White Malu anemone not gripping

Colin_S · Oct 7, 2019

Hi guys

I've just bought a white malu anemone, I've read loads of threads regarding the difficulty in keeping these but I'm having trouble getting to even grip to a surface. it looks in good health, its about 4cm diameter. My last attempt was to move the substrate put a plastic cylinder in and put the anemone in that, so it had the glass bottom to grip to. left it over night but it still hadn't gripped. as soon as the cylinder was removed and the substrate put around the foot it started to tumble. The only other thing I can mention, is the foot has a very small amount of my substrate on it.
any suggestions to encourage it to take?

Colin_S · Oct 8, 2019

Could really do with some advise from anyone that might have had the same issue. sometimes its mouth is wide open, but it does close. I've fed it a piece of prawn which It ate.
Should I let it rumble around, is this its way of finding a good spot? when I done this it got stuck in a corner upside down, which can't be good. I have read it can take up to 2 weeks to settle.

shred5 · Oct 8, 2019

First off if it is white it is bleached.. H. Malu and H. Crispa come in bleached pretty often..

Sure it not a crispa instead of a malu? when bleached they can be hard to tell apart.

A Malu needs sand they are not a rock anemone like a crispa is.. Do you have sand?

Sometimes helping bury their foot in the sand can help.

But allot of times when they come in white they are starving and do not have the energy to hold on or their foot is damaged.

Colin_S · Oct 8, 2019

hi Shred,
the lfs listed it as white malu, and I've read that they can come in white, but many agree think its bleached. it only has short tentacles as well. I have gravel/substrate not fine sand. I'm reading as much as I can on it and the more I read the more I think this isn't for me especially as I have ocellaris clownfish that apparently don't host that much in Malu's.
I have fed it prawn, but the foot is not sticky..
I just want a anemone that the clownfish will host and enjoy ....

shred5 · Oct 8, 2019

Colin_S said:
hi Shred,
the lfs listed it as white malu, and I've read that they can come in white, but many agree think its bleached. it only has short tentacles as well. I have gravel/substrate not fine sand. I'm reading as much as I can on it and the more I read the more I think this isn't for me especially as I have ocellaris clownfish that apparently don't host that much in Malu's.
I have fed it prawn, but the foot is not sticky..
I just want a anemone that the clownfish will host and enjoy ....

Malus have shorter tentacles but a crispa can especially when it is starving.
Also they are never white, they might be cream colored or light brown but pure white is bleached.
Yea they are not the easiest anemones.
BTA are usually the easier anemone and I have found most clown will host them.
That said some clowns will never host.

Colin_S · Oct 9, 2019

After reading multiple articles and people's advise on forum's I've come to the conclusion that the Malu was in poor health, mouth open, not sticky to touch and too delicate of an anemone for me. My lfs swapped it for a bubble tip. Its about 75% smaller lol, was attached to the glass in the lfs is dark green and the mouth is closed.
As soon as I put it in my tank, it attached to a rock, and after 30mins or so its fully out and the tips are bubble. looks happy and so am I.. now for the clowns lol

shred5 · Oct 9, 2019

Colin_S said:
After reading multiple articles and people's advise on forum's I've come to the conclusion that the Malu was in poor health, mouth open, not sticky to touch and too delicate of an anemone for me. My lfs swapped it for a bubble tip. Its about 75% smaller lol, was attached to the glass in the lfs is dark green and the mouth is closed.
As soon as I put it in my tank, it attached to a rock, and after 30mins or so its fully out and the tips are bubble. looks happy and so am I.. now for the clowns lol

Good deal that is great..