RBT Anemone hiding

Itaysworld

Itaysworld

Premium Member
Hello -

I just put in my first anemone into my 180 tank last night and it stayed put and looked good for a few hours. After lights out it decided to go for a walk and find a place it liked and ended up hiding wedged in between large pieces of live rock.

IMG_6304.jpg


It took me a good 15 minutes to locate where it was this morning!

My question is: will it eventually come back out seeking light (since where it is right now it will barely get any light), or will I have to break down 1/3 of my aquascaping to remove it and place it somewhere else? How long should I give it before deciding to move it?

My new clown fish are yet to find it and this way it won't happen anytime soon!

Thanks in advance!
 
Hi! Beautiful anemone first of all.

To try to answer your questions... It seems to be normal for some BTA's to go into hiding upon introduction to a tank. If it were me - I would give it about 2 weeks before I went trying to move the rocks to get it more light. Someone else may have another opinion but that is what I would do. You want to bother it as little as possible during this first little while in the tank. If in 2 weeks it hasn't moved to an area of more light - I would try to turn the rock that it's on possibly.

Just my opinion - hope it helps. Kim
 
Ok - I also have to say - I just clicked on your red house to see your webcam and WOW! That is SO cool...
 
I agree with Kim about waiting 2 weeks, but I wouldn't want any longer then that.

People will claim that they will eventually move so that they get light, IME, that isn't always the case. When I was selling some live rock a couple of years ago found several BTA clones that were under the rocks and bleached -- they had a clear path to get light.
 
Thank you Kim and Todd. I have no problem (other than my lack of patience) leaving it where it is, but its really wedged into a "hole". I don't think there is a way for the clowns to get to it, and I just can't imagine it being a good place for it.

I will do my best to wait and see.


Oh - Kim - thanks for the comment about the webcam. I have it up at work all day on a second monitor! Wait until 12pm EST when the halides start turning on (first at 12, second at 1 and third at 2pm) you'll get a much better view.

Appreciate your responses.
 
Oh cool - I'll have to look back this afternoon then. How neat. That would be great to be able to watch your tank all day! It would be like having a tank in your office! :)

Todd do you think 2 weeks is too long? It's such a beautiful color now I wouldn't want it to start losing color. That's interesting that yours didn't climb to more light. One would think that they would - but I guess that's not always the case.

Itay - you mentioned it has wedged itself into a 'hole'.... A lot of times BTA's will find a hole to put their foot in then they will extend up and out almost 'J' shaped tilting their oral disk up towards the light... just fyi. So if you do have to end up moving the rock - hopefully you can just rotate the rock it's on a bit keeping that in mind.
 
Oh Itay - I have to ask - where did you get that RBTA - it's so dark almost maroon... very pretty.
 
Kim - the anemone came from my LFS. They're great. The guy there has been working with me and mentoring me in the hobby as well as setting up my tank, since its my first saltwater tank. He's had this anemone in there for a while holding it for me, waiting for my tank to be ready.


Back to the 'stuck situation'... when I mean a hole, I'm talking about this.

You can barely make out a bit of the anemone:

hiding2.jpg



Here's a wider shot of how 'hidden' it really is. It would really be a huge pain to have to move rocks to get it out :(

anemonehiding.jpg



Thanks.
 
Last edited:
Ok so yeah - that is in a hole alright! It kind of looks like you can view the tank from both sides - can you see it from the back of the tank?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13205349#post13205349 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kimsie
Ok so yeah - that is in a hole alright! It kind of looks like you can view the tank from both sides - can you see it from the back of the tank?
Click to expand...

LOL -yeah- definitely a hole.

No - The tank cannot be viewed from the back. Its along the back wall of a room:

(this photo is from before I was done with the live rock placement, as you can see the closed loop eductors)
IMG_2398.jpg



I'm hoping once the halides turn on and its alone in the dark, it will decide to come out... we'll see. I'll give it until Monday.

Best regards.
 
Kim -- I know I would have thought it would have gone for the light too. Maybe it took after me -- not so smart. ;)

Itay -- Monday would be fine to try and do something. Do you know what type of lights it was under? What wattage ( and how many ) MHs do you have?

