Looking for an LTA

[EmilyB]

You can actually tell a lot about anemones by looking at them.....

Since I had the LTA that Alan now owns for over four years, I will speak about my experience with that particular animal.

The anemone was bleached when purchased. It then began it's journey through our inexperience... It lived a year under NO, and colored up nicely. It lived a year under VHO, and there were no startling differences.
It lived a year under PC, and I can honestly say, that was a period of growth, and dramatic color. (The tank was not that deep however - 25g) The last years it was under MH, and there was no further growth. It honestly wasn't as pretty as under the PC. It's been in powerheads, aquaclear intakes - you name it.... The anemone has ALWAYS been fed btw.

I'm not familiar with PC lighting at various tank depths so I will defer on that, but I know Ed well enough to know he will take extremely good care of any animal in his possession, thus his careful consideration.

[AI Man]

I've got 3 very healthy ones right now, full of percs.
You are welcome to come take a look.

[ed99]

Folks,

Thanks again for all the help. I had read as much as I could find before planning on buying an anemone so I did not intend for people to have to write too much again on the same subject, but once again the tips are appreciated. Nice to know there's lots of help out there.

So I'll start asking more questions since I have bought one (my patience did not last long once I found one!). I understand that LTAs like the bottom substrate, but I found mine up on the rocks. I'm pretty sure the current got him though he was sitting down on the substrate for a few hours before I went to bed. Any suggestions on helping him to settle in without disturbing it too much? There's not too much current where I have put it, so I suspect it moved over night.

[Bob I]

Well Ed I might as well keep this going since I really have no answer. Mine never left the bottom, but I would say if the LTA is able to move where it likes to be, and you have no problem with it then fine. When I saw it yesterday it looked healthy enough, so my limited experience says OK.

[ed99]

Trouble was this morning when I found it, it was pressed with its top (oral disc) up against the rock about six inches off the bottom. I've put it back on the bottom with a glass in the way. It can still move if it wants, but hopefully it won't get moved by the current unless it moves.

[Bob I]

Here's a bit of a radical idea. Maybe you could dig a bit of hole in the substrate where you want it to stay. Then put its foot in it, and move the sand back around it, and put something in the way so it can't move. As I say just an idea.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by rcipema

There is also another factor one might consider. Optimum conditions=Optimum growth with the sometimes undesirable result of a shortage of real estate. It is therefore sometimes good management to not provide conditions which promote optimum growth.

To keep this part of this discussion productive maybe there should be a tank size requirement similar to the recommended tank sizes for Tangs ... if I said to my kids that I was going to cut back on their food / exercise so that I could stunt their growth and not have to by more clothes or a bigger house for them most of you would think that to be cruel I would hope

If we have the Tang Police then maybe there should be the Anemone Police too LOL j/k

If the thought is that a undesirable result is actually growth in an anemone then maybe an anemone is not something to consider keeping unless you have the intention to grow it to a certain size and then maybe sell it or trade with another hobbyist.

Just some thoughts considering that we know as much about where a anemone was collected from and what those conditions were that allowed it to thrive there before being moved to our aquariums ... if someone wants to use less lighting then a deeper water anemone would be better and if you are putting a anemone in with a SPS tank then one that comes from shallower water may be a better choice.

Cheers

[Bob I]

I value Steve's post as an opinion. We all have opinions that we are all free to express. My post was intended as a thought provoking idea. As far as anemones go. They have been around for millenia, and have become adept at surviving under somewhat less that perfect conditions. Mother nature does not always provide optimum conditions. Are we then to be considered as evil if we do not always provide optimum conditons Can we not be like Mother Nature, who is often a bitch
Food for thought my friends.

[Buccaneer]

I guess I am still trying to figure out what you are trying to learn from this hobby Bob ? ... if you are going to do a research paper at some time down the road that illustrates the bare minimum environment for marine animals then you are well on your way right

Every time someone talks about skimmers / Metal Halide etc you pipe in about how all that is overkill ... that is your opinion right ?

As to the nature arguement ... anemones that require more light in nature have the ability to " pick up their foot " and move to a new location that provides more light ( like the SUN ! ) ... however the anemones in our aquariums dont have that luxury

You have your opinion and I have mine ... I think I have a valid basis for trying to provide a more ideal environment for these animals ... I still dont get your motivation but HEY ! you have your opinion right ?


Cheers

[Delphinus]

Just MY opinion now, I'm not sure it is a good or fair idea to compare aritificial environments to the natural environment .... Perhaps this is a subjective opinion, but much of what I consider "less than perfect conditions" in nature are those which have been impacted or compromised due to human activities. The sad reality is that many species are not able to adapt to that, because too much change is happening too quickly. For "naturally occuring" factors, usually what happens is either a species is able to tolerate some variable anyhow, or, that species just doesn't happen to live then in a habitat where that variable is a significant factor. I don't know if this is a good example ... you don't see Entacmaea quadricolor living in the waters off the BC coast because the temperature is too cold whereas you DO see Urticina piscivora; these two species simply live in different conditions..

I've heard it said (I might be quoting Shimek now, but I may be mistaken) that anemones aren't really sophisticated physiologies ... either their needs are met, or they are stressed: they cannot adapt to conditions that are outside of their natural tolerances. My take on this is basically you need to look at substrate (sand and rock), flow conditions, lighting, feeding, suitable tankmates, water quality. It is not always easy to play with these variables during a period where the animal is unsettled.. but that's what you have to work with.

Bob, I think I understand that the point you're trying to make is that anemones are probably more tolerant of some things than we give them credit for, but I want to point out that we need to be careful with this kind of thinking. Each species has its own ranges of tolerances with respect to each significant variable. If two different tanks are within tolerances then both may be adequate homes. But stray outside of those tolerances then trouble will ensue. I know that skimming and halide use can seem to be overdone at times but it does, I think, tend to be erring on the side of caution. A minimalist setup is OK but requires more careful observation and more thoughtful planning, and requires a more thorough understanding of what variables are being played around with. Remember, each species has its own tolerances. Entacmaea quadricolor can be found in semi-tropical waters such as off the coast of Lord Howe Island or even as far south as New South Wales (Sydney is the same latitude south, as L.A. is north .. warmer than what we have here, of course, but neither is it "tropical" by any stretch). But generally speaking, all of the hosting species are found within tropical waters where the sunlight is undoubtedly quite intense.

Just my own $0.02 ... from the self-appointed anemone police