Why ?

kamil5000 · #1 10/21/2007, 12:57 PM

I've had a prized purple LTA doing great for two years - growing to a very nice size in a short time. This evening when I got Home it was dying/dead and all the critters in the tank feeding on its insides.

My two other BTA and RBTA ar doing fine.

Does anybody now why this would happen?

Tks Kamil.

Toddrtrex · #2 10/21/2007, 01:15 PM

Anything change in the tank? What are your current water parms?

Did you buy anything new recently? Or perhaps fed it something different?

kamil5000 · #3 10/21/2007, 01:44 PM

The only addition was a small RBTA.

Water Parameters have been stable for a long time; A chiller controls temp, A doser adds the Ca/Alk.

I did however, try to move out of the sand and up the rocks the night before (first time in two years) and I put it back in its original place. I couldn't let it move upt the rocks freely because thats where my big BTA is and I wanted to avoid any clashes.

In hindsight, maybe its attemp to move out of its place was a sign that something was wrong. But what?

kamil5000 · #4 10/21/2007, 01:46 PM

Also, I did feed it the usual shrimp ration on Friday but it it did not eat.

ReefNeck · #5 10/21/2007, 01:49 PM

LTA's prefer to live in the sand, Not on the rockwork. the move is most likey what stressed it out.

kamil5000 · #6 10/21/2007, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ReefNeck
LTA's prefer to live in the sand, Not on the rockwork. the move is most likey what stressed it out.

It was trying to move out of the sand and onto the rocks - I put back in the sand.

Since it likes the sand and has been there for two years - why up and leave all of a suuden?

kamil5000 · #7 10/21/2007, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kamil5000
The only addition was a small RBTA.

Water Parameters have been stable for a long time; A chiller controls temp, A doser adds the Ca/Alk.

I did however, try to move out of the sand and up the rocks the night before (first time in two years) and I put it back in its original place. I couldn't let it move upt the rocks freely because thats where my big BTA is and I wanted to avoid any clashes.

In hindsight, maybe its attemp to move out of its place was a sign that something was wrong. But what?

Correction......Above should have read as follows:

It (The LTA) did however, try to move out of the ....

bencozzy · #8 10/21/2007, 02:17 PM

sounds like the LTA was going on the attack, and anemones will do chemical warfare as well.

ReefNeck · #9 10/21/2007, 02:21 PM

Seems that "something" changed. Flow, Light or perhaps something was irritaing the anemone (Like bristleworms). They usually don't move if they are happy.

Slakker · #10 10/21/2007, 02:35 PM

The BTA would be what was irritating the LTA.

Lance M. · #11 10/21/2007, 03:11 PM

I have two bta's and a lta in my tank. No problems.

How long ago did you add the rbta?

JetCat USA · #12 10/21/2007, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Slakker
The BTA would be what was irritating the LTA.

i very highly doubt that.

is there a possibility that you damaged the foot when it tried to move and you moved it back??

Slakker · #13 10/22/2007, 01:48 AM

You're right...allelopathy is a myth.

It's perfectly plausible that the newly added BTA went on a chemical offensive and annoyed the LTA enough to motivate it to try to move. I would agree that it's not likely that the BTA ultimately is not what caused the anemones demise, but it's been adequately documented that having multiple species of anemone in a tank can be risky.

kamil5000 · #14 10/22/2007, 05:30 AM

Thanks fo all your input; to answer some points in general and shed more light on the situation:

The old BTA (to the right of the deceased LTA) was added before the LTA (and they are both approximately the same size). The new RBTA about 1/20 th of the LTA size was added to the left of the LTA about 3 weeks ago.

The LTA first started to move towards the old BTA (when some of the tips of the tentecals of the LTA touched the BTA - it was the LTA that pulled back). I eventually replaced the LTA in its original spot.

The second day the LTA started to move towards the RBTA and was again replaced by me into its original spot.

The third day the LTA died.

JetCat USA - I do not think I damaged the foot - but it is always a possibility.

ReefNeck - I did decrease the fllow in one of the TUNZE pumps a couple of weeks ago by 10% (but this follow was never directly in the path of the LTA - the other TUNZE pump which supplies the water motion to the LTA remained unchanged. However; I did notice an increase the population of Bristleworms in the last few month - if these are the reason for the LTA moving - nothing yet explains its rapid Demise.

Thanks to you guys, now I have several possible explainations for the LTA to start moving, but as of yet none of should cause it to die within 24 hours (am I right)?

Slakker · #15 10/22/2007, 11:29 AM

While I am certainly no expert, I believe you're right. Even if the RBTA had been "attacking" for the entire three weeks it's been in there, it's not likely that the decline of the LTA would have been so rapid. I'd imagine it would be more gradual than that. I certainly don't think increasing your flow would be the culprit here.

I remember someone saying that their anemone died fairly quickly when a chunk of salt creep fell into the tank and landed on it, is it possible that some sort of similar mishap took place with your LTA?

wicked_NaCl_h2o · #16 10/22/2007, 11:42 AM

Some aquarist have said on other forums of bristle worms eating anemones.

bencozzy · #17 10/22/2007, 11:58 AM

could have been the stress from the new bta was making the lta release extra mucus etc. drawing the bristle worms to it???

like how stress clams draw bristle worms and can be fine one day gone the next??

just my thought

kamil5000 · #18 10/23/2007, 05:03 AM

The most plausible theory seems to be that somehow the LTA began to become stressed, and this was sensed by the large population of bristleworms who 'sensing' weakness attacked the LTA.

One thing to do now is reduce population of bristleworms for a better balance.