As for it being able to get out of that hole...you would be surprised just how small of a space they can get through/retract into. I have had Haddonis and LTAs shrink down to darn near nothing. As is about 10 times smaller then when fully open.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13205765#post13205765 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Toddrtrex
Kim -- I know I would have thought it would have gone for the light too. Maybe it took after me -- not so smart. ;)

Itay -- Monday would be fine to try and do something. Do you know what type of lights it was under? What wattage ( and how many ) MHs do you have?

As for it being able to get out of that hole...you would be surprised just how small of a space they can get through/retract into. I have had Haddonis and LTAs shrink down to darn near nothing. As is about 10 times smaller then when fully open.
Click to expand...


HAHA - I hope it doesn't take after me either!

Todd - I have 3 150W 20,000K MH lights, but at the time it was put in, yesterday afternoon only 1 of the halides was on. The actinics were still on.

I have my lights timed so that back actincs come on, then front then the halides from left to right and turn off in the same manner. This post explains my lighting schedule in detail: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=13171790#post13171790

It started moving after lights off though.... so I'm guessing its just confused and trying to get used to its new home, water chemistry and flow... I just wish it had moved the other way!
 
You might want to knock 2 hours off of each halide. The 20,000Ks are the strongest in the world ( I have 250 SEs ) but, better to be safe then sorry. (( Unless the BTA came from a tank with similar lights )).

Hard to tell if it moved because it was settling in, or it was the lights. (( I am leaning towards settling in ))

I am sure that you want to move it now, I know I would, but think waiting until at least Monday is the best choice. That will give it more time to settle in, and hopefully lessen the changes of it moving again.
 
Also wanted to mention that the place I originally put it wasn't in the direct path of the halide either. It was partially covered by rock work from above.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13205902#post13205902 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Toddrtrex
You might want to knock 2 hours off of each halide. The 20,000Ks are the strongest in the world ( I have 250 SEs ) but, better to be safe then sorry. (( Unless the BTA came from a tank with similar lights )).

Hard to tell if it moved because it was settling in, or it was the lights. (( I am leaning towards settling in ))

I am sure that you want to move it now, I know I would, but think waiting until at least Monday is the best choice. That will give it more time to settle in, and hopefully lessen the changes of it moving again.
Click to expand...

I'm currently at 5 hours per day per halide. I don't think BTA was under the same lighting in the store, but I'd like to try and hold on to these settings. There are plenty of places in the rocks that are out of the direct path of the light.

Do you think that is too much lighting for the tank? Corals seem to be doing well, and I thought 5 hours a day of halides, 3 hours with all 3 on really, is not excessive.

I will sit on my hands and try to be as patient as I can. I will not try to move it until, at least, Monday. Hopefully it will come out...

I'm also leaning towards the 'settling in' move. I'll keep you all posted.

Thanks again for all your responses! Makes waiting easier.
 
Sorry I wasn't clear.

Overall your lighting is fine. What I meant is cut back by two hours for the first week, then bump it up an hour. After the second week you can go back to your normal lighting schedule. This will help the BTA adjust to the lights over your tank. (( I am assuming that it was under less lights at the LFS )).

This is just to light acclimate it, after that your lights will be fine.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13206074#post13206074 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Toddrtrex
Sorry I wasn't clear.

Overall your lighting is fine. What I meant is cut back by two hours for the first week, then bump it up an hour. After the second week you can go back to your normal lighting schedule. This will help the BTA adjust to the lights over your tank. (( I am assuming that it was under less lights at the LFS )).

This is just to light acclimate it, after that your lights will be fine.
Click to expand...

Got it - I should have figured out you were talking about a temporary thing to get the BTA to acclimate properly. My bad.

Thanks for the info! I'll try cutting short the time of the halide on that side of the tank.

Thanks and have a great weekend.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13206513#post13206513 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kimsie
Monday Todd? Itay - if he comes out before that surly you'll update us before that!
Click to expand...

ROGER ROGER!

:D :D
 
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