Anemone keeps moving...??

[Michelesreef]

I've let this go on for about a month now, maybe a little less. I have a ling tentacle anemone and a clownfish to host him. The clown is great, giving the nem food and cleaning him. The only problem is the nem keEPS MOVING. It's so frustrating. I have tried so many different things and he keeps face planting whenever he moves. The light isn't too strong. The flow isn't strong at all and not even around him. Does he hate my clown, Liza?
The last thing we tried seemed to work for a little over a week until i woke up this morning and he was starting to move again. We placed him between 2 rocks and on top of sand. He seemed so cozy. Now he is face first in the sand and we have to keep helping him. What do i do??

 

[P-Dub]

I think, so long as it is healthy, let it find its happy place on its own. Nems move. It is just a fact we have to live with. Eventually, I'm sure it will find a place to call home. Just be careful it is protected from powerheads till then.

 

[Michelesreef]

But he keeps landing on his face........

 

[P-Dub]

But he keeps landing on his face........

Maybe he does hate Liza....

 

[Michelesreef]

Poor Liza D:

 

[P-Dub]

Out of curiosity, how old is the tank and what are your parameters?

 

[Michelesreef]

I don't know exact parameters but we tested the nitrates yesterday and they were around 5. The tank is i think 3 months old. All other params are good just don't remember specifics. The only reason we got him is because my bf felt bad for him when he saw him in petco and wanted to save him. I know the tank is a little young for nems but i didn't have a choice when he brought the little guy home

 

[MichelereefsBF]

I don't know exact parameters but we tested the nitrates yesterday and they were around 5. The tank is i think 3 months old. All other params are good just don't remember specifics. The only reason we got him is because my bf felt bad for him when he saw him in petco and wanted to save him. I know the tank is a little young for nems but i didn't have a choice when he brought the little guy home

Parameters are great...nitrates actually 2...a few things;
A. It's a Sebae.
B. Our other bubble tips in the main tank moved but established and are flourishing.
C. We used rock and water from the main tank to start this one due to Liza being bullied and her find getting ripped apart.
D. The tanks parameters have always been near perfect.
E. When I Saved the anenome from Petco it was near death (no lighting and malnutrition). As soon as "we" put it into the ten gallon, it attached and stayed for a few weeks.
From what I've read, Sebae's are known for attaching closer to the sand. The anenome is doing excellent, he just keeps moving onto the sand and then flipping over...Everytime I see this I move him back upright...I think "Michele" just wants to know why he keeps doing this....My educated guess is he may just be one of those "funny" critters.

 

[Michelesreef]

Yeah what he said^^

 

[lpsouth1978]

a little more info on the system would be helpful. What lights are you using? What are you using for flow?

I am somewhat concerned for this nem, to be honest. It is VERY white, aka bleached. Also nems move, but do not usually detach from surfaces. The fact that it continues to end up face first in the sand, is reason for concern. A moving nem is an unhappy nem. Mine have stayed in almost exactly the same place for months at a time. The only time they move is if I change the flow or lighting in the tank. typically once they find a happy place, they stay put.

 

[Terri Caton]

Leave it alone. It will figure out where it wants to be. Face down is fine as long as it's still alive. They do that. Strange things nems.

 

[Michelesreef]

Maybe we should ask john at our lfs if he can keep fmhim for a but...short term.. @michelesreefsBF

 

[MichelereefsBF]

a little more info on the system would be helpful. What lights are you using? What are you using for flow?

I am somewhat concerned for this nem, to be honest. It is VERY white, aka bleached. Also nems move, but do not usually detach from surfaces. The fact that it continues to end up face first in the sand, is reason for concern. A moving nem is an unhappy nem. Mine have stayed in almost exactly the same place for months at a time. The only time they move is if I change the flow or lighting in the tank. typically once they find a happy place, they stay put.

It was beyond bleached when I saved it...it actually has bright blue/purple colors at the end of the tubes...and literally looks like every other "healthy" Sebae I've seen online. It is just a basic 10g tank with blue and white LEDs and filter...the flow is actually nice...but I've been playing with the rocks to slow it down...we have a coral LED bulb I can try and see if that changes anything. Again, this is a immature Sebae...Sebae's act a little differently from others I've noticied.

 

[MichelereefsBF]

Leave it alone. It will figure out where it wants to be. Face down is fine as long as it's still alive. They do that. Strange things nems.

I completely agree

 

[MichelereefsBF]

a little more info on the system would be helpful. What lights are you using? What are you using for flow?

I am somewhat concerned for this nem, to be honest. It is VERY white, aka bleached. Also nems move, but do not usually detach from surfaces. The fact that it continues to end up face first in the sand, is reason for concern. A moving nem is an unhappy nem. Mine have stayed in almost exactly the same place for months at a time. The only time they move is if I change the flow or lighting in the tank. typically once they find a happy place, they stay put.

If the lighting was not good enough, he wouldn't be moving further away from it IMO, he would move closer to it...after two weeks he decided to get more towards the sand bed...

 

[MichelereefsBF]

If the lighting was not good enough, he wouldn't be moving further away from it IMO, he would move closer to it...after two weeks he decided to get more towards the sand bed...

And if stock lighting on a Top Fin aquarium is too much...then they are really underpricing their goods.

 

[chizerbunoi]

I would move it into that rock structure cave against the rocks. Then it can get its foot to mount onto the rocks. If it’s a H. malu it will dig into the sand. If it’s a H. Crispa then it will slowly climb onto the rocks.

If that is a HOB filter in the middle then it won’t like being right where the water pours down.

Don’t try to feed it yet. Just let it settle in for now.

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

And if stock lighting on a Top Fin aquarium is too much...then they are really underpricing their goods.

What top fin light exactly are you running? I'm not sure any light that top fin makes would be good enough for an anemone. If it came as a kit what kit was it?

 

[Uncle99]

Continual movement may suggest lighting is not enough, so it keeps looking, but never finds.
Nems require strong reef type lighting, great flow and stability.



Virtually impossible to give too much light, easy to give to little.
As a general guideline, if your not pushing 150-200watts for each 24” cube, it’s not enough...

 

[Raven C. Riddle]

I learnt about this in Science, and anemones just move by flipping. It's perfectly natural.