Moving an Anenome safely?

[RockingCricket]

Is there a way I can safely move my bubble tipped anenome to a new rock? When I introduced him (long time ago) he moved about 2 inches to the spot he's now in and hasn't moved since. I'd really like to have him in a more prominent position and have him get more light. I have tried moving his rock so that he is out of the light, hoping he would come out, but found no joy. I don't want to hurt him but he really limits the number of ways I can aquascape because he's on my biggest rock. What can I do?

 

[KahluaZzZ]

from wetwebmedia.com : Moving anemones 10/21/03
Hello All, hope this finds you well.
<and to you in kind>
I have a 180 gallon reef tank. I originally put in a small green BTA (about1.5 inches across) - it is now two, each about 4 inches. I also had a Rose BTA that was about 4 inches initially, and in now three: 8 inches, 6 inches x 2. I was planning on selling back two of the Rose BTA¹s to the LFS, since they run $100-200 at least. However, the difficulty comes in trying
to remove them from the live rock. Any ideas would be appreciated. All else doing well. Dr. Mac
<one of the easiest ways to move an anemone is to shade it. Place loose rubble near to the anemone... then place a dark shield in a small footprint over the anemone to block light... forcing it to crawl to a side where there is loose and easy to remove substrate. Best regards, Anthony>

from the page : http://www.wetwebmedia.com/anemplfaq2.htm

 

[RockingCricket]

Thanks Kahlua. I remember reading that post some time ago and I think that is where I got the idea to turn his rock so that he is in the shade in the hope that he'll move. Didn't work though. Perhaps I should put the whole big rock into my sump where it's dark, along with some other small rocks and hope he starts wandering in the search of light. I really don't want to cause him any harm though. I thought I had already lost him once, and was days away from flushing him. I'd rather have him where he is than not have him at all.

 

[RockingCricket]

Reading more on that page, it was suggested to massage the the foot of the anenome for a good 10 - 15 minutes, combined with using ice and a credit card to release him. I think I should leave well enough alone. It seems that people have a lot of difficulty getting them to attach in the first place. So with that and the prehistoric flourescent lighting I have, I should probably count myself lucky that my maroon clown and I have him at all. Just thought there may have been an easy effective soultion.
Thanks Kahlua *thumbsups

 

[KahluaZzZ]

is it fully opened where it is?

 

[RockingCricket]

No he doesn't look happy.

 

[KahluaZzZ]

Oh.. does he eat ?

 

[RockingCricket]

Never from my direct feeding. He only seems to eat what Omen (the Maroon Clown) tosses him. Makes my job easy

 

[Lorna]

I recently bought a bta and through ignorance on my part I didn't realize it was bleached until later. When introduced to my tank he promptly went into a spot where it was impossible to feed him or anything. He eventually moved to another equally crappy spot but at least it is one where I can feed him in the hopes that he regains his zoanthelle......He does seem to have more colour these days....here's hoping. In the meantime, I was told, anemones are like children, they will not do what they are told or expected and that you have to just tolerate them where they are. Hopefully if he isn't getting lots of light he is getting food, try feeding it a small piece of silversides about twice a week. Do you have a pic of it?

 

[RockingCricket]

Thankyou Lorna. I am tring to find a way to work around the problem. My fish are all in a frenzy because in looking for a solution, I have moved EVERY rock in the tank and have disrupted everyones territories. I don't know if I should be worried about the Maroon clown as he seem's lost. Either that or he is trying to claim the whole tank as his own space. I haven't seen him go to his anenome since the change, but the anenome is now a lot closer to the light. I'll give them all a day or two and then if they don't seem settled, I'll try some less radical aquascaping.

I've asked in my LFS's for Silversides and everytime have been met with a blank face. Noone seems to stock them.

​

 

[RockingCricket]

Well after being put closer to the light (about 12 inches below) my anenome has decided to move down away from it. Little bugger! Fortunately the rock he is about to walk onto is a lot smaller than his oiginal, and him being on that will make aquascaping a lot easier. Weird, if it is the light he is trying to get away from.

