Best symbiont for Macrodactyla doreensis

[BRW]

Looking for reefers with experience adding clowns to what appears to be a healthy Long Tentacle. The reading I have done shows naturals as being: A. chrysogaster, A. clarkii and A. perideraion. Any preference here? I would like to add a mated pair if possible and go by any past experiences. TIA.

[Carlos]

In nature, those anemones are home to A. clarkii, a. perideraion, A. polymnus.

In captivity, I have seen them hosting Maroon clown (Premnas biaculeatus) and I personally have a mated pair of Tomato clowns (A. frenatus) living on mine.

Very cool and hardy anemone!

HTH,

Carlos

[BRW]

Thanks for the reply Carlos. This section of the board seems deserted! Yes the LTA is cool indeed and I want to provide for it the best I can at this point. Presently, to help get the color back, I am feeding frozen krill and silversides. The color at present is a nice orange-red on the mostly burried column and a very light gray-green on the rest with very bright white tips on the tentacles. What would you recommend feeding and how often? TIA.

[Carlos]

You are feeding it right. I feed mine every other day. I do this because lighting provides enough food for the anemone to stay alive but if you want the anemone to grow, you need to provide more food than just light. In nature, anemones eat more than just light.

HTH,

Carlos

[Brock]

I just got a LTA for my 90 after only having BTA in the past...red/orange trunk...green to gray top with some faint strips extending from mouth out to tentacles which are a creamy color with flourescent green tips.
I hosted mine with a A. Polymnus (saddleback)...but did it backwards. Bought the saddleback, melanistic version which does not have a saddle and is black with white stripes and tan nose. He would not join up with my beautiful BTA that I have had for a year...so I traded BTA for a LTA and he hosted within one day.
Not a version of clown yousee regularly...nor is it a common saddleback. I was not even sure what he was at first until I did some research...but afterwards I found he was A.Polymnus (melanistic) and has tan nose, yellow pectoral fins...stripe behind eye and across belly that extends to rear dorsal fin...then last mark is strip at base of tail that extends to encircle the black tail. No other coloring on belly or anywhere...just deep black...a very striking and unique clown that all your friends won't already have..hahaha

good luck...

[SteveP]

It sounds like your LTA has the same coloring as mine. I have a Tomato Clown with it. I bought them togther.

Steve
8{I

[DogueDeBordeaux]

Are you keeping the LTA seperate (species tank) or with other corals?Do the LTA move alot?

[edsreef]

I have a large LTA w/a maroon/GS clown in a 90 gal. I keep lotsa corals and my LTA has never moved from his rock perch near good current beneath a 250W Iwaski.

[Brock]

I have other corals in my tank...the closest is two small polyp frags I relocated and an open brain coral about 8 inches further. If I start seeing discoloration on the anemone side or a increase in slime being put out I will know they are too close.
How are your LTAs about using their foot for a secure hold? Mine is barely between a rock and the sand substrate though I was led to believe they only like deep sand beds. My water flow moves him around too much when I put him on the deep sand areas so up against the LR he went to keep him out of the overflow...what is some of the tricks you guys use to get them secure. My BTA grabbed right on immediately but this guy is kinda lethargic.
Could he be ailing somehow or still settling...I can not see it taking this long to get their foot planted or they would never be able to do anything but float all day. Comments welcome but will likely leave him where he is and let him decide if he wants more sand or is content there.

[edsreef]

Mine had ahold of a rock when I bought him and he's still ahold of the same rock in my tank (I brought the rock home w/him attached). :D
Yours should be attaching himself or something may be wrong. How long has this been going on? How's he doin now?

[mobert]

Here's a pic of my tomato in my LTA:

http://stripmallbeauties.com/mobert/images/coral5.JPG

note the digging of the sand. Possibly Tomato clowns should be with anenomes that are up higher on ther rocks?

[Brock]

He has wedged his foot between a bottom rock and the sand...though I fully expected him to dig down in sand since I have about 4 inches of substrate (aragonite sand). He seems more secure now but is rolling and folding himself a lot now. Not sure if he is finally settled and going through his normal changes or what. He is still mostly brown/tan with a rose colored foot...and bright green tips on the tentacles so I think he may be alright and just getting settled. The melanistic saddleback has formed a good relationship and feeds him and cleans...and sleeps there at night. So only time will tell... He has such good colore and all now I hope he was not injured at LFS and gonna slowly go downhill...

