Nem "letting go"

[BigJay]

My nem decided to let go this morning and go for a trip tumbling across the tank floor. He's still sticky, so I put him on one of the rocks closer to the flow, and he eventually grabbed on, so I left him there.

My question: Nems only do this when they are extremely unhappy in their current location right?

I've never had any marine animal cause me this much consternation than this brainless bag of water.

 

[garygb]

What kind of anemone do you have? Some species have more of a reputation for wandering than others, for example Condylactis passiflora is notorious for wandering around. On the other hand, Epicystis crucifer (flower anemone) has a reputation of staying put. For the host anemones, there is also variability between how likely they are to stay in one spot, but you're assumption that movement is a signe of unhappiness is correct. If the water flow, lighting, substrate and general water conditions are right for the anemone, it won't move.

 

[BigJay]

It's an RBTA.

Apparently I have one wanderer, and a green BTA that has never moved since he found "his spot".

 

[garygb]

Yeah, BTA's sometimes take a little while to find just the right place. It seems they especially like an overhang on the live rock where they can plant their foot and then their body and tentacles come out into the light, making roughly a "J" shape.

 

[BigJay]

So the nem found a place that it's happy, and in doing so it essentially evicted its hosted clownfish. :lol: The nem chose a spot right in the vortech's strongest undertow flow. The clowns can't stay inside it for long when the reefcrest random hits max. The poor clowns are swimming around the tank confused. This is hilarious.

 

[BigJay]

You were also 100% spot on about the cave thing. You need to write a book about BTA behavior and psychology. It chose a spot right underneath an overhang shelf higher up on the reef. The light is more intense, but only half of the nem is lit at any time.

 

[garygb]

Glad to hear it found a place to attach. Hopefully it will stay there and your clowns will figure out a way to deal with the current. Is there any chance the anemone could get pulled into the pump? If so, there are ways to put screen around the intake of your pump to prevent that.

Hmm, a book on BTA behavior and psychology. I am a clinical psychologist, but so far I've limited my efforts to humans, maybe I should branch out ;-)