removing sabae from rock?

[someguynamedG]

Ok so I've had a Sabae for the last two years. It is about 10x the size it used to be and it has been on the the rocks all this time. I would like to move it to the sand in order to make some room for more corals. Is there any easy way to get a Sabae to release the rock so I can move it to the sand? Or am I at the mercy of the almighty foot.

gabe

 

[davocean]

If your sebae is on rock, I suspect your lighting may not be very strong.
They prefer sand.
If this is the case, it may move back up.

 

[redvipe2010]

Can you post a pic?

 

[seaduck]

aim a power head at it and or add some light in the spot u want it to move to and decrease light where it currently is.

 

[davocean]

The only reason I say this is for years I had my nems under PC's, and they would be on top of rocks reaching and stretching for light.
Everyone told me this was weird, because they prefer to be footed in sand.
As soon as I did light upgrade, down they went(both) to sand.
So, just a little insight from my exp.
Powerhead to the foot will work, and some use ice at the foot.

 

[someguynamedG]

Its under pcs and actually was under NO 36W for about a year...... I've had it for 2 years and its just grown too large for my tank(29 gallon). Its larger than a dinner plate and its longest tenticles must be around 6-8 inches long. I love it but its just so damn big now. Im looking at replacing with a nice large LPS. My maroon pair is going to go through withdrawls. Do Maroons generally become more or less agressive after a nem is removed? I was thinking they might become less agressive after their "house" is gone but I was also thinking they might just claim the entire tank. What do you think?

 

[COreefer]

If your sebae is on rock, I suspect your lighting may not be very strong.

I disagree with this statement...some H. Crispa prefer to be in the rocks and it has zero to do with lighting.

 

[Slakker]

If it's just labeled as a Sebae there are no guarantees that it's a crispa anyway...but don't malu's and LTA's usually prefer sand as well?

 

[COreefer]

^^^You are correct...sebae doesn't always mean H. Crispa, but more often than not what I see labeled as sebae is indeed H.Crispa. BTW, I have never seen a LTA labeled as a sebae.

 

[Slakker]

I've heard of it a few times, but don't really have the experience or knowledge to be able to identify anemones I see in stores personally.

 

[davocean]

Hey, I just gave my opinion based on what little info I had.
I thought he was just trying to move the nem, and going off advice given to me a while back everyone told me most sebaes and LTA's (I have both) prefer sand, and that mine were probably up high on rocks reaching for light.
Sure enough, after light uprade, they went down to sand.
I just didn't want him to go through moving his nem and stressing it only to have it climb back up to light.
I'm actually surprised it did so well seeing as he had it under NO 36W for a year b4 adding the PC's.

 

[Slakker]

Yep...goes to show that every rule has it's exceptions...which will probably give someone the idea to try to throw a magnifica under an incandescent bulb...lol

 

[someguynamedG]

It was on the rock in the first place because I put it there. It fairly high up in order to make the most of the 36W I had. Not a good idea. I'm actually shocked it survived for more than a week. DO NOT TRY THIS! Anyways moving it off the rock became a huge mess. I aimed a powerhead at the foot and shaded the area. Instead of moving off the rock it simply rotated around the rock away from the powerhead. After a few days of moving the PH to spray the foot I realized this was not going to work. I even tried the ice trick for a while. I resorted to taking the rock out (10-15lbs) and going to work with a hammer and chisel. I had to be very careful and several times I thought I had sliced the foot but it all turned out ok.

Now it is happy as a clam in the sand no longer endangering my corals. The funny part was that for a while I removed the nem to a breeder net to make sure it was going to survive and my female maroon was a wreck. She huddled in the corner of the tank not chasing the damsels or anything! That is her favorite activity! The male soon found that the Elegance coral was just as good but she could not give up on her nem. She swam around the breeder next peering inside letting herself me chased away by measly blue damsels. It was quite a sight since this is the fish that attacks my hand even if I'm adjusting something nowhere near her nem. Once that I was sure the Sabae was fine I placed it in the sand and it settled down nicely. Within 5 minutes she was back to her *****y self and even went after my hand while adjusting the heater. What a funny little creature. Its like her lost her power as soon as I removed that sticky 1000 armed mass of jello.