moved a couple of inches. It kept its foot attached to the bottom glass and just plowed through the sandbed. There were a few times right after I got it that it would completely release, but it hasn't done that in about 9 months now. Prior to me moving the powerhead it hasn't moved in 9 months.

 

[Trex]

Thanks I tried to dig a hole all the way to the glass and place it one last time, but this morning it was out again so I guess I'll just let it roll around.

Were you able to get a view of the bottom of the foot? Is there any damage?
How deep is your sandbed?
What lights? (( what lights was it under ))
Size tank?
Current parameters?
Are you acclimating it to your lights?

 

[Jovreefer]

Hey Trex, thank you for taking the time to help . Most of those questions were answered in the original post but ..

No foot damage at all. And it was nice and sticky so I bought it for about half normal price (and the free crab) The mouth was the only issue. Its still open a little.

It was in one of those LFS invert tanks with NO (normal output) light. They had it in there with no sand for 4.5 days.

Tank is 28g cube with the stock quad pc right now (have LEDS coming for christmas) Considering my lights right now, no need for aclimation to lights.

I have 5-6 inch sand bed, half sugar fine white, half larger hawaii black (can be seen in the second pic)

The only thing thats off on my parameters is the sg is a little low for what I hear LTA's like @ 1.024. I'm slowly raising it to 1.026.

How long did it take yours to settle in it's spot in the first place?

 

[Jovreefer]

-- Update -- I believe it may be starting to dig in. I cannot see it actually digging but there is a hole in the sand now and the foot is resting in the hole. The LTA is still on it's side though, it's not stood up in the hole. I noticed a little hole when I got home yesterday, I watched it all evening but could not tell if it was digging. This morning the hole is twice as deep, bout an inch now. Is this normal for 'digging in"?

I can no longer see the mouth to tell if it is getting better, it has chosen to face the back of the tank showing me it's rear end. :tsk:

The clownfish have taken a great notice of it too. They keep touching it and darting away.

 

[Jovreefer]

-- 3.5 day in tank update with photos --

The LTA has stood up in the hole it is digging! Also I can now see the mouth and it has closed up! :roll:On an even happier note, the spot it has chosen is smack dang in the middle of the tank! Clowns are still playing chicken with it but sticking pretty close.

An interesting observation - as it was digging I noticed it seemed to be building a wall around the hole to hold the sand at bay. on looks alone it appears to be kinda stringly slimey material, like what you would see a wrasse make to burrow in at night. It is produced on the foot then slides down and around the hole.

Pics!

 

[kevinf]

Awesome LTA! My LFS said they have a purple one in store.. I have 2 BTA's, so I might snag this LTA up(never had an LTA myself)

 

[Jovreefer]

And one with my pretty little girl anemone crab! She has stuck right by the LTA the whole time. (and yes she is a girl, I peeked under her skirt :angel

 

[Trex]

Would like to see it buried more -- to the point where you can't see its foot at all -- it is looking pretty good, but I would keep an eye on it. Please make sure that your powerheads are covered, at this stage it could easier start to float around and get sucked in.

Would prefer it to be similar to these,

 

[Jovreefer]

Thanks Kevin I've never had one either and always wanted one. I could not pass up the green with purple.

Thanks for the pic Trex! How long did it take yours to dig in? I'm guessing because of the stress at the LFS mine is going slow, but I see improvements every day!
And the power head has been off since I got the LTA. The power head is pretty strong so I think I am just going to upgrade my return pump and pull the power head completly.

 

[Jovreefer]

Well I am sad to say that I pulled it out last night

It was doing fantastic, burried almost all the way in, mouth closed, it even ate. Then I woke up Sunday and it was up and rolling around again. I looked and there was a small hole in the foot. I have no idea what happened. Did something in my sand attack it? I stared at that foot for three days when I brought it home and there was no speck of damage to it.

I have a fighting conch that was near it saturday, could it have attacked the nem? Could it have cut it's self on something in my sand?

 

[MarvinsReef]

so sorry to hear that you pulled it.

 

[Trex]

I have a feeling that they damage to the foot was there and you just didn't see it.

It is somewhat common for M. doreensis to come in like this -- something to do with shipping or collecting. Need to examine the base of their foot very very carefully. Over the years I have had at least 5 come in this way, and none of them survived.

 

[Steven R]

Ahh man neon green LTA are my favorite of LTA had a purple but it did not do to well either I hope you can find another one that is as nice as that one good luck

 

[Jovreefer]

Could the damage have been so small that I could not see it to start with? Yesterday when I saw the hole it was still very tiny but I could see it, and there was the white curly innards spilling out.

I do hope that is the case because I really want to try another LTA. Lesson learned though, I wont try to rescue one that I think is just stressed.