How do i keep my anenome from moving?!!

[bigmoe21]

I've just recently added a long tentacle anemone..but it won't stay put!! If anyone knows what I should do it would be greatly appreciated! Thank You!

[lhoy]

That means it is not happy with where it is at (assuming it is moving on on and not being moved by wave action). It is looking for ore light, cleaner water, etc. Not sure what, but those would be reasons it would be moving.

Lee

[texasfootball21]

I know very little about anemones, but every time I hear someone ask how they can get one to stay in the same spot they are told that the anemone will go where it wants when it wants to, and that they cannot stop in from moving. The anemone will move where it feels is the best spot for it to be located.

[bigmoe21]

Ok, thanks. I'm still not sure..my tank has pretty good water flow...the clowns I have in the tank are loving it though, they havent left it since i put it in...it could be that i have insufficient light..not sure. Thank you both for your help

[texasfootball21]

I agree it is looking for better conditions, like previously stated probably better light and flow.

[MissT]

Yep, it's searching for it's "happy place". just give him time and let it settle in. Try not to mess with it too much cause it'll just tick it off

[bigmoe21]

ok. but now its moved to under my rock work where theres no light..i just keep scratching my head...haha...my leather coral is out and fine..usually i use that to tell me when i need a water change..I dont know what to do!!

[JimD]

Its looking for a sandbed, they like to bury their foot...

[bigmoe21]

my sand is 3-4" deep...is this still not enough?

[edawgm]

I was told that it will stay where you feed it. This has worked for me with both my 3 GBTA and my Tube anemone. Even after the move the GBTA stayed on the rocks they are one and the tube anemone set its self back into the sand and has not moved

[lhoy]

That depth will be fine. Don't worry, once they find a place they like, they are "home." The real pain is when there favorite place is where you can't always see it well!

Lee

[bigmoe21]

ok..ummm..idk if its a stupid question but the anemone can kill what it touches right? should i move my trumpet coral and frag of xenia from the sand while the anemone finds its home?

[jroescher]

My carpet buries it's foot in the sand, my LTA's stay on the rocks. If it's moved under a rock, just give it some time and it will move again. My LTA moves back and forth under a rock, but never goes anywhere else in the aquarium.

My carpet has only moved once. From the perfect place in the front facing out, to the back of the aquarium behind the rocks facing the back. I can only see it in the reflection from the side. I can't convince it to move again.

[apedroza]

It maybe trying to get as far away from the leather as possible. Leathers give of some nasty slime and this could be causing your anemone to move. They will settle when they find the right spot even if its under a rock. It will stretch out to get light. Watch your powerheads though they could suck up a moving anemone.

[erikharrison]

It's mainly a mixture of flow and light. What kind of light do you have? What kind of flow? Let it settle and once it has a home you could probably move it.

[Mr_Cool]

Once it settles, you might be able to coax it to move (on it's own) to a place you like better. Just shade the area where it settles. I used an old piece of dark acrylic. Do it so that the light is just barely reaching it in the direction you want it to move. It will try to find the light. If you shade it properly, the only place it will find better lighting is where you want it! I had to move the acrylic a couple times over a day or two to get it where I wanted it, but it worked like a charm.

[bigmoe21]

ok. thanks everyone. I have a koralia 2 on my 29g so thats the main flow, well and two hang-on filters i use just for flow too and whatever flow comes from my bak-pak. And the lights are only pc..im only taking care of it for my friend..just trying to keep it alive until his tank is ready for it.

[bigmoe21]

oh. and i actually have two leathers and those are at the very top of the aquarium...right now the anenome has been under my rockwork for the night..gonna turn on the lights and see what happens

[MKCindy]

Another thought, sometimes Clown Fish can be over zealous with a new or small anenome.
He may be looking for a quiet spot to adjust to his new home first.
I also have a new LTA. My Clown is slowly sneaking up on it... a few inches closer each week. Very interesting to watch.

[bigmoe21]

yeah..well the clowns i have havent left it since i put it in there..theyve followed it around..they barely even come out to eat...how will i know if its dead?..so i can take it out?

[jake]

What I did to keep my anemone in a certain area of tank away from the coral is put a small mini-jet in front of its path. It hasn't tried to pass it yet...i'm thinking it worked.

[bigmoe21]

i brought it out because it still hasnt moved from under my rocks where theres no light...it shriveled up alot and turned blackish..is it still just adjusting or dying? i saw last night that it had opened up quite a bit under the rocks...

[bigmoe21]

Could it be that the clowns are just wearing it out? because they still wont leave it alone

[erikharrison]

I had to get rid of my maroon clown because it was beating my anemone to death. If they are good sized compared to the anemone, they are going to kill it.

[Fishmom]

I just bought an anemone a couple of days ago and my clown won't go near it, (wish it would), but I did NOT know anemones kill anything they touch! Mine just found its home next to a mushroom and I think they are touching, but if I move the mushroom which is attached to a small rock cuddling the anemone, he may get mad and move around again. Hmmm.....

[erikharrison]

If you keep anemones, you should definitely run carbon.

[bigmoe21]

My anemone still hasnt come out of the dark corner its been in..should i just cut my losses and take it out?..dont want to wake up tomorrow and EVERYTHING be dead..anyone have any ideas? they would be greatly appreciated!...its tentacles are still extended and the clowns are still around it

[erikharrison]

If they arent beating it up, leave it in the tank and try to move the rock its on to a lower flow area with higher light.

[MissT]

I agree with Erik

[bigmoe21]

its not on a rock..just under the rockwork..it seemed like it wanted to come out but then moved back again..idk

[KarenR]

What type of lighting do you have? I have a LTA that was under power compacts and it took 3 months for it to plant itself in the sand. It drifted from the front to the back and then came back to the front. I moved it to my new setup with halide lighting and it planted immediately and hasn't moved since. It hosts two black saddle clowns that are pretty rowdy. Also how large in diameter? A small LTA trying to host two clowns could be really stressing it out like others have posted. If it is hiding under the rock work and trying to extend underneath where the clowns can't get to it then it sounds like the clowns could be the primary stressor here. Can you move the clowns to another tank for a few days or a week to let it have time to adjust to the new conditions?