Moving an anemone?

boobookitty · 03/06/2016, 02:48 PM

Bought a beautiful, big bulb anemone, and a pair of clowns. The clowns and the anemone paired up nicely, and it's all good.

Except the anemone moved in the first couple days, as they like to do, and is now on the back side of a rock, totally invisible to viewing. It and the clownfish seem happy, but...arrrggh.

I've given in a couple weeks and he's not moving. Aside from trying to peel him gently off the rock and place him somewhere else, anything I can do to try to make him happy somewhere else? Definitely frustrating...

Sk8r · 03/06/2016, 02:54 PM

DOn't. Don't touch him. Period.

boobookitty · 03/06/2016, 03:02 PM

(sigh) I know. But can't see him, can't feed him...was thinking of trying to lure him, either with food or water flow.

Bent · 03/06/2016, 03:19 PM

Again, don't touch him. What he needs to do for survival and what you want him to do don't always jive.

You don't need to feed him either.

Leave him be.

davocean · 03/06/2016, 03:30 PM

You could possibly adjust your flow and see if that changes anything, but I would not try to move it, it will go where it wants anyway.

saf1 · 03/06/2016, 03:44 PM

Touching risks damaging the anemone and/or their foot that is attacked to the rock. Believe it or not, it moved for a reason. Could be light, could be flow. Could be a lot of things. But as you said it sort of sucks (lack of a more technical word, sorry) that it picked a home that isn't really good for your pleasure. Also, you don't really need to feed. The fish will take care of it as will the water flow.

You could adjust a power head, low flow, and point it to the general area so a bit more water movement reaches it. I say this cautiously though because again you can damage the creature. It may help guide but if it is light related or just plain old attachment/foot comfort you really just need to leave well enough alone. Honestly.

I had one do that to me, moved to the back of the tank. Few months down the road after I did a bit of work on the rock, he showed up more visible and in the front. Then he split. His/her clone went to the side and now I had two visible. Second one split again, no idea why, and the 3rd one is in the back hardly visible. Recently it moved under the second one and is half in the front with half in the back. Oh well.

regtur · 03/06/2016, 09:49 PM

I have a 10" rose tip in my 150g tall it took to moving just the head thru the rock to the back side of the tank, the clowns didn't follow. I cut the flow to the rear and put a carpet on top of the glass to block all light 2 days later it returned to the original spot I turned the lights down 30percent and indirect flow it seems happy for now.

tinfoilhate · 03/06/2016, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by regtur

I have a 10" rose tip in my 150g tall it took to moving just the head thru the rock to the back side of the tank, the clowns didn't follow. I cut the flow to the rear and put a carpet on top of the glass to block all light 2 days later it returned to the original spot I turned the lights down 30percent and indirect flow it seems happy for now.

This is the only way that I try to move them as well. Just change the conditions that it's currently in (flow and light) and it will likely move.

Brisk · 03/06/2016, 10:28 PM

just a thought, and I don't know if it's possible in your situation, turn the rock around so it's facing forward again?

tinfoilhate · 03/06/2016, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brisk

just a thought, and I don't know if it's possible in your situation, turn the rock around so it's facing forward again?

It needs to move on its own. If it moved out of that spot it wasn't happy, and it will just move away again.

boobookitty · 03/11/2016, 09:42 AM

So, I took your advice and left him alone. For a while I thought of putting a mirror on the back wall so I could at least see him. But he's just been hanging out behind the rock.

This morning I woke up to the sight of him sucked into the Wav. It's all the way on the other side of the tank, so he either walked over there or let loose and floated.

I've turned the Wav off and left him alone so far. He looks damaged, but I don't know how much. I figure I'll give him a chance to extricate himself, but is there any danger to the tank leaving him in there?

Dammit. I liked this anemone. Needless to say, the clowns are agitated...

davocean · 03/11/2016, 11:14 AM

BTA's are pretty resilient, they can recover from PH injuries pretty well, but it released for a reason of some kind meaning it may not be happy under present tank conditions

boobookitty · 03/11/2016, 12:53 PM

The MP60 on the right side of the tank has had a problem, so I've had it off for a couple days. It didn't blow on the anemone, especially since it moved to the back of the rock, but it must have been enough that he let go.

He's extricated himself from the pump. Damage seems mostly on the tentacles; the foot seems ok. I guess we'll see how he recovers...

