So I bought a rock flower anemone Sunday and didn’t have gloves ( I wasn’t sure if they were poisonous or not ) to hold it down on a rock when I put it in my tank. So when I put it on the rock it floated and rolled around until it attached to a spot in the sand. It’s in the back of my rock work in the tank and can barely see it even when looking for it from the back. I wanna move it but when I tried it went under the sand to the glass where its foot is attached I’d assume. Anyone have any tips on how to move it and get it into a more visually appealing spot?
Need help with Rock Flower Anemone
- Thread starter Cuzzoo
- Start date
Hong Kong
Active member
Yes leave anemone trust me even if you fix her in anyway she will start separate parts and move away happened to me. One morning i found 3 parts all around aquarium and they stay there where flow is good and not disturbing so strong. Some of them love to move and maybe she will came on front where you wish...be patient its not plastic sinked piratte ship 
that people placing inside for me awfull
that people placing inside for me awfull 
Vinny Kreyling
Premium Member
You can place them in a PVC pipe cap, 3/4" with some sand or gravel in it, then bury the cap where you want it.
They generally stay there.
They generally stay there.
I had really good luck gently removing/moving a rockflower with an ice cube gently rubbed against it's foot. no harm done, only took a few seconds.
That said, I have no idea where he moved too. he migrated to the back of the tank. I have had 4 nems.
2 I left alone. They moved a LOT and eventually found decent places to live.
1 (my first one, years ago) I moved a few times constantly trying to get him where I wanted him. he did not like that, and died.
the last one is the RFA, who has relocated to a worst position than before lol.
so I'm in agreement with everyone else... less is more.... they do what they do!
That said, I have no idea where he moved too. he migrated to the back of the tank. I have had 4 nems.
2 I left alone. They moved a LOT and eventually found decent places to live.
1 (my first one, years ago) I moved a few times constantly trying to get him where I wanted him. he did not like that, and died.
the last one is the RFA, who has relocated to a worst position than before lol.
so I'm in agreement with everyone else... less is more.... they do what they do!
I never even contemplated such a thing, lol. I had just used an ice cub from the freezer...
shred5
Premium Member
Yea they will move where they want.
While they are called rock anemones most of them I have had will head for the sand where when they are disturbed will duck under the sand.
If he is new I certainly would leave him for a while. He may be stressed right now and additional stress may not be good.
While they are called rock anemones most of them I have had will head for the sand where when they are disturbed will duck under the sand.
If he is new I certainly would leave him for a while. He may be stressed right now and additional stress may not be good.
Last edited:
yeah I was shocked at how long the foot was on mine, and how deep he could burrow himself. I attempted the move because he had planted himself on the front of the DT so we basically always saw his back side and never the attractive side. hindsight being 20/20, should have just left him alone because at least he was in the display portion of the tank at the time. Now I have no idea where he is.
I have a very large beautiful Malu (I'm 90% sure it's a malu) that has crossed both sides of my tank, front to back, in a matter of a week. now, seems to take up residence in a rock below my BTA but not touching. I was shocked at how big his foot was as well when he got up and moved the first time. But it's beautiful and my wife and I have learned to just let him do his thing. I was briefly tempted to give him a little shove when he climbed over a ricordia I really like, but he did not damage and kept going.
Well since my RFA is new ( bought and introduced to tank Sunday ) I’m gonna just leave it alone and where it’s at. Hopefully in time when it’s fully acclimated to my tank it’ll move to a more visually appealing spot! It’s about the size of a fifty cent piece so I want it to get bigger and show off its beautiful red and green colors it has!
That's what we're here for. There a quite a few people on here that have decades of experience in the hobby.
shred5
Premium Member
Malu are sand anemones, crispas seem to prefer the sand rock interface and sometimes rock.
Have a picture? crispas look like leather underneath.
The sebae anemones are heard to get healthy and almost always are bleached. Malus also seem to come in with a torn foot a lot.
I rarely see either in the hobby anymore.
Very old video of my crispa. I lost him in a move. I accidently tore his foot. I thought he was on one rock and he was attached to two under the sand. I grabbed one rock and not both. I felt sooooooo bad. If I knew what I know now I might have been able to save him. This guy was almost 2 foot across. He had really nice purple tips.
Last edited:
Ohhh you might very well be right, although mine has shorter tentacles and when I've looked it up I have found identical pictures (in some cases) to mine under both the malu and crispa. This isn't a great pic, but on one of his moving days.
He took up in a back corner for a few days then moved all the way across the tank nearly front and center about 6" below my bta. He seems happy there but I'd love for him to be more exposed. The coloring is awesome under my lights.
He took up in a back corner for a few days then moved all the way across the tank nearly front and center about 6" below my bta. He seems happy there but I'd love for him to be more exposed. The coloring is awesome under my lights.
Damn that’s a beautiful tank! I hope to have mine looking that good one day!!
Similar threads
