Saddlebacks annoying carpet...

[falco]

I've had my B&W saddleback pair and a S.haddoni for over 2 years. They have always moved some sand, but over the past ~3 months they have "kicked it up a notch". They are moving so much sand from under and around the haddoni that he has started to move. He wanders around then ends up int the same spot. I keep pushing the sand back, I have also tried adding a terracotta tile in between the sand and the tentacles, up against the column.
At this point I have just become frustrated and am looking for maybe some insight or advice.

 

[Arati]

Try burying the tile/tiles just slightly under the sand where the dig , so that they only dig a tiny bit before the tile. I guess it sounds like what you already tried . What went wrong ?

you could add some say quarter sized rocks all around the nem to make it so they cant dig.

Perhaps they are trying to clear a spot for eggs. you could place a piece of tile on like a 45 leaning on he glass or a rock to try to provide a "better" nesting site and maybe they will take to it. tiles seem to have magic properties where cllownfish are concerned. ime you would want the tile close enough to the nem to be partialy covered when the nem is fully expanded.

 

[falco]

Arati- The saddlebacks have been laying pretty routinely every 3 weeks for quite some time now(over 1 year). She lays the eggs on the wall of one of my overflows.

The tile seems to irritate my haddoni. As soon as I put it in he will start to try and push it away. I have tried with placing the tile just underneath the tentacles and with hiding it under the sand, under the tentacles.