New RBTA - How do I get him to stick?

[Myka]

Hey guys! I have only have one anemone in my life, and that was a Condy back in ....oh.... about 92 ish. So I'm no anemone expert, albeit I know pretty much everything about them that you can read.

Anyway, I got this RBTA yesterday, and the guy at the LFS couldn't get him off the rock, so I bought the rock too. I drip acclimated the RBTA and put him in the tank on his rock. He puffed up and looked good within 15 minutes. I guess he decided he didn't like the spot I chose for him, so he let go of his rock after about 1 hour. The problem with this is that my tank is chock full of corals that I don't want him to sting. So, how can I get him to stick somewhere? He's floating in a plastic trap right now looking happy as a clam. Go figure...

[MitchM]

When I had "rogue" anemones, I would corral them in a corner with some smaller pieces of LR.
They would eventually get the idea.
Then I would move them to a more ideal place.
If it let go again, I would just repeat and choose a different "ideal" spot.

Mitch

[Myka]

That sounds like a good idea. Provided he also likes me choice of rock for him to stick to. I don't have much for loose rock though it all has corals stuck to it. Thanks!

[Madreefer]

I have put my anemone through 4 tank changes over 8 years and he has stayed in the same spot everytime. I dig a hole in the sand (with my hand) about the size of the foot, placed him in hole and kind of filled in the rest of the hole. Than I put some rocks around it. He did stick to one certain rock the very first time I stuck him in. I use that same rock every tank move. May sound strange but try using the rock he came with, could be some kind of "bonding" thing.

[Myka]

I have to take his rock back to the store. I don't want it anyway because it is a man made rock, and doesn't blend in very well. Is yours a BTA?

I just cleared off a rock for him, and set him on it, and put a plastic breeding trap over top so he can't wander away. Hopefully he will stick down on there. Do you guys find BTAs like certain surfaces? Smooth? Bumpy? Clean? Horizontal? Vertical? Tucked away in a corner?

If that doesn't work I will try digging a hole in the sand and placing him at the base of my live rock.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Mine will move until it finds a hole in a rock to put its foot and then it stays.

I just put it on a rock in the corner of the tank when I got it and turned off the powerheads for an hour. He attached right away and then I moved the rock where I wanted it. He has stayed.

Might just be lucky though, I don't have a lot of anemone experience.

[MitchM]

My GBTA's (I stopped counting after 30) seemed to prefer holes in LR, thereby making it impossible for any future removal. Of course.

Mitch

[Myka]

Ya, he's not liking where I put him. I think I will try to move him down near the sand and he can pick a hole there. I knew he'd be a pain in the butt! I'm all stressing about him stinging my corals too!

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by Myka

Ya, he's not liking where I put him. I think I will try to move him down near the sand and he can pick a hole there. I knew he'd be a pain in the butt! I'm all stressing about him stinging my corals too!

What kind of corals? Mine was sharing a rock with a leather and actually climbed right on the leather at one point and never stung it.

I don't trust the thing around sps though.

I don't think they can move across sand, mine never has wanted to, so if you put it on an island rock, they can't really go anywhere. Mine is on an island and used to move all over the rock constantly. Maybe it realized it has no where to go and finally stayed put

[Myka]

Haha! That's funny about stranding him on an island! All my corals are LPS, and some are quite pricey...i would not be happy with Mr RBTA if he damaged them.