How to remove a RBTA from a rock?

[Jeff000]

I bought a RBTA for the gf's 10g tank, and over night I put it in my tank, and wouldn't you know, it moved from the nice 2lb rock it was on to a 30+ lb rock in my tank. To top it off it is on the back side of the rock. And this rock is supporting 30+ lbs of rock and has a high number of zoa's and other things on it, including my GBTA.

I tried to just get a card under its foot, but the rock is so rough that I can not do this. I tried ice cubes too, but it just closed up on me, but maybe I was doing it wrong, I just took an ice cube and started to rub it on its foot, as best I could by not being able to see it.

I can not really get a powerhead on it without it also disrupting my GBTA, that is has not moved since I put it in 5 months ago, and it moving would put it too close to other corals.

So what else can I try? or do better?

Thanks,

 

[steelhead77]

If you can't get a powerhead pointed at it in order to irritate it, you really can't unless you remove the rock. Do not try and force it, you could tear the foot.

Good luck

 

[kduen]

The Ice cube is supposed to be in a ziplock bag or something else water tight so that the melting fresh water doesn't irratate it and make it close up. The bag also adds a insulating layer between the nem and the ice as not to damage the tissue of the "foot".

 

[CockyBrock]

if it's found itself a nice hole, its there til it wants to move. you can bust the rock and get it off..but do be careful. I've torn many anemone feet and basically ripped them in half and they've all lived but it's system specific.

 

[Jeff000]

If you can't get a powerhead pointed at it in order to irritate it, you really can't unless you remove the rock. Do not try and force it, you could tear the foot.

Good luck

When this happens does it just get easier to get off the rock or will it move somewhere else and I have to have some easy to remove rocks for it to move to?

 

[RyanSweatt2004]

Any time one of my RBTA's moves to an undesirable spot in my tank I take the rock with the anemone on it out and use a toothpick to gently lift up the anemones foot a little at a time until it lets go and gently falls off the rock. Works every time for me but you do have to be careful not to be too forceful or you can harm the anemone.

 

[steelhead77]

When the nem begins to move, you can take your finger and basically tickle the foot and gently peel it off and work your way around it to get it to release. It's often taken me 45 minutes or more to get a nem off of a rock. If it's in hole and firmly seated well then; fugettaboutit.

One of my three just split into two and then one of those split again, so I am going to have to do this pretty soon.

 

[Jeff000]

This nem doesn't seem to care about ice, half the time it doesn't even pull its tentacles in. Even the powerhead doesn't make any difference, I think if I put it any closer or directly on it more that I would start to blow it to pieces.

SOB, I'll probably just buy another one.

Any time one of my RBTA's moves to an undesirable spot in my tank I take the rock with the anemone on it out and use a toothpick to gently lift up the anemones foot a little at a time until it lets go and gently falls off the rock. Works every time for me but you do have to be careful not to be too forceful or you can harm the anemone.

As stated in my OP, taking the rock out is not something I will do, it would be more hassle then it's worth. I'd rather just buy another nem, lol.

When the nem begins to move, you can take your finger and basically tickle the foot and gently peel it off and work your way around it to get it to release. It's often taken me 45 minutes or more to get a nem off of a rock. If it's in hole and firmly seated well then; fugettaboutit.

It's on the backside, and firmly seated in a little hole as far as I can tell.

 

[this is me]

Have you tried to go a day or two without lights? It might influence it to move. A day or two without days is not a problem for most corals.

 

[ssavader]

+1 on Ryan's comment. Just get a pointed/flat instrument under the foot at a location where the foot is exposed, as opposed to not buried in a rock crevice. GENTLY lift the edge of the foot and work your way around the foot. After a small portion of foot is free, the nem will generally "let go" of the rock. Be very careful not to tear the foot. If the place on the foot you choose to work on is too adherent to the rock, try a different site. I have a RBTA that has healthily divided no less than 10 times. I have removed several babies to sell to the LFS without any injuries occurring to them. Just be careful!

 

[Jeff000]

Have you tried to go a day or two without lights? It might influence it to move. A day or two without days is not a problem for most corals.

Can I just cover it up, it would be easy for me to put a rock that would cause it to be in the shade.

+1 on Ryan's comment. Just get a pointed/flat instrument under the foot at a location where the foot is exposed, as opposed to not buried in a rock crevice. GENTLY lift the edge of the foot and work your way around the foot. After a small portion of foot is free, the nem will generally "let go" of the rock. Be very careful not to tear the foot. If the place on the foot you choose to work on is too adherent to the rock, try a different site. I have a RBTA that has healthily divided no less than 10 times. I have removed several babies to sell to the LFS without any injuries occurring to them. Just be careful!

This would be easy, if I could see it. but I am completely blind when trying to get it seeing as it's on the backside of the rock work.
I have the gf spot for me from the side of the tank, but it is not easy or precise enough to pry it's foot up.

 

[ssavader]

Why fuss with your work work- once your nem moves, if it does, you still have to get it off the rocks!

 

[Conrad25]

Putting it in shade is probably going to cause it just to stretch. But it may do the trick depending on how much it likes the area

 

[steelhead77]

IME, they are much more sensitive to flow than to light. Change the flow a little bit and they might move, change the light and they will strech to it but will not move. Again this is my experience, others may differ. You also need to be careful when using any instrument to peel up the foot. A toothpick or credit card or whatever, affords you no "feel" as to what's happening. You can easily damge the foot and not realize it. Often times you are doing this blind, this is why I use my finger, I can feel what is happening as the edge of the foot begins to let go.

 

[Jeff000]

So I must have the dumbest RBTA ever. I put it in the shade and a powerhead close enough to it that I am borderline worried about damage.



and I have to say I think it looks better now then ever, perfect bubble tips, and great color.


Whats the deal now?

 

[steelhead77]

Why not just leave it there?

 

[Toddrtrex]

Unless you are going to remove it from the tank all together, you should just leave it where it is. It moved to its current spot for a reason -- the conditions were to its liking there. Plus, in a 10 gallon tank the anemone is going to take up the whole thing anyways -- and with the potential to sting the corals that you have in there. The last E. Quadricolor that I had was 15+ inches across, even after it split.

 

[Jeff000]

Why not just leave it there?

It's for the girlfriends tank, she bought it and was just keeping in my tank.

It is very pretty, but being on the backside you can not see it at all.

She wants it for her gold bar clowns, it's her display tank for her baby gold bars.

 

[steelhead77]

You know what, one of mine just spilt into three. I'd be happy to give you one but you live too far away. I would just buy another for her or take out the rock it's attached to and replace the rock in your tank.

 

[Jeff000]

You know what, one of mine just spilt into three. I'd be happy to give you one but you live too far away. I would just buy another for her or take out the rock it's attached to and replace the rock in your tank.

The rock it is on is bigger then the ten gallon tank.