Rogue Nem! Need to preemptively move corals?

[cdw79]

Well, my perfect plan fell through lol. I picked up a RBTA months ago when the tank was still pretty bare. I figured it would find a spot it liked and then stay there, and I could add coral around to. Nature had other ideas!

It's been moving around maybe a half inch one way, a half inch another way over the past month, but today it decided to pack it up and cruise this morning! It's about 4 inches away from its spot and still moving. I moved my torch preemptively, but it's approaching several mini zoa colonies that are superglued to the rockwork. To what extent is it necessary to start ripping up corals to make way for the nem? Also thinking I need to add my very home-made powerhead guards... Any tips?

 

[blaxsun]

I should settle down within a day or so. Sometimes they just get the desire to find a new spot.

 

[cdw79]

Right, I gotcha there. It moved plenty when I first got it. My main concern is just to what extent I need to be moving corals away from it preemptively / whether I should try and move it into a new crevice myself

 

[SlugSnorter]

Well, my perfect plan fell through lol. I picked up a RBTA months ago when the tank was still pretty bare. I figured it would find a spot it liked and then stay there, and I could add coral around to. Nature had other ideas!

It's been moving around maybe a half inch one way, a half inch another way over the past month, but today it decided to pack it up and cruise this morning! It's about 4 inches away from its spot and still moving. I moved my torch preemptively, but it's approaching several mini zoa colonies that are superglued to the rockwork. To what extent is it necessary to start ripping up corals to make way for the nem? Also thinking I need to add my very home-made powerhead guards... Any tips?

BTAs love to move, if they are not comfy or are disturbed in any way, they will move

 

[720 Reefer]

Yeah you are kind of at the mercy of the nem unfortunately. You could move stuff around, but it could still end up running into them at some point. It's the risk of keeping a nem with coral. If it just passes by them, they should be fine. Only issue would be if it sets up shop touching the coral. If it were me, I would let it go and see where it ends up. Then if it parks next to something, you can try moving that coral and hope he stays put.

 

[ARCkeeper]

BTA's have a relatively mild sting. Mine usually don't do any lasting damage to colonies as they're moving. I start moving corals when the anemone finally parks and the coral is getting stung.. The other option is to turn a powerhead toward the anemone to encourage it to keep moving.

 

[720 Reefer]

Yeah you are kind of at the mercy of the nem unfortunately. You could move stuff around, but it could still end up running into them at some point. It's the risk of keeping a nem with coral. If it just passes by them, they should be fine. Only issue would be if it sets up shop touching the coral. If it were me, I would let it go and see where it ends up. Then if it parks next to something, you can try moving that coral and hope he stays put.

That being said, I would definitely get some guards for your pumps.