What should I do?

zatchyvsalt · Aug 4, 2023

Hey reefers,

Need some advice. I have a LTA that I have had in my tank about 2 months. Tank is about 9 months old. It is filled with live rock and live sand. At first the LTA looked great, fully expanded tentacles fully extended, good color, etc. He found a spot on the rock that he put his foot in and stayed there for about 3 weeks. One day he left the rock and was on the sand bed. I knew this would happen because he is a sand dweller. I let him be for some time assuming he would borrow his foot and attach to the bottom. I have about 3-4inch sand bed. But he never did.

I tried to dig a hole and bury his foot, prop him against glass, but he continued to move. Recently I put a PVC pipe in the tank, all the way to the bottom and he stays in there comfortably but never latches. He also does not seem to be expanding like he used to. He is loosing his color, white discoloration around the mouth, but he does keep his mouth closed. Not really eating like my BTA who is latched and enjoying life.

Any suggestions on what I need to do in regards to him? I have attached photos of my lighting and flow chart, any adjustments one would consider telling me? Like blue light % white light percentage% maybe move him to a more shaded area? Anything would help. I also have 5 flower anemones that are all attached and happy as well.

Parameters have been consistent but I am taking a sample to my LFS for more detailed overview.

In the pic below you can see where he is sitting compared to the light above him.

Also right now he is scrunched up but he does expand a bit throughout the day.

blaxsun · Aug 4, 2023

Doesn't look like it's doing too good, no. You could try gently moving him further up on the rock face to give him more exposure to light.

Rtaylor · Aug 8, 2023

Are you running carbon? If no, give that a try, sometimes there’s something we can’t detect with our kits in the water. I wouldn’t move it from the sand, that’s where it will prefer to be since that’s its natural environment.

Also, even in the before pic, it doesn’t look super happy. Ok, but not thriving. Macrodactyla doreensis really spread out and extend their tentacles when happy, the don’t stay curled up in a ball-like shape. As you can see in attached pictures. The pic with the clown is actually in a pvc pipe as well. That’s why it’s ‘draped’ kinda weird.

What light are you running? Bleaching is often light related. It’s awfully pale for a lta, so I suspect it’s significantly bleached.

zatchyvsalt · Aug 8, 2023

Rtaylor said:
Are you running carbon? If no, give that a try, sometimes there’s something we can’t detect with our kits in the water. I wouldn’t move it from the sand, that’s where it will prefer to be since that’s its natural environment.

Also, even in the before pic, it doesn’t look super happy. Ok, but not thriving. Macrodactyla doreensis really spread out and extend their tentacles when happy, the don’t stay curled up in a ball-like shape. As you can see in attached pictures. The pic with the clown is actually in a pvc pipe as well. That’s why it’s ‘draped’ kinda weird.

What light are you running? Bleaching is often light related. It’s awfully pale for a lta, so I suspect it’s significantly bleached.

Unfortunately he didn’t make it. I think it may have been sick from the day I got him. The lights I’m running is 2 redsea led 90.