Acclimating new nem advice needed

john.m.cole3 · Mar 7, 2016

So I'm buying a rose BTA attached to a rock tonight (comes w/ rock) and need some pointers on acclimating this guy. My tank is 13 months old and parameters are as follows
Temp 78
SG 1.026 (refractometer)
Alk 9
Calc 430
Mag 1500

I need advice on lighting, flow, and water acclimation
Pics to come upon arrival

john.m.cole3 · Mar 7, 2016

ReeferReefer · Mar 8, 2016

Drip acclimation or long acclimation periods are recommended. I'd start in medium flow and light. Pick where you want him and hope he stays. I try to find a nice hole for is foot and stuff it in there gently. Try feeding meaty foods after he settles down a bit in a week or so.

Trex · Mar 8, 2016

What lights do you have?
What size tank do you have?
What lights was it under?

It is being shipped or are you picking it up? If you are picking it up, how far away and how will you be transporting it?

Jimbo662 · Mar 8, 2016

Also, turn off you ATO because it'll probably kick in. Place foam covers over your power heads and be prepared for it to wander around until it finds a spot it likes. The first one I had took about 3 weeks to settle down. The second one moved around on the rock it came on for a couple of days and that was it.

Akida17th · Mar 8, 2016

Do NOT drip acclimate an anemone. Simply temp acclimate and place in tank. Invertebrates must be housed in water 1.024-1.026 so the water it's coming from should b the same salinity but measure to be certain of course. If salinity is within .02 then all you have to do it temp acclimate. If you drip acclimate you'll stress it out much more than it needs. IME drip acclimating nems is never a good idea. My 2 cents

john.m.cole3 · Mar 8, 2016

It all happened last night and here's the story/process

I picked up the nem from a local importer that works out of his garage. This is where all my livestock has come from for the past year with no issues what so ever. He owns and runs a sW tank maintenance company and does this on the side, and I trust his experience. The RBTA came attached to a cave on piece of live rock. I put him in a 5 gal bucket and the guy covered it in his water @ 1.026/78 degrees. 5 minute drive home. Got home and added a 50w heater and started dripping my tank water (2-3 drips per second) for 30 minutes. Put him in my 46 gal tank with orbit marine leds on 100 blue, 35 white. He had withdrawn inside the rock during the move. I checked on him right before the lights went out and he had started to open up and I could see his mouth was tightly closed. He is on the bottom of the tank and i turned my RW 8 down to 12.5% on wave mode 1 (slowest sped possible). I'll update when I get off work tonight.

Trex · Mar 8, 2016

At this point, the only thing you may need to do it to acclimate it to your lights.
I have always preferred using window screening (( supported by egg crate ))

What lights was it under?
How long did the importer have it in his/her system?

john.m.cole3 · Mar 8, 2016

It was under a DIY LED fixture using Cree LEDs suspended 2 feet above his tank. He had the nem for a week. He just fed him yesterday and told me not to feed him for another week. My tank is 18" deep and he is on the bottom now. I am unable to place a screen under my light b/c the orbit marine LEDs sit right on top of my tank, but I am open to ideas/suggestions.

john.m.cole3 · Mar 9, 2016

so ny new RBTA only came out for a few hours when the actinics were on, then went back in his rock when the brighter lights kicked in and never came out again for the rest of the day. Checked my parameters to make sure they were stable
alk 9.1
calc 430
mag 1500
SG 1.025
temp 78