New red bubble tip anemone, "sunk"/burrowed in to live rock

BryanM · Aug 30, 2024

So I have a pair of black snowflake clownfish on the way, and took a risk to TRY and give them an anemone to host.... The nem was just attached to a small piece of live rock and a huge hermit crab shell, which both came home with it. It was "big" in the store, around 3 inches in diameter. I ploppped it on top of a piece of live rock, and the next morning it very much looks like its "borrowed" into crevacies in the top of the live rock and looks quite a bit smaller, I think because of how its decided its new home is .... I'm just looking for others experiences here. I wish I took a pic at the LFS, but no such luck.

WalkerLovesTheOcean · Aug 30, 2024

Hello,

Don't worry about it right now. That's normal for new anemones.

If you haven't seen improvement in the next few days, then that's when too worry.

BryanM · Sep 1, 2024

He's moved to being under the live rock now. Not happy about that, you can barely see the nem now.

exnisstech · Sep 1, 2024

It should come out once it settles in and may even move around until it finds a spot it prefers. Mine can completely disappear inside the rock where it anchored. They get pitifully small when deflated.
Bubble tip nems aren't a natural host for those clowns so they may or may not host in the nem. Also hopefully you are getting a bonded pair and not just two random clowns or that can be another issue when they decide who is going to transition to female. Just mentioning it because many folks just plop two clowns in and hope it works out and often it doesn't.

BryanM · Sep 1, 2024

exnisstech said:
It should come out once it settles in and may even move around until it finds a spot it prefers. Mine can completely disappear inside the rock where it anchored. They get pitifully small when deflated.
Bubble tip nems aren't a natural host for those clowns so they may or may not host in the nem. Also hopefully you are getting a bonded pair and not just two random clowns or that can be another issue when they decide who is going to transition to female. Just mentioning it because many folks just plop two clowns in and hope it works out and often it doesn't.

These are supposed to be a bonded pair.... Oddly much like my powder blue and foxface.

BryanM · Sep 3, 2024

How much time does one wait.... Not that I think I can really move the nem anyway. But its been 3 days, staying underneath a piece of live rock. He's rather boring under there. Any ideas on timeframe when he might come out? THx.

Gumbies R Us · Sep 3, 2024

I had mine go back and forth under my rock for a week or two. Now? Stays on top of my tank. Anemones are going to do anemone things, haha.

exnisstech · Sep 3, 2024

If it is in the tank in your tank thread it's possible the tank just isn't ready for a nem. They typically do poorly in younger tanks that tend to be unstable.

BryanM · Sep 11, 2024

I'm wondering if the ReefLED90's are too bright for it.... And also wondering what people think if I turned off the light that's over it, if it will likely move over to the other side of the tank to find more light.... I think I might try that and see what happens.

The nem seems fine, looks good, I just want him more present

JayM · Sep 11, 2024

I’ve had mine about 4 days. He’s firmly planted in a cave, upside down in a hole about as big around as my thumb and about an inch deep. Shortly after I feed the tank in the evenings, he tucks in the hole so far that I can’t even tell it’s there for a couple of hours.

Hopefully it’s an acclimation thing like everyone is suggesting for yours.

Gumbies R Us · Sep 11, 2024

JayM said:
I’ve had mine about 4 days. He’s firmly planted in a cave, upside down in a hole about as big around as my thumb and about an inch deep. Shortly after I feed the tank in the evenings, he tucks in the hole so far that I can’t even tell it’s there for a couple of hours.

Hopefully it’s an acclimation thing like everyone is suggesting for yours.

My anemone did that for the first few weeks as well. Would stay upside in my aquascape. Eventually it moved to the top of my tank where it stays there until lights are off!

exnisstech · Sep 11, 2024

That's the fun thing with nems, they do what they want. I no longer even keep them in a tank with coral. I have a beautiful big blue haddoni that was front and center for 9 months then one morning I look and it's back behind the rocks and stays there. Still nice and big and beautiful but I have to look in the end of the tank to see it lol.