*Help* Sebae Anemone won't attach!

[sandy7263]

I bought a maroon colored sebae anemone and he just won't grab onto anything. It has been about 5 days.

I turn off the flow, put him somewhere and wait 15-30 min before turning the flow back on and it never fails he hasn't attached. The fleshy floppy part with the colored tentacles my start to attach, and maybe just a small portion of his foot, but eventually it lets go and tumbles away...

I have tried helping it by putting it in the sand against the glass, in a sheltered area away from most of the flow, up on a rock, in sand by rock.... nothing seems to work.

Any suggestions? It seems healthy otherwise.

 

[garygb]

Mine only would attach to a crevice up in the rocks. Pics? Sebaes can be either of two species, each with their own distinct preferences.

 

[sandy7263]

Here is a picture of the little guy..

 

[Redhaloangel]

i left my power heads off for a while waiting for my lta to attatch.. maybe you just to give him a bit more time..???

 

[garygb]

Thanks for the pic. Unfortunately, I can't tell which species, malu or crispa, you have. If it's crispa, you will likely find that if prefer a crevice in the liverock. On the otherhand, malu likes to be at the sand/rock interface, or sometimes simply bury through the sand and attach to the bottom of the tank without any liverock in the immediate vicinity. I wonder if that anemone could be dyed. It happens in the trade sometimes. I usually see them dyed yellow, but other colors on occasion. Providing it with excellent water conditions (sg 1.026ish, temp 80-82F, very low nitrates, moderate water flow, reef quality lighting) will hopefully facilitate the attaching process. Sometimes after being introduced they can float around for a week or more. If there's risk of the anemone being sucked into a powerhead intake, put a sponge or screen to prevent that happening.