My anemone is moving ... bad

le9569

Guys,

Couple days ago, I got a RBTA (Rose Bulb Tube Anemone) and it moves for the last 2 days. Now it settles on the place that almost nobody can see???!!!! It foots right under my LR. I am kind of upset because of it. Is there anyway that I can make it move to the better location?

Thanks

le9569

caferacermike

Probably not. BTA anemones are known for being cruisers. They will move all the time until comfortable. First rule is that they tend to want to wedge their foot between rocks to protect themselves from being eaten. You may not have adequate lighting for the coral so it may have been moving looking for a better place. They need extremely high quantities of light as they feed primarily upon sugars made by the zooanthalle algaes in their flesh. Same can be said about current. They move around until they find a current that washes back and forth over their bodies removign their slime coat and nasties that accumulate over it. You can try to pry it from it's current location and start all over again. I'd be afraid of agitating it na dfinding it under my rock work where it can't find any light. Spot feed it a couple of tiny mysis shrimp once a week to supplement the vitamins and minerals they cannot produce themselves. Not much or they will drop it and pollute the tank.

usmc121581

To go along with what caferacermike stated. My anemone in my kids 20gal will not stay still. He is now stuck to the glass next to the water flow. As my anemone in my 120 gallon has been in the same place for almost a year, but I hope he doesn't decide to move because Its almost 8-9" when its fully opened.

jinithith2

its sorta off topic...but how much did your anemone cost?

caferacermike

BTA $29-50
RBTA $80-100
Seabae $24-50
Condy $14-22
Long tent $19-35
Curly Q tent $35-40
carpet green $35-50
carpet blue or red $120-300
flower $8-18
magnificent $70-120

That's what I see between 30 lfs I shop at.

usmc121581

It also as alot to do were you are located. In South Carolina I could get any anemone $40 and below, no matter the size. In maryland its alot different prices. but the prices that caferacermike stated are about close.

jinithith2

thanks guys! I gotta stop reading this forum...now I want a marine aquarium!!! :D

bettababy

Depending on your set up, sometimes it works to shift the lights around. When I was working on photographing my condylactus anemones, this was a big help. I shifted the light fixture so that the lights they seemed to seek most were in an optimal position for photographing the anemones. One tank, all I had to do was to turn a light fixture around so that the light it craved was closer to the front of the tank. This works with most of the anemones, bubbles high on the list. I have also found that sometimes shifting a favorite "rock spot" can help, too. Mostly, it seems to be dependent on water flow and light, so adjusting the direction or location of a power head, or adding another small one can help. If you pay attention to where it settles for periods of time, you'll soon figure out what it's seeking, thus you can offer those conditions closer to where you want it to settle in.
Have fun!

le9569

It has been more than a week, and here is the result:

on the day time, (light is on), the RTBA stretch its body to the well-lit location and it fully open. Its stretch is remarkable. the root is still in the same place.

At night, it goes back to the orignial place where nobody can see :(

This patern has been going on for more than a week. It never moves its root. Just expand out.

Does anyone have the same way my RBTA does? I truly don't know that is the best way to do. Any suggestion? Recommendation?

Tank: 46gl
fish: 1 yellow tang
50lb of lr
40lb of ls
some coral (not so many).
water condition is good

Thanks
le9569

caferacermike

That's it. That's what they do. I always stress good lighting and your words encourage that. As you stated it tends to stretch out for the light. This could be an indicator that your lighting is a little weak. It is trying to maximize it's surface area to allow contact with it's zooanthallae algaes. But your's made it over a week. A lot of them melt down in less than 24hours. Sounds to be setting up and enjoying your tank.