Randy's Red Haddoni

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Day 16 afternoon. Still hanging in the same place. The foot seems to be very slowly inching upward. It is just hitting the roof of that cave now. Certainly no movement toward the sand bottom.

Here's a mid afternoon photo:

 

[Freed]

Might be searching for more/stronger lighting now? Do you still have your lights subdued, dude?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

No, they are full strength.

 

[Freed]

It'll look even cooler perched way up on high uder full lighting, eh?

 

[Canarygirl]

it does look partially shadowed in your photo so that's a good guess about it looking to soak up more rays. I had an RBTA start wandering right after I changed bulbs to a lesser PAR bulb.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Randy, what is the flow like in that part of the tank? And do you have any fish that may be picking on it?

The one time my Haddoni when up on the rocks like that was when it was being picked up by a Blue Face angel. Plus, mine will move if they are getting TOO much flow.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

it does look partially shadowed in your photo so that's a good guess about it looking to soak up more rays. I had an RBTA start wandering right after I changed bulbs to a lesser PAR bulb.

It was in full light before it released from the bottom, and is now partly in the cave.

The one time my Haddoni when up on the rocks like that was when it was being picked up by a Blue Face angel. Plus, mine will move if they are getting TOO much flow.

Flow is fairly low at that end of the tank, designed that way for the cowfish. The cow was the only thing that might have been bothering it, and he's been banished for a week.

 

[BonsaiNut]

Hi Randy; I don't hang around here that much any more but enjoy seeing your beautiful anemone. Couple of comments:

1) In the wild, haddonis (and giganteas and magnificas) that I have observed tend to deflate when the sun sets, then reinflate about an hour or so afterwards. So daily deflation when your lights go off does not in itself sound like an issue.

2) Everything that I have seen in your photos looks good so far. The inflation/deflation cycle should become less dramatic over time, and the mouth should become more and more tightly closed.

3) I have not seen a haddoni ever settle down on top of a rock pile. As others have noted, they seem happiest in sand, with their foot buried substantially beneath a large rock. They will move rocks if you aren't careful. Sadly, they seem to prioritize "foot security" over lighting - i.e. they will move into a dark area of your tank if they can't find the right area to burrow into, and will bleach from lack of lighting if you aren't careful. In many reef tanks, this means they will burrow into/behind your primary rock pile and "get lost". I would prioritize finding a nice place for him in the sand before he sneaks back into your rocks - because he will keep sliding deeper into the rock pile and you will lose him.

Love the photos!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks!

I am somewhat concerned about it making its way through the rock pile. So far it does not appear to be trying to do that, but I'll block the 2 hole if it does. It would be rather disappointing if it ended up in a place where it could not be seen, not to mention possibly not getting enough light.

FWIW, the foot did not move at all overnight.

 

[traveller7]

Hi Randy,

As BonsaiNut shared, climbing up and into the rocks, presents a concern to me as well. IME haddoni's on rocks make poor decisions and find trouble.

At some point, you might have to seriously consider a 6-8" deep and 10"x10"+ Tupperware container. Aesthetics might be terrible, but it will allow you to position the specimen and keep it a location of choice.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks. I have cleared the sand from under the rock where I originally put it, and there is a nice overhang that it should be able to get its foot under. The rock seems very solid. Only about half of the foot is actually attached to the rock at the moment, So I am hoping it will drop off, maybe with a little gentle encouragement, and I can resettle it in a better place.

 

[traveller7]

Personally, I don't see an advantage in waiting.

I would try to get it down on the glass, up against the target rock structure. Then build a rock castle around the remaining 3 sides and back fill it with sand.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'm glad you said that, because it just did it.

I sure hope I didn't damage it, but I was as careful as I could be and I don't think I damaged it.

Its foot is now in the sand hole with some exposed glass and right at the front of the big rock at the overhang, which extends back a couple of inches and is a couple of inches high.

I figure I'd give it much of the afternoon to get a grip, then push much of the sand back against the column. Seem reasonable?

 

[traveller7]

Reasonable to us means nothing to the anemone, it gets to decide

fwiw: When I know I am going to be pestering them, I tend to go all in and then try to leave them alone vs tweaking repeatedly them over time.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

OK, 1 h after moving it and it has attached to the glass and seems to be spreading under the overhang (it actually probably attached almost immediately, but the spreading is slower), as best I can see under the oral disk. It is still expanded fairly well and the mouth is fairly small, but not totally closed (I might be able to fit a pea into it, but I expect it will get larger later; this is about as small as it typically gets).

It was pretty sticky to me when I was moving it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I want to reiterate my thank you's to many folks giving me advice, both in this thread and in other ways. Please don't take it personally if I don't take any particular aspect of advice. As you folks probably know, you sometimes disagree on recommendations, and I try to integrate them all to come up with a plan that seems best suited to the situation!

 

[puter]

It seems fairly obvious to me that none of us have this wholly figured out. I'm actually surprised at how consistant the suggestions you've received have been. From my perspective, everything you've done has been both reasonable and well reasoned. Now you get to join the rest of us who sit around and wonder what the heck else we could have done.

And, just so you don't fall into the trap of thinking your angst is nearly over, it's not at all uncommon for these guys to decide to go on another walkabout shortly after getting their second meal...

Mark

 

[traveller7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13537426#post13537426 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by puter
..And, just so you don't fall into the trap of thinking your angst is nearly over, it's not at all uncommon for these guys to decide to go on another walkabout shortly after getting their second meal...

No doubt, and in fact just about on any other whim of their choosing

Be nice if we had a few hundred or more well documented events on hand, but we don't, so as a group we are somewhat shooting between the extremes to achieve best practices.

 

[Freed]

I wonder if he's just hungry and looking for more opportune places to catch prey since he has only received one meal in that spot so far. I'm sure food doesn't come along every day in the life of an anemone but I'm sure it isn't all that scarce either.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Well, it looks like its come back to about what it looked like a week or so ago.

here's a pic a little over 4 h after relocating it today:

I wonder if he's just hungry and looking for more opportune places to catch prey since he has only received one meal in that spot so far. I'm sure food doesn't come along every day in the life of an anemone but I'm sure it isn't all that scarce either.

Maybe, but it didn't move until it caught something.