Sabae Anemone Wont Put Its Foot Down!

[MoshJosh]

So I got this Sabea anemone about a week and a half ago. I have tried a bowl of sand, wedging him between rocks, wedging him between rocks and glass, letting the flow push him into a corner, and turning off the flow altogether (for hours. . . like 8 hours), and NOTHING!!! He just ends up floating around in the flow. My last idea (that I stole from someone else) is putting him in a shroom cage? But he is pretty big and not sure that will work out. . .

Kind of ironic that I was just posting ideas in a thread about this very topic. . . and none of those ideas worked for me haha

 

[Seancj]

I would put it in a plastic basket clipped to the side of the tank, in good flow and good light, until it sets its foot and fully expands for a couple of days. I have had good success using this method with ritteri that won't initially set their foot.

 

[MoshJosh]

Any recommendation on type of basket? My tank footprint is small (29 gallon tank) so I may not be able to use the pond baskets I usually see people using.

Also, rubble or rock in the bottom of the basket?

 

[Seancj]

I use those 8"x8" pond baskets clipped to the top edge of the tank, tilted so it gets decent flow, but not so much that it pushes the nem out. For a sebae, I would put some small rock rubble or the larger size rubble substrate in the basket.

 

[Seancj]

This is far better than letting the nem float around inside the tank. That very rarely ends well.

 

[MoshJosh]

I use those 8"x8" pond baskets clipped to the top edge of the tank, tilted so it gets decent flow, but not so much that it pushes the nem out. For a sebae, I would put some small rock rubble or the larger size rubble substrate in the basket.

Once it's got it's foot down how to you suggest I move it to the scape (bare bottom tank)

 

[Seancj]

In my experience, once it has eventually settled in and set its foot inside the basket and fully inflated over a couple of days to a week, I take that as a sign that its has fully acclimated and is ready to move into the tank. It should quickly reattach to the rock scape or to your bare bottom. It's very easy to gently work its foot loose from the basket with your fingernail. If you put small rock rubble substrate in the basket, it may attach its foot to that so it would be easy to remove while it's attached to that. That would also allow it to keep anchored in your tank until it decides to move itself.

 

[Seancj]

Also, having a bare bottom may be part of your problem. In my experience, Sebae prefer to plant themselves primarily at the rock/sand interface, liking at least an inch or more to dig into. I've only had one Sebae plant its foot on the rock.

 

[MoshJosh]

Thanks for the advise @Seancj this is what I came up with:

 

[Seancj]

You are very welcome. I would tilt, or lower, that basket so that the anemone gets some decent flow, at least enough to moderately move its tentacles.

 

[marcwjj]

@MoshJosh has your sebae attached in the basket? I’m experiencing the exact same problem (a new sebae flying around the tank) and would be interested in trying this method if it worked for you,

 

[MoshJosh]

@MoshJosh has your sebae attached in the basket? I’m experiencing the exact same problem (a new sebae flying around the tank) and would be interested in trying this method if it worked for you,

NOPE! He is still just chilling in a breaded box. . . He is open and hosting my clowns (that can swim in and out of the box) but foot is still not down. . .

 

[Seancj]

At this point, I would give it another try at attaching to rock or sand in the tank. Turn flow way down and see what happens over a couple hours.

 

[marcwjj]

NOPE! He is still just chilling in a breaded box. . . He is open and hosting my clowns (that can swim in and out of the box) but foot is still not down. . .

Sounds like patience is of essence here Is your nem doing okay? Does it eat so far? From the other thread , folks are suggesting to not feed until it’s foot attaches, makes me wonder how your nem gets its energy from.

 

[MoshJosh]

Not eating, I occasionally rub a piece of shrimp against it just to see. . . But it is not sticky at all. I broadcast feed so it’s POSSIBLE it’s getting some food from that (or from the clowns pooping in it) but I kinda doubt it. I imagine it must be sustaining itself on photosynthesis and the joy it gets from ticking me off. It has shrunk so some auto digestion?

Foot is still not down by the way. . .

 

[marcwjj]

Not eating, I occasionally rub a piece of shrimp against it just to see. . . But it is not sticky at all. I broadcast feed so it’s POSSIBLE it’s getting some food from that (or from the clowns pooping in it) but I kinda doubt it. I imagine it must be sustaining itself on photosynthesis and the joy it gets from ticking me off. It has shrunk so some auto digestion?

Foot is still not down by the way. . .

Thanks for the update, good luck with your nem! I myself is struggling with a bleached sebae anemone, keep us posted!

 

[marcwjj]

Found another thread where sebae anemone doesn’t want to put foot down. You might want to check if it got small holes in its foot:

Thread 'New wounds continue to appear on the bottom of Sebae foot. Heteractis Crispa'
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/n...ttom-of-sebae-foot-heteractis-crispa.1009147/

 

[MoshJosh]

Heyyyyyy, he put his foot down. . . Mind you it’s in the breeder box and he still looks pretty rough. . . but it’s a step in the right direction (pun intended)

 

[marcwjj]

Heyyyyyy, he put his foot down. . . Mind you it’s in the breeder box and he still looks pretty rough. . . but it’s a step in the right direction (pun intended)

That’s great to hear! Do you have a pic of it standing on its foot ? During my cipro treatment I’ve noticed distinct changes once the nem “stood up”

 

[marcwjj]

This was after 4 days of cipro, the nem was able to stand up tall the whole day.