Baby Rock Nem attacked to glass

Dondante · Sep 19, 2019

Lol. I should proofread more often. He Attached.. not attacked. That would be funny.

One of my rock nems apparently had a baby and the baby is in the back of the tank behind a rock structure. He is attached to the bottom glass under the substrate. How do I go about getting him? I've never removed a nem attached to something.

Ron Reefman · Sep 20, 2019

On a glass surface I use a plastic scrapper used to clean an acrylic tank. You press it hard against the glass and very slowly push it against the foot of the RFA. Do NOT try to push more than a small fraction of an inch into the foot or you will do real damage. Push it a bit then back off, then push in again and back off. Do this over and over. The foot will slowly start to release from the glass a little at first and then more and more easily as it starts to release.

Get a small pvc end cap, since this is a baby RFA, and place it inside the end cap. I keep the end cap and RFA in a small container of tank water for the next day or two, doing a water change in the small container every 12 hours. The water can go back in the tank as it is NOT polluted, just low on oxygen. After a day or two the RFA should be attached to the bottom of the end cap and you can move it into the sand in your tank. Press the end cap down until it is almost flush with the sand. Don't worry is some sand gets inside the end cap with the RFA, they don't mind the sand.

95% of the time a RFA will stay in the end cap until it gets too big. Then it will climb out. Just give it a bigger end cap and it should move right in. I have big adult RFA's that are even breeding while living in pvc end caps.

Dondante · Sep 20, 2019

Wow. Now THAT was a fantastic tip. Love the PVC idea. Thank you !!

Ron Reefman · Sep 20, 2019

There is a bunch of good RFA info here:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ron-reefmans-rock-flower-experience.409436/

saltyhog · Sep 20, 2019

I do it exactly like Ron does. If you ever want to move a larger one you can do the same thing with your finger. Just apply pressure to the side of the foot and advance as it yields till it let's go.