[edsreef]

Brock: Have you fed him yet? Mine closese up while feeding and when expelling waste sometimes he will fold-up kind of wired before opening again. All of this happens very slowly, though. Yours isn't just getting blown around by the current is it?
Heres a pic of mine...he's a whopper!!

http://wsphotofews.excite.com/028/4p/z8/eW/6X35126.jpg

[Brock]

I have fed him nearly every other day since buying just to make sure he had energy because of the stress related to moving and such...
He got blown around a lot at first when I put him in tank...he would not grab hold of anything even if I held him in place for 5 minutes...my bubble tip would grab anything near him with his foot like that. Then he appeared to have decided to stay where I put him with his foot at base of rock in sand...but he did not dig down any. Today he found the calmest corner of the tank...front left on same end as overflow in AGA RR 90g. Still not buried his foot and he is feeding and has color...he just is not secure still though he is repositioning his body some more.
Are they always this slow to attach and get rooted somewhere...it kinda concerns me and I wonder if I will have a dead LTA in a couple months.
Should I place him in the rocks a bit and see if that helps....it appears yours is in the rocks rather than the deep sand bed like all the literature recommends.

[BRW]

Well I can't believe I started this thread back in March :eek1: . Seems like a few weeks ago. I'm still looking for more ideas. I have since added a BTA to the 225 gal. and the Tomato that was taking to the LTA "some" moved permanently to the BTA.

edsreef,
My LTA is a whopper too. The grey-green disc is now a dark maroon with white tips. In the actinic lighting you can still see some green tint in the disc. The LTA has moved very slightly out from under a partial rock shade to get a direct hit of a 400W MH. He is buried so well I never see the column.

Any more LTA "tenant" ideas out there?

[SteveP]

Last week I upgraded my tank from a 90 with aragonite gravel to a 135 with a Southdown DSB. The LTA remained attached to its rock as I moved it to the new tank, and it dug into the sand immediately. Didn't roll around one bit! :) Last night it ate a piece of silversides for the first time. Previously it ate only krill. His foot is in the sand up to the oral disc. He's one happy camper and so am I. :D

Steve
8{I

[BRW]

OK. Bringing this thread back up again as I have some good news. A day after my last post I was able to pick up what are acting like a mated pair of A. sandaracinos, Orange Skunk clowns. Beautiful, docile little clowns and after a week the pair has taken up residence in the LTA :D :D :D . Now after 2+ weeks they appear happy and feed well. As I feed the tank they dart out, together for the most part, and grab live brine and the several frozen foods I feed. As of today the LTA also appears happy and still growing, fully extended to the lights. Just thought I'd share my positive experience. One thing, I did make sure these guys ate well before I brought them home. JME.

[BRW]

Well the "threesome" :D is still doing great. Both clowns have grown a little and are practically inseperable. The only time they are more than an inch apart is when food is flying around the LTA and one darts out before the other to nab it. I am not target feeding the LTA as often as the clowns definitely bring food back for the anemone that they don't want. They grab it bring it back down and nuzzle the tentacles with it until it sticks. My question is about mating. Anyone have any info on this particular clown as to it's propensity to produce offspring in a closed tank? This is a 225 gallon with a "private" rear corner dedicated to this pair. Also, as a side note, the tomato clown and BTA at the other end of the tank are doing great as well. The BTA has gotten huge. With lights on, about the size of a frying pan. TIA.

[BRW]

Back again for an update and a picture :D . The trio is still doing great. The LTA has continued to slowly inch out from the rock work and fully under the lights. The clowns have gained some in size. They NEVER leave the LTA for more than a second, and then just to grab at potential food. I've attached a picture which is one of my first attempts.

[Starfish]

My doreensis hosts a pair of black ocellaris. They are tank bred and went in to this anemone with in 6 hours. I was thrilled. It looks so beautiful.

[BRW]

Another update. The Orange Skunks and the LTA are still a happy trio. All are a little larger, but I've still seen no mating signs or preparations. On the other hand the BTA split about 2 months ago into THREE animals, which are now as large as the original. Staring to crowd the right side of the 225 a little but the Tomato is in hog heaven.......and looks like one too! I'm going to trade or sell two of the three BTAs as I think it's way too risky to keep 4 anemones even in a 225. Wish me luck :D