Ajae · 03/11/2016, 01:40 PM

I had this happen with mine, I just turned the rock around. hasn't moved since.

davocean · 03/11/2016, 02:31 PM

Ah so the lack of flow could have made it seek that out.
I have seen some horribly mangled nems come back, especially BTA's since they do naturally split, or can be manually split

03/06/2016, 02:48 PM	#1
boobookitty Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 2,340	Moving an anemone? Bought a beautiful, big bulb anemone, and a pair of clowns. The clowns and the anemone paired up nicely, and it's all good. Except the anemone moved in the first couple days, as they like to do, and is now on the back side of a rock, totally invisible to viewing. It and the clownfish seem happy, but...arrrggh. I've given in a couple weeks and he's not moving. Aside from trying to peel him gently off the rock and place him somewhere else, anything I can do to try to make him happy somewhere else? Definitely frustrating... __________________ It's a reeftank thing; you wouldn't understand. Check out my little red house above for pics Current Tank Info: 400G custom Titan tank, 8 x Radion xr30w pro, zeovit, Reef Octopus SRO6000 skimmer, Ecotech MP60, 3 x Neptune Wav

03/06/2016, 02:54 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	DOn't. Don't touch him. Period. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

03/06/2016, 03:02 PM	#3
boobookitty Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 2,340	(sigh) I know. But can't see him, can't feed him...was thinking of trying to lure him, either with food or water flow. __________________ It's a reeftank thing; you wouldn't understand. Check out my little red house above for pics Current Tank Info: 400G custom Titan tank, 8 x Radion xr30w pro, zeovit, Reef Octopus SRO6000 skimmer, Ecotech MP60, 3 x Neptune Wav

03/06/2016, 03:19 PM	#4
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	Again, don't touch him. What he needs to do for survival and what you want him to do don't always jive. You don't need to feed him either. Leave him be. __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

03/06/2016, 03:30 PM	#5
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	You could possibly adjust your flow and see if that changes anything, but I would not try to move it, it will go where it wants anyway. __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

03/06/2016, 03:44 PM	#6
saf1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: California Posts: 2,259	Touching risks damaging the anemone and/or their foot that is attacked to the rock. Believe it or not, it moved for a reason. Could be light, could be flow. Could be a lot of things. But as you said it sort of sucks (lack of a more technical word, sorry) that it picked a home that isn't really good for your pleasure. Also, you don't really need to feed. The fish will take care of it as will the water flow. You could adjust a power head, low flow, and point it to the general area so a bit more water movement reaches it. I say this cautiously though because again you can damage the creature. It may help guide but if it is light related or just plain old attachment/foot comfort you really just need to leave well enough alone. Honestly. I had one do that to me, moved to the back of the tank. Few months down the road after I did a bit of work on the rock, he showed up more visible and in the front. Then he split. His/her clone went to the side and now I had two visible. Second one split again, no idea why, and the 3rd one is in the back hardly visible. Recently it moved under the second one and is half in the front with half in the back. Oh well. __________________ -saf1 Current Tank Info: 210 gallon mixed reef

03/06/2016, 09:49 PM	#7
regtur Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: MN Posts: 98	I have a 10" rose tip in my 150g tall it took to moving just the head thru the rock to the back side of the tank, the clowns didn't follow. I cut the flow to the rear and put a carpet on top of the glass to block all light 2 days later it returned to the original spot I turned the lights down 30percent and indirect flow it seems happy for now.

03/06/2016, 10:28 PM	#9
Brisk Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 45	just a thought, and I don't know if it's possible in your situation, turn the rock around so it's facing forward again?

03/11/2016, 09:42 AM	#11
boobookitty Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 2,340	So, I took your advice and left him alone. For a while I thought of putting a mirror on the back wall so I could at least see him. But he's just been hanging out behind the rock. This morning I woke up to the sight of him sucked into the Wav. It's all the way on the other side of the tank, so he either walked over there or let loose and floated. I've turned the Wav off and left him alone so far. He looks damaged, but I don't know how much. I figure I'll give him a chance to extricate himself, but is there any danger to the tank leaving him in there? Dammit. I liked this anemone. Needless to say, the clowns are agitated... __________________ It's a reeftank thing; you wouldn't understand. Check out my little red house above for pics Current Tank Info: 400G custom Titan tank, 8 x Radion xr30w pro, zeovit, Reef Octopus SRO6000 skimmer, Ecotech MP60, 3 x Neptune Wav

03/11/2016, 11:14 AM	#12
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	BTA's are pretty resilient, they can recover from PH injuries pretty well, but it released for a reason of some kind meaning it may not be happy under present tank conditions __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

03/11/2016, 12:53 PM	#13
boobookitty Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 2,340	The MP60 on the right side of the tank has had a problem, so I've had it off for a couple days. It didn't blow on the anemone, especially since it moved to the back of the rock, but it must have been enough that he let go. He's extricated himself from the pump. Damage seems mostly on the tentacles; the foot seems ok. I guess we'll see how he recovers... __________________ It's a reeftank thing; you wouldn't understand. Check out my little red house above for pics Current Tank Info: 400G custom Titan tank, 8 x Radion xr30w pro, zeovit, Reef Octopus SRO6000 skimmer, Ecotech MP60, 3 x Neptune Wav

03/11/2016, 01:40 PM	#14
Ajae Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 171	I had this happen with mine, I just turned the rock around. hasn't moved since.

03/11/2016, 02:31 PM	#15
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	Ah so the lack of flow could have made it seek that out. I have seen some horribly mangled nems come back, especially BTA's since they do naturally split, or can be manually split __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD