Trying LTA with Maroon clowns... again... could use some experienced help

sikemd

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Appologize for the long post in advance but I have a lot of questions and info to exert. So... over the last 4 years I've tried to add a few anemones to my main DT. Each time my adult pair of maroon clowns 'loved' them to death within a week or so of adding them despite my attempts to keep the anemones safe. I finally had enough of not being able to put larger nems my clowns would to try to host in there. So, I moved them to to their own 40L tank, which was a 4 day battle trying to get the male out of a 6' 125g with a good amount of LR, the female I got pretty easily the first day blocking her in 1/3 of the tank with some meshing and covering some LR, not so lucky with the male.

The 40g though is really plain and the clowns were clearly not happy with the situation. I have no intention of caring for 2 complete reef tanks so I decided to try adding a 'large' and rather expensive nem in there with them for their happiness and to make the tank a little more attractive as well. The new LTA I have added is much larger than the others I've tried with them so I'm hopeful. I think worst case scenario this one should be strong enough (once it's settled) to deal with some tough 'love' from the clowns and physically display any serious frustration without being injured. In that case I'll have to move it to the big tank. This one is probably 4x the length of the fem clown from tentacle end to tentacle end I've seen a lot of folks say the nem should be at least 3x so again, I'm hopeful. Since I unfortunately haven't had the chance to actually experience a caring for a nem I still don't know much of what to expect.

I have a few questions here. I'll post some pictures below.

1) I'd like some advice on when would be a good time to let the clowns loose to host it. I let them explore it for a few hours on Saturday and the fem at first was gentle but got aggressive after a few hours so I blocked them off again. Right now it's attached, burrowed deep and wide open, but it is supposed to be 'ULTRA' LTA (green, at least in the picture from their website) and right now it's more of a brownish with hints of neon green reflection.

2) Should I expect this thing to color up bright green? Going from brown to the bright neon green in the picture from the company I purchased it from seems pretty extreme but life is mysterious so I'm not doubt it.

3). Also I think the tentacles of a healthy happy nem should be more inflated, just curious if I'm right here (pictures below) and should expect this guy to blow up some once it's happy with its new surroundings. I added 2 LTA's to my main display tank a few weeks back after I moved the clowns, both looked different from the start, one was darker and thinner tentacles the other had more green color and inflated tentacles. The inflated, prettier one found a nice cave in LR and appears to be happy... still inflated and semi colorful but the other moved to a high flow area that I'm pretty certain it is likely trying to move away from, slowly albeit, that one is still more brownish and thinner tentacles, assumably because it hasn't found a good spot yet.

3) Back to letting the clowns loose: I'm thinking there may be be some sort indicator I can go off for when the nem might be ready to happily accept the clowns rather than just waiting, guessing, and experimenting with caution (which I will probably end up doing anyway unless otherwise suggested here), maybe it is ready now since its nice and opened, maybe I should wait till it colors up, or wait till it will accept a meal? Tried feeding it Sunday and it wasn't interested, assuming because it was still working on burrowing and getting comfortable.

4) Also curious about lighting for the 40L, it's a low profile tank (13" high), right now I have 2 ATI T5HO bulbs in a standard low output T5 fixture that sits pretty much flush with the top of the tank. In the next few days I have a 4 bulb T5HO fixture (bulbs sit about 6" above the tank) that I'm planning to move over the 40L and only use 2 bulbs and then moving the non-HO fixture to another tank I have elsewhere. I have a few lower light requiring corals in the tank (40L) as well that just happened to be on the LR I moved from the main DT to the clown tank when I started it. I'm pretty certain any more than 2 T5HO's over it would be too much for what I have in there. Any advice here on what setup would be best for this low tank? OR if any of these configurations would be detrimental?

Any info advice greatly appreciated! TIA.

Clown nem:


Other nems:

 

Jon Fishman

Cleveland Ohio, buy/sell local!
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A large, healthy Nem will be fine with it. I would buy local..... emphasis on large, and healthy
 

chizerbunoi

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The two large LTA would be ready to host your adult maroon when you find that it no longer uproots it’s foot to float around. If it’s staying deep in the sand but adjusting for a proper spot then you should be good.

The other thing I check is to make sure it will eat and is nice and sticky. If the tentacles don’t stick to your feeding tongs or rubber gloves then I would t pair them yet. It will demise and not eat once it’s hosted. Dependant if the clowns take care of it or steal all the food

For color, that will take time. Also depends on nutrient level and what spectrum of light they had over their tank when they posted their pictures.

As for your 40litre, 4 T5HO will make the tank very hot. That’s a lot of light. For soft corals. But as you said before, you don’t want to run a second reef.

My female is 6” in this picture. LTA on the right.
82804DE6-01D7-4B8F-91EE-A9A76B3875BD.jpeg


This is a picture of DavOcean tank from a very long time ago. His LTA was huge.
D13C3566-FFFF-4CB5-89D4-D61A6882611A.jpeg
 
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sikemd

sikemd

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Thanks for the replies, appreciate the advice. Sorry to clarify I meant 40G long by 40L and I am just planning to run 2 T5HOs in the 4 bulb fixture. Nem is staying put but still not interested in food it will latch to my fingers for a few seconds tho and then let go.
 

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