removing anems from rocks... gangnam style..

[ReefPharmer]

I have a large, VERY porous rock which houses 2 anemones. I have been trying to remove them from this for a long time but due to its large holes, they just withdraw into the rock. I am then unable to reach them in a safe manner. I tried moving the rock even into shade and they just move into a different hole in the same rock. I am afraid to break the rock because I don't know how it will split, potentially ripping the foot of the anem.

So I was talking to a guy who does maintenance and he mentioned that he gets them off rocks quickly by taking the rock outside and spraying it with a garden hose..... Cold water and all. Anem let's go of the rock quickly since it doesn't like cold, fresh water. Just be sure they fall into a bucket so I can scoop them quickly . He has not had any casualties this way.

Seems pretty crazy but according to him, anems are fairly hardy once acclimated to tank life especially if they aren't wild.


Any opinions before i try it?

Thanks

 

[Straight_Chaos]

Try it and let us all know. I have no good technique. I have a rock that is like swiss cheese and its a B!tch to get nems off it. I've tried Q Tips, ice, water from the back side, high flow, low flow, high light, low light. High light seems to be the best but I have dimmable LEDs. Hard to ramp up a 250 MH any brighter.
Test it out. Let us know, Ty

 

[Arc Drafter]

Before you go spraying an anemone with a garden hose. are you able to touch it w/ a ziplock bag of ice?

Try this.
1. Put some ice in a zip-lock bag.
2. Turn off all your flow (you don't want the anemone to detach and float into a power head.)
3. Touch the anemone w/ the bag of ice trying to get as close to the foot as possible.
4. Recording the effort would be cool especially if it works for you.

 

[ReefPharmer]

Thanks but the ice thing won't work because the feet of the nems are completely inside the holes in the rock. When I try to get anywhere near them, they just withdraw into the rock about inch or two into it and thr only thing I can see is the "head" inside the hole .
So icebag isn't an option

 

[Arc Drafter]

Sounds like your anemone needs a spanking! Mine let me touch it and grab it and whatever I want. Hmmm. Can you post a picture of the situation. I am sure we can come up w/ a good idea other than hosing it off.

 

[Jamie1210]

how immediate do you want it off the rock? You could always take a hammer and a screwdriver and give the rock a good knock, break it, and then carefully peel off the anemone's foot once it's exposed

 

[ReefPharmer]

I thought about cracking the rock but it has two nems on it so I'm afraid to potentially split it wrong and hurt the foot

 

[OrionN]

I know that I spray my rock with a garden hose the aphasia let go in droves. I did not bother to collect them and see if they live through this episode or not.
I would not try to do this with my Mag or Gig. BTA maybe.

 

[sleeri]

Wow, a garden hose for nems? That seems pretty crazy.

 

[Demo916]

trick i use is an ice cube on the foot they will release from the rock but it is really stressful on them but havnt lost one yet

 

[Demo916]

my bad didnt see the ice post

 

[b0bab0ey]

Can you take the rock out? If so, just take the rock out, and place the rock on top of a bucket with tank water in the bucket. It will take awhile, but eventually the nems will let go and fall into the bucket. As previously mentioned, rubbing ice on their base accelerates this process.

 

[Japsican]

Can you take the rock out? If so, just take the rock out, and place the rock on top of a bucket with tank water in the bucket. It will take awhile, but eventually the nems will let go and fall into the bucket.

I was able to move a stubborn nem using this method. The nem stretched out to reach the water and eventually detached and fell into the bucket of water.

 

[Kyle10181]

If you have any access to the foot of the Anemone, at all, you could potentially hold a piece of ice on it's foot and it should eventually let go enough for you to remove it.

 

[ct_vol]

Can you take the rock out? If so, just take the rock out, and place the rock on top of a bucket with tank water in the bucket. It will take awhile, but eventually the nems will let go and fall into the bucket. As previously mentioned, rubbing ice on their base accelerates this process.

I have had success with this method as well... :thumbsup:

 

[Redhaloangel]

Can you take the rock out? If so, just take the rock out, and place the rock on top of a bucket with tank water in the bucket. It will take awhile, but eventually the nems will let go and fall into the bucket. As previously mentioned, rubbing ice on their base accelerates this process.

I would try this method first!!

 

[JaYbIrD1969]

I did not bother to collect them and see if they live through this episode or not.
.

:lmao::wavehand:

 

[LittleBee]

I wish I had a good solution for you but I went through the same problem but with only one anem. I put ice on his foot, let him hang, powerhead, everything and that nem wouldn't budge. So I mustered up the courage and split that rock. I did split where the foot was but I planned on that happening so I rubbed the foot until it ever so slowly released from the split portion. Then pretty soon more and more of the foot was exposed so I rubbed more and more until he finally after about 3 hours of rubbing decided to come off. It was not the most enjoyable thing I ever did but he had to come off the rock somehow. Hope that helps at least a little bit.

 

[mnchartier]

Get a section of PVC pipe with a diameter that the oral disc will fit thru. Place this over the hole when the anemone retracts in. The anemone will move up into the pipe and you can do what you want with it.

 

[ShelbyJK500]

I've tried everything too, including cutting a hole in a piece of eggcrate and placing the rock with the nem dangling just barely into tank water...did this for hours and it never moved at all. I didn't want to kill it by drying out. With the same scenario, I decided to destroy the rock and just started chisling away little by little to get to the foot area. Then worked it off with, of all things, one of those disposable dental pics (fairly dull pick but sturdy). I use that all the time with my nems now!

Get a section of PVC pipe with a diameter that the oral disc will fit thru. Place this over the hole when the anemone retracts in. The anemone will move up into the pipe and you can do what you want with it.