Magnifica won’t settle down

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’m looking for opinions on factors besides light and flow that might make a
Magnifica not settle down. It keeps moving around the rock island surrounded by sand, and twice in the past few weeks it has completely detached and landed upside down on the sand.

I’ve tried many different combinations of light and flow, and that does not seem to satisfy it. Here’s a video of it from a couple
of days ago, and it released again today.

Par is in the 300+ range near the top, and
Less when it moves down the side.

 

[The new fish on the block]

Sorry to hear you are having trouble with your mag, Randy.

Do you have any leathers in your tank? I believe in my prior research before getting my mag, there was mention of them possibly releasing toxins that could irritate the nem.

 

[BryanM]

I'm not an expert, but I'm ready to increase my light to try and see if my nems will move down and settle down.

I know you've tried all this, so I hope someone comes along with something better :)

 

[Seancj]

Unfortunately, I think your nem may be sick. I've had specimens, who outwardly look perfectly healthy, do this, and regardless of light, flow, or water quality, would not settle in and frequently detache and end up wherever the flow took them. Unfortunately, those that exhibited this behavior did not survive.
Have you checked its foot for tears? Tears will prevent stable securement and are a vector for infection. I would recommend another quarantine/isolation to monitor.

 

[OrionN]

The anemone releasing it's hold and flop over is a really bad sign. I am sorry I don;t have any recommendation for you other than get him out to QT tank and treat. Sick Magnifica can look well for most of the day, but deflates later in the day, reinflates in the evening. The deflation period gets longer then it just turn to mush unless treat with appropriate antibiotic.

 

[Seancj]

Is it sticky? Does it have a feeding response?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sorry to hear you are having trouble with your mag, Randy.

Do you have any leathers in your tank? I believe in my prior research before getting my mag, there was mention of them possibly releasing toxins that could irritate the nem.

No leathers. In fact, soft corals in general (yellow leather, koji wada) do not do well for unknown reasons.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Is it sticky? Does it have a feeding response?

Yes, it eats and when I have touched it, such as yesterday when I replaced it on its rock island, it's not easy to get it off my hand.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The anemone releasing it's hold and flop over is a really bad sign. I am sorry I don;t have any recommendation for you other than get him out to QT tank and treat. Sick Magnifica can look well for most of the day, but deflates later in the day, reinflates in the evening. The deflation period gets longer then it just turn to mush unless treat with appropriate antibiotic.

It is not deflating, even when upside down on the sand. Very confusing.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Unfortunately, I think your nem may be sick. I've had specimens, who outwardly look perfectly healthy, do this, and regardless of light, flow, or water quality, would not settle in and frequently detache and end up wherever the flow took them. Unfortunately, those that exhibited this behavior did not survive.
Have you checked its foot for tears? Tears will prevent stable securement and are a vector for infection. I would recommend another quarantine/isolation to monitor.

I've not seen any issues with the foot, but I will keep watching that and for any other signs of infection.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'm trying somewhat less flow today. I know that is not what most recommend, but it was more stable on the island several weeks ago when flow was lower.

 

[X-37B]

Morning Randy.
I may have missed it but do you feed it?
All nems I have had and currently have respond well to a piece of shrimp every other week.
Yesterday my clowns host looked like it was going to walk. The foot was swelled up and ready to go. I fed it and it stayed in place.
This has work on several occasions over the years.
It may be worth a shot to give it a piece of shrimp when it appears to like the spot.
Kind of like ok I got food here I think I will stay.

 

[Tripod1404]

Does it have a “crevice” on the rock that it can tuck its foot into? Sometimes that makes them feel safer.

 

[D-Nak]

Does it have a “crevice” on the rock that it can tuck its foot into? Sometimes that makes them feel safer.

Particularly with magnifica, I actually recommend the opposite. Most anemones like to hide their feet in a crevice, but mags like to spread out their foot as much as possible. I often describe it as looking like a fried egg.

 

[D-Nak]

After watching the video, I think the mag appears to be healthy. The post above sparked a thought. Maybe add a saucer, like the kind that goes under a ceramic pot, and see if it stays put? My mags are sensitive to their footing, but once they find a place that they like, they tend to stay put (assuming all other factors --lighting, flow, water parameters, etc.--remain consistent).

 

[OrionN]

I second the idea of a really smooth flat surface for it attaches to. Once it stays put and doing well, we can try to get it off.

 

[OrionN]

I often have my Magnifica attach to a plate until he is settled. Once I know he is happy, it just leave the plate vertical near the place he is happy. Invariably, it will craw up to the rock because it does not want to attach to a vertical surface.
That is my trick to get Magnifica off an unsightly dish in my aquarium.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Morning Randy.
I may have missed it but do you feed it?
All nems I have had and currently have respond well to a piece of shrimp every other week.
Yesterday my clowns host looked like it was going to walk. The foot was swelled up and ready to go. I fed it and it stayed in place.
This has work on several occasions over the years.
It may be worth a shot to give it a piece of shrimp when it appears to like the spot.
Kind of like ok I got food here I think I will stay.

I have fed it a few times, but since it’s zoox has come back strongly I’ve not kept it up.

That certainly is a strategy that I’ll contemplate. :)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I second the idea of a really smooth flat surface for it attaches to. Once it stays put and doing well, we can try to get it off.

Thanks.

FWIW, I prepared a rock specifically for it with that in mind, cutting off the top and giving it a rough sanding. I later glued two old dead coral pieces along two of the edges in case it wanted to touch something other than just a flat surface. It is currently attached to the flat part of that rock on top of my rock island

 

[dvgyfresh]

Idk anemones be moving sometimes , my purple LTA loved to take long walks weekly. Nothing was wrong with it , it actually liked it darker then I expected and wanted to be on corner of lights or who knows but it would never stay in the middle of the tank. I do think feeding helps nems stay put also , maybe makes them think it’s a good spot lol