Safe and Easy DIY way to remove Nems

[Eagle_Steve]

Nice. I've peeled off thousands with a plastic knife and a bit of time exposed to air, but as you know some of the guys in the deep crevices are difficult. Any idea how well this works for groups of 50-60 nems together on single rocks? Not much space between their feet.

That is where a larger diameter pipe comes into play if you want to remove multiple. You just have to place it at an angle, so the light doesnt quite hit them. And, it is the reason for the sponge. It can be place against other nems and not hurt them. Yes they are covered for a few hours, but no worse than a very cloudy stormy day in the wild. You may even have a nem attach to the sponge lol. Had that happen a few times when doing that.

 

[McPuff]

A couple months ago I decided to remove about 40 bta from various crevices. Some of them had to be bullied and chopped but almost all of them seemed to be 100% fine the next day. There remains ONE single bta that is in a spot where I cannot simply pry, cut around, etc. it out. This sponge trick seems like a good option for me to be anemone-free. :0)

 

[Sshannon]

@Eagle_Steve Have you tried this with riccordea with any success?

I've already tried covering my riccordea on an unremovable rock with small rubble to get them to crawl up and on top of it. It has sorta worked with some of them.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

@Eagle_Steve Have you tried this with riccordea with any success?

I've already tried covering my riccordea on an unremovable rock with small rubble to get them to crawl up and on top of it. It has sorta worked with some of them.

I have. Mostly Florida Rics. In tanks and in the wild. Has also been used for those pesky discos that love to reproduce as much as yellow palys lol.

 

[Dolphins18]

That is where a larger diameter pipe comes into play if you want to remove multiple. You just have to place it at an angle, so the light doesnt quite hit them. And, it is the reason for the sponge. It can be place against other nems and not hurt them. Yes they are covered for a few hours, but no worse than a very cloudy stormy day in the wild. You may even have a nem attach to the sponge lol. Had that happen a few times when doing that.

Bring in the big boys! Got it!

Kidding, but I will definitely be using this method in the near future. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Sshannon]

I have. Mostly Florida Rics. In tanks and in the wild. Has also been used for those pesky discos that love to reproduce as much as yellow palys lol.

Hell yeah!

 

[Cell]

Sometimes getting the right angle of the tube over the nem can be hard or just impossible. I've made a 2 part epoxy base for times like this, in lieu of a sponge.

 

[Bouldereefer]

Once they are in the tube, can you just place the tube in the new tank or wherever you plan on putting them? Will they eventually come out of the tube?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Once they are in the tube, can you just place the tube in the new tank or wherever you plan on putting them? Will they eventually come out of the tube?

You can do that or wait until they crawl to the top of the tube. Almost all nems and shrooms want light and flow of some sort. In the tube, they get neither, so crawl up.

 

[Fishinwall]

Genius!

 

[Ferrell]

So I must be missing something or haven’t had enough coffee…the purpose of the sponge. Is it to make a soft base around the bottom of the pipe to pluck more light and protect neighbors? I’ve got some discos I’d like to try this before I just out and out destroy them

 

[Cell]

The sponge is to help form fit against the rock so the nem doesn't just slip through a crack between the rock and the pipe.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Hey Major, You keep a body count?

Going to add a few more later this week. Mullet mountain nems heading into the reefer.

 

[Bouldereefer]

You can add another BTA to your count. It took about a week for it to come up the tube. Placed the pipe in the new tank and it came out within 24 hours. Happy BTA, happy reefer!

 

[kittenbritches]

Is 1" diameter pipe big enough? My BTA is kind of a fatty. Will it work on rock anemones, too? Mine is already hiding in the shade.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Is 1" diameter pipe big enough? My BTA is kind of a fatty. Will it work on rock anemones, too? Mine is already hiding in the shade.

if the nem can retract to 1" to fit the pipe over it, it will work.

For RFA, yes, it works great as well.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Is 1" diameter pipe big enough? My BTA is kind of a fatty. Will it work on rock anemones, too? Mine is already hiding in the shade.

1" pipe could work for rfa's and small small BTA's. I would jump up in diameter for a bta larger than a rfa though.

With how the foot moves, they do need some room to maneuver it up the tube.

 

[kittenbritches]

if the nem can retract to 1" to fit the pipe over it, it will work.

For RFA, yes, it works great as well.

1" pipe could work for rfa's and small small BTA's. I would jump up in diameter for a bta larger than a rfa though.

With how the foot moves, they do need some room to maneuver it up the tube.

Thanks guys!!

When my BTA completely retracts, it's probably 2" in diameter.

This is from a month ago...and of course there's nothing to show scale, but since you guys know way better than I do, should I size up for it?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Thanks guys!!

When my BTA completely retracts, it's probably 2" in diameter.

This is from a month ago...and of course there's nothing to show scale, but since you guys know way better than I do, should I size up for it?

If it retracts to 2", you would need at least a 2" pipe. Trick would be to not have the pipe all of the way down the sponge. Leave a gap from the "base" of the sponge to the rock, so it makes the nem retract and it should be able to crawl up the pipe with no issues.

If no pipe that big, you could even take an old plastic cup, cut the bottom out, sand it smooth where cut and use that to block flow and light. Same idea, but may be something more readily available. Tecik is to have whatever at an angle to make the nem want to move to flow and light.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Thanks guys!!

When my BTA completely retracts, it's probably 2" in diameter.

This is from a month ago...and of course there's nothing to show scale, but since you guys know way better than I do, should I size up for it?

I would bump up for that size at least up to 2"