Keeping an anemone out of power heads

[austinaquaman]

So I seem to have a suicidal LTA on my hands. Whenever I have the powerhead on he moves his way towards it. I had him in a 24 gallon nano cube, but just finished cycling a 75 gallon and moved him to it.

I have found him caught in it twice. The first was in the morning before the lights came on. The second was when I got home in the middle of the day. The anemone took some tentacle damage both times, but is dong well now. I have had the powerhead off for a week now, but am thinking about turning it back on.

Any suggestions if I should wait longer, or how to the LTA keep him out of the powerhead?

[JimD]

Something like this would do the job. You can find them at any LFS, cheap... You'll need to keep them clean though.. The photo is just an example..
http://www.fishyreview.com/img/frytank/images/frytank001_large.jpg

[Mr Cob]

I use Black Panty Hose wrapped around the powerhead intake. I use it on all of my Koralias.

[OrionN]

LTA are sand bed anemones, keep the PH high out of their way. 24 g tank is tiny, unless you got a tiny host anemone, I would not recommend keep on in there.

[dmweise]

My LTA liked to roam around. I used a bar to hold it in the place that was in its best interest. I didn't put any pressure on it, but used the bar to keep it from drifting away in the powerhead current and inevitably getting sucked in.

[OrionN]

A healthy and happy anemone with the exception of BTA, should not roam around. My multiple anemones of various species stay put years on end. The only species of host anemone I keep that would move around is the BTA. I was not able to keep a S. gigantea alive yet so I don't know about this species.

[dmweise]

My LTA stays put now. When there is high flow it is hard for them to settle down and dig in the sand bed.

[OrionN]

When buy anemone from LFS, do not every buy one that is not attaching to something. Put a small piece of LR in with the anemone, it will attach to the rock on the way home. If this is the case you don't have to turn your pump off then you put the anemone in the tank, otherwise keep circulation off until the anemone attach then you can turn the pump back on.
A healthy anemone just do the rest if you put him in the "right place in the right tank".
It is different when you trying to get really nice color or rare anemones. In the cases, we (I) don't really have any choice but get the anemone that is often not in the best of shape and try to bring them back to health with many case end in failure.

With regard to austinaquaman's question. LTA should not be anywhere near the PH unless he is not happy or something is wrong with the tank or the anemone. LTA like low to moderate flow and bright light on the sand bed. If he wander around, then it is because he is not healthy (not attaching), the water is not right, or not enough or too much light. If he is not attaching, you can wedge him under a piece of LR (put the rock on his column) This will help them attach to the rock then they will dig down into the sand often to the bottom of the tank.

[austinaquaman]

The LTA in question was moving in the tank because he was just put in the tank. In my other tank he did not move much.

I believe the suction of water by the powerhead drew him closer as he was moving. I have had the powerhead off for about a week and he has not moved. I fear when I turn it back on the flow might cause him to move. While moving I am concerend the suction might draw him in again.

[Troutmasters02]

I would test the flow on days your home until things settle down.