New carpet, when should I worry?

[ctopal]

I brought home an 8" green haddoni last night from someone else's tank. I have a 90 with substrate bottom. I scooped into substrate to glass and put him in the depression. This morning he was still not attached and in a different spot on the bottom. He's use to sand. So I thought maybe a rock would be easier to attach to. Set him on a low rock this am and he rolled off. So I now put him back in the substrate with a low rock next to him and I'm going to leave him alone. He looks fine, he's sticky and his mouth is tight. How long does it take to attach and when should I be worried?

 

[Toddrtrex]

How long was it in the other person's tank?

A healthy Haddoni should settle in right away. The last one I got was attached within minutes of being in the tank.

What are you parameters -- with numbers.
How long has your tank been set up?
What lights do you have? What lights was it under? Did you acclimate it to your lights?

 

[ctopal]

I think it was in the tank for about 6 months, it was under T5s. My tank has been up for 6 years and has MH. I didn't do anything with the lighting, they were on for about an hour when he was first put in. He's still not attached. I moved him to my other tank which has a sandy bottom and T5s, thinking it's cause of the substrate. But he's really not showing interest in the sandy bottom either.

My parameters:
Salinity - 1.023
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
PH - 8.1
Alk - 2

 

[WaffleWalffle22]

Move salinity to 1.024-1.026. My favorite saying... "Inverts like it salty!"

IMO, I would dig out a hole right against a rock and let him attach to the rock and sand will cover the remaining of the foot. That's how my bottom dwellers liked it... until they all died in the cave of death. The cave of death is a place in my tank where if you put an anemone's foot into it, the anemone is cursed with death within 2 weeks at most. Not sure why, but it just happens! That is why the left side of my tank has no anemones... :'(

 

[Toddrtrex]

I think it was in the tank for about 6 months, it was under T5s. My tank has been up for 6 years and has MH. I didn't do anything with the lighting, they were on for about an hour when he was first put in. He's still not attached. I moved him to my other tank which has a sandy bottom and T5s, thinking it's cause of the substrate. But he's really not showing interest in the sandy bottom either.

My parameters:
Salinity - 1.023
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
PH - 8.1
Alk - 2

I would slowly raise your salinity up to 1.026, that is NSW. I have noticed that if my salinity gets any lower then that my Haddonis start to look "off".

How deep is your sand bed? Anything less then 2" isn't going to be enough. All of mine (( have 5, the oldest in my care for 10+ years )) are right at the rock/sand interface.

 

[ctopal]

I'll start to raise it, thank you. He hasn't attached as of this morning and I think his mouth is starting to open a little, but I don't have a clear line of sight. My sand is right about 2 inches. He's laying on his side, so the foot isn't even down. I'm hoping that when the lights come on it will perk him up and he'll try to move. I did ask the previous owner and his salinity was 1.023, so at least that part isn't a shock to him.

 

[OrionN]

I'll start to raise it, thank you. ....

Use salt water as top-off to raise salinity. Never add salt into a marine aquarium with living animals in it.

 

[COreefer]

Have you checked the foot for damage? When you got the anemone, it could have been damaged and this can prevent them from anchoring until it heals.

 

[ctopal]

Have you checked the foot for damage? When you got the anemone, it could have been damaged and this can prevent them from anchoring until it heals.

I have not checked the foot. How could I tell if it was damaged? I've seen what it looks like since he's on his side. Good news, his mouth is fully closed back up.

Thanks everyone!

 

[ctopal]

So, this is the 3rd day that he hasn't attached yet and is lying on his side. I'm increasing the salinity slowly. I don't think there was harm done to his foot, I didn't notice any tears. I'm thinking of buying a bag of live sand and adding it to that area of my tank so it gets deep and then I can try to bury him. Good idea???? And how would I add the sand without a sandstorm?

I'm concerned as I leave on 2/5 and won't be home till 2/14. My housesitter knows how to feed and top off and that's about it. Can he continue to live unattached? I'm worried that he might die while I'm gone and pollute the entire tank.

Now my percula is hosting in him. Not sure that's making the anemone happy, he didn't have a clown in the other person's tanks. Percula's aren't suppose to be matched to haddonis!

Now for the pics. I apologize, I'm not good at taking them and I have a wall of clove polyps where he is at and some coraline.

FOOT

 

[mylifeismyown66]

Hey, he looks good though unattached. My sand bed is about 3-4 inches I would say where he was attached to the glass/foot of a rock. I would say adding sand wouldnt hurt, also the rock he was on in my tank was under the sand a bit too. Like I said, when I got him I placed him right in the spot he was in, and hadnt moved an inch since. As long as there is a good spot to attach, and the area has the flow and light he likes, he should be okay. What do you have for powerheads, and how is the flow where you would like to put it?

 

[ctopal]

He moved a little overnight, but didn't attach yet, mouth is still closed and he does look good besides not attaching. I'm picking up some live sand tonight to thicken up his sand bed. I can't remember the size of my powerheads, I have 2. They are on opposite sides of the tank, one at top pointing across the water and one at the bottom running the back of the rock pile. He's not in a spot with direct flow.

 

[ctopal]

Quick update for those who were following. I deepened the sand bed last night. And during the day today he decided to attach to the back glass of my tank and his body is lying on the sand. He's doing well. Thanks all!