Moving/removing rock anemones

[jakeb]

I've had two rock flower anemones in my tank for 6+ months, probably closer to 12 months. Until recently they have both been healthy, but have started closing up a lot in the day. One of them has moved, but only around 3 cm - I'm not sure what that achieved!

I haven't seen it happen, but I'm fairly confident that my Molly Miller blenny has started eating them. He has started to hang out very close to them, I even saw him sitting on one yesterday.

I want to try moving the anemones to a different part of the tank to see if it helps the blenny leave them alone, and rehome the anemones if it does not. The problem I have is that I cannot move the rock at all. Does anyone have any suggestions for moving rock anemones? I read the various methods of moving BTAs, but since these are more mobile I am not sure if they apply.

 

[Jedi1199]

I've had two rock flower anemones in my tank for 6+ months, probably closer to 12 months. Until recently they have both been healthy, but have started closing up a lot in the day. One of them has moved, but only around 3 cm - I'm not sure what that achieved!

I haven't seen it happen, but I'm fairly confident that my Molly Miller blenny has started eating them. He has started to hang out very close to them, I even saw him sitting on one yesterday.

I want to try moving the anemones to a different part of the tank to see if it helps the blenny leave them alone, and rehome the anemones if it does not. The problem I have is that I cannot move the rock at all. Does anyone have any suggestions for moving rock anemones? I read the various methods of moving BTAs, but since these are more mobile I am not sure if they apply.

I am interested in this as well. I have 2 RFA's that decided they wanted to live UNDER the rocks I put them on. As a result I have an $80 RFA that I never see. I would like to move it to another rock, but I am afraid to damage and kill it trying to remove it from the place it decided to be. Why do they find the tightest and least accessible crevice to call home???

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

yup, your molly miller is eating them the little bugger. Same happened to me, and it took me a while before I realised the fish was eating my RFA's (my RFA's all started moving towards the sand and then buried themselves in the sand to protect themselves). Unfortunately, you need to get rid of that evil fish

 

[jakeb]

yup, your molly miller is eating them the little bugger. Same happened to me, and it took me a while before I realised the fish was eating my RFA's (my RFA's all started moving towards the sand and then buried themselves in the sand to protect themselves). Unfortunately, you need to get rid of that evil fish

I think I prefer the fish to the anemone though. He has a lot of character, even if some of that character is eating my anemones :disappointed-face:

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

mine was just mean, he terrorized by RG and jawfish and his favorite RFA chew toy was my prize $150 RFA. I took every single rock out of the tank to catch it, and it stressed my jawfish so much that he jumped that night after being in my tank for 6 months. I still have PTSD from that molly miller experience.

 

[jakeb]

mine was just mean, he terrorized by RG and jawfish and his favorite RFA chew toy was my prize $150 RFA. I took every single rock out of the tank to catch it, and it stressed my jawfish so much that he jumped that night after being in my tank for 6 months. I still have PTSD from that molly miller experience.

Wow, that sounds awful...

 

[Eagle_Steve]

You can modify a nem cannon to include 90s if needed and it can be mounted upside down with some ingenuity. Works to remove RFA, majano and tons of other nems. Just adjust pipe size to fit the size of the nem. You can even use PEX or large "slurppie" straws for small and really small nems lol.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/safe-and-easy-diy-way-to-remove-nems.861213/

 

[jakeb]

You can modify a nem cannon to include 90s if needed and it can be mounted upside down with some ingenuity. Works to remove RFA, majano and tons of other nems. Just adjust pipe size to fit the size of the nem. You can even use PEX or large "slurppie" straws for small and really small nems lol.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/safe-and-easy-diy-way-to-remove-nems.861213/

Oh cool, thanks. I didn't realise with would work for RFAs too.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Oh cool, thanks. I didn't realise with would work for RFAs too.

Any critter that is capable of moving, like either water flow or light, it works well. I even use it to remove mushrooms lol.

 

[Breezie]

So I just had to move my rock flower to a new tank and it was interesting trying to get it to release. Took about 3 days. First I removed him from the tank on his rock (was on a large rock). (Before I tried this, I tried ice, and power head pointed at it) I filled a bucket w/ salt water and first pointed a power head at it again to see if that did anything.... That didn't work. So I removed the rock, and flipped it over so the rock flower was upsidedown. I then put him back in the water after 30 min. Took 3 days, but he finally released.