Methods of tube anemone acclimating

[jackinfobo]

So my LFS has had a pink tube anemone for a couple of weeks now that I would like to purchase, but I hear with tube anemones they are very difficult to acclimate and survive. It is in like a 3-4inch diameter container filled with sand. Any ideas of a low stress way to get it from the cup of sand to my sand bed? They came up with Maby placing a smaller cup over the anemone and threw the sand to the bottom of the container and cutting off the sides of the original container and placing the whole bottom of the original cup with the anemone and surrounding sand and buring it into the sand bed and leaving the original bottom of the cup buried in the sand bed. Anyone have any ideas? Anything is appreciated!

 

[elegance coral]

That sounds like it should work fine to me. I would drip acclimate it to the new water first though.
BTW, these aren't anemones at all. They're more like worms.

 

[shabreeson]

BTW, these aren't anemones at all. They're more like worms.

Really? not that i doubt you, but worms with nematocysts? i thought that the whole phylum was based on nematocysts? or do they sting with something else?

 

[elegance coral]

Really? not that i doubt you, but worms with nematocysts? i thought that the whole phylum was based on nematocysts? or do they sting with something else?

This link should help you. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/june2004/invert.htm

 

[MD Ocean Girl]

I drip acclimated mine for about 2 hours, and then gently picked it up and placed it in a "hole" I created in my sand bed, and then just gently pushed the sand up toward the outer tube. Overnight, he settled in the sand bed and hasn't moved since. Kind of like you'd plant a plant outside, just much more gentle

 

[jackinfobo]

How can I safely (for the anemone) disattach it from the bottom of the container? Also wouldn't this method be too stress full by picking it up? I hear there really difficult to acclamate into a new burrow of a new tank, but once they have then they are pretty hardy to keep.

 

[MD Ocean Girl]

Well, I had mine shipped in from DD, and it wasn't attached to the bag at all, and didn't attach to the bucket as it was dripped. I would maybe try some ice on the bottom of the container and see if it removes its foot. As for picking it up, the anemone will retract into it's own tube, which should be covered with this slimy gray/brown stuff it makes, so I don't think it would be too stressful for it to be picked up. I figured that it would be easiest to basically dig a hole in my sand bed and put it in there to help it out with placing it's own foot down in my tank. At least in my experience, they're not that difficult to acclimate as long as you're gentle and patient. I didn't do anything out of the ordinary for it and mine is thriving.

Here's a pic of mine...it's been in the same spot since I got it and placed it in there, which was months ago. It's the awesome pink color with a green center. (sorry for the crappy pic...was taken with my phone)