 

[kevin4052002]

Maybe the flow?

Thats what my BTA did. He practically hid. I moved him to a spot that recieves almost no current, but the most light in the tank, and he loves it.

 

[RockingCricket]

Yeah I was thinking that although mine had it the other way around. He had more flow where he originally was.
I think a good plan is for me to wait till he is fully on the small rock he is about to walk onto, then aquascape, and then allow him to walk to whereever he is happiest (but place him roughly where I want him in the hope that he stays in that area). Thanks for the help all! *SUPERSMIL

 

[Lorna]

Your anemone seems awfully pale also, could it be bleached? If so that would explain it's move away from the light to a more secluded shady spot. In which case he needs to be fed. Try krill or small pieces of raw shrimp, they need meaty food when not gaining through light. try this site she has some amazing info on anemones. check out her pics

http://www.freewebs.com/karenssaltwater/thesickrose.htm

 

[RockingCricket]

Thanks Lorna. *celebrate Awesome site and very informative. I don't know if my bta is bleached or not, or how to tell or what the purpose of bleaching even is. The site didn't seem to explain. I assume from what it is so they can survive for longer with less intense light. I don't want mine to survive. I want him to thrive. (with Keiser Permaenente)*laughingc I think you might be right though because he does prefer to be shaded slightly. The picture I posted is also of him looking near his best. That said, he hasn't ever relasped into the grey shrunken state he once was in when he was about 2 days away from being flushed.
I always assumed he wasn't doing well because of not being providing with enough light, and therefor there was little I could do for him but from looking at the pics at that site I would say he looks like he's not eating enough. I have never much success feeding him by hand but by hand but I have seen Omen my Maroon help him out with the thawed frozen meaty fish I let everyone compete for. Not enough though it seems.

 

[Lorna]

I believe after reading many an article that bleaching is what they do when they are stressed out they expel their zoanthelle and that is why they lose colour. I would start feeding him by hand until he regains colour and virillity. I partially thaw a silver sides or krill or meaty bit of squid/shrimp etc. and then I place this in the tenticles.....the anemone grabs a hold and moves the food toward it's mouth on it's own. Don't force feed it you will injure it. I then play keep the peppermint shrimp and sally lightfoot crab away from the anemone until it has a good hold and closed over the food. I do this almost daily right now......and hopefully he will regain his colour. Here is a pic of my gbta that I believe I bought bleached.

 

[RockingCricket]

What the Hell!!
I've just made an attempt to feed my poor anenome some shrimp (after making sure everyone else was fed) and was having some success. I held the piece of shrimp with some of my wifes makeup tweezers (sterilised!) to his mouth and slowly he took it. I gently released the tweezers and he had it. That is until Omen the Maroom Clown decided to pull it out of the anenome's mouth and toss it away. *crazysmil Doesn't he know I'm trying to help?!!

BTW, what is the best thing that I can offer my anenome from my soon-to-be blended seafood bag? (can't blend it yet - I smoked the blender last time)
Shrimp/Prawn?
Octopus?
Cooked mussel meat?
Squid rings and tentacles?

 

[RockingCricket]

Awesome!! Success with a whole baby prawn!! I tried the same method again but this time I held my hand close by while he took it in, to keep Omen away. He is still working to swallowed it completely but he's on his own now and Omen is showing is showing no signs of removing it.

Would feeding him every day be too much, or should I at least try everyday considering his poorly state?

 

[kevin4052002]

I think everyday would be too much. I feed my 4" BTA twice a week with krill or silversides, and he seems happy. I forget where, but I was recommended to feed 2-3 times per week.

Good Luck

 

[Lorna]

Kevin I agree that a healthy BTA should only be fed weekly/bi-weekly but those anemones that are bleached lack their beneficial zooxanthellae and would starve if not fed. Feeding daily or every second day ensures that they are getting the best nutrition possible and help them to regain their zooxanthellae and health. Once they are healthy and their colour is restored then they will move of their own accord back into the light to feed.