My RBTA won’t attach to anything

[sotsreef]

I got my RBTA 2 days ago. He was attached to a rock so I carefully removed him with an ice cube and turkey baster. I acclimated him for temp and ph for a reasonable amount of time before placing him into the tank. I used my anemone basket to float him near the top of the tank to kind of isolate him and try and get him destressed. His tentacles were fully out and looked very healthy. I tried to feed him some shrimp and he took it. But then regurgitated it 2 hours later. The following day I tried placing him in a tank so he would attach to a rock. He seemed to stay put for around an hour but then floated off. So I decided to place him back in the anemone basket because I assumed he was stressed out again. The following day(today) I tried this again. But he just floated off, so I placed him again and he seemed to stick but once my light turned off he shrunk to 1/4 of the size and started to float again. So now he is in the nem basket. I’m not sure if I’m doing the right thing so please help D:

First day after acclimation

Next day (extended and looking healthy)

Just tonight right after light went out

 

[noahreefer]

I would put it in a place of really low flow and just let it sit and it should eventually start to move or attatcu

 

[noahreefer]

Attatch*

 

[noahreefer]

Or put it in the nem box with a lot of rock rubble and let it sit

 

[sotsreef]

Or put it in the nem box with a lot of rock rubble and let it sit

Ok I’ll try this

 

[EmdeReef]

How old is your tank and are all params fine?
Any damage to the nem’s foot? It’s not attached in the basket? Does it respond to touch?

It’s normal for it to shrink when lights go down etc but in my experience healthy nems usually attach very quickly to something and then move around to find the right spot. I wouldn’t feed it until it’s in its spot and also avoid large chunks of food. Only larger nems can handle it.

 

[sotsreef]

How old is your tank and are all params fine?
Any damage to the nem’s foot? It’s not attached in the basket? Does it respond to touch?

It’s normal for it to shrink when lights go down etc but in my experience healthy nems usually attach very quickly to something and then move around to find the right spot. I wouldn’t feed it until it’s in its spot and also avoid large chunks of food. Only larger nems can handle it.

My tank is a 2 month old 8 gallon cube. There are no fish in the tank so the bioload is currently very low all I have is two small hermits. The nem was taken from an already established tank and was a baby that had split from the mother colony a few months prior. The temperature is usually almost always from 78.5-80. The salinity is stable at 1.025ppm and I have an ato setup which pumps in RODI water when the sensor is triggered. The nems foot does not seem to have any damage as I have checked it out a few times. Inside the basket it is not seeming to attach (at least not strongly). When I touch any of the tentacles or part of body it quickly retracts. I’m not sure what is up. I just added a flattish piece of rock to the nem box to see if it will stick to it tomorrow. Will keep you updated.

 

[EmdeReef]

I’d put it in the tank on a rock, you can lower the flow or point away. If the tank params are ok and it’s healthy it will attach and seek a good spot for itself. That may take up to a few hours. Keeping in the basket with rocks is fine too but ideally you want to minimize handling it.

 

[sotsreef]

Ok, what if it floats off and flips upside down on the sand. Should I try and help it or let it fend for itself.

 

[sotsreef]

I’d put it in the tank on a rock, you can lower the flow or point away. If the tank params are ok and it’s healthy it will attach and seek a good spot for itself. That may take up to a few hours. Keeping in the basket with rocks is fine too but ideally you want to minimize handling it.

Ok, what if it floats off and flips upside down on the sand. Should I try and help it or let it fend for itself.

 

[EmdeReef]

You can just turn off all pumps for a while, place on a rock, observe and see if it starts moving. It really shouldn’t flip on its own without any flow in the tank. Basically give it some time to settle in.

It should start moving shortly after being placed but even if you have to keep the pumps off for an hour won’t cause issues.

 

[sotsreef]

You can just turn off all pumps for a while, place on a rock, observe and see if it starts moving. It really shouldn’t flip on its own without any flow in the tank. Basically give it some time to settle in.

It should start moving shortly after being placed but even if you have to keep the pumps off for an hour won’t cause issues.

Ok thanks, I’ll let you know how it’s doing tomorrow!

 

[NanoCrazed]

For the rock, get a piece with lots of nooks and crannies. Turn off the pumps and place the nem on the rock with full lights on.

Keep the pump off for about 20 to 30 mins. If the new is healthy, it'll attach within minutes and will start looking for a happier spot of it needs it.

I've introduce about 5 nems in the last month and this has worked well for me. Key is giving them anchor points and cave like spots...

 

[potatocouch]

Ok, what if it floats off and flips upside down on the sand.

@YogiReef this what happened to me 2 days ago .. very similar story where it attached to a rock and then when the light turn actinic and close to completely out, then it will detached and float .. make sure you cover the wavemaker at this point.

some do say that it doesn't normally float; when it attached, it should only walk .. but I don't find this is always the case. In my case and yours, it detached and floats LOL.

andddddd what happened .. is what you wrote .. upside down .. on the sand substrate ..... I was under the impression that it can fix itself .. but I had my concern whether it can ...
so left it for 2 hours give or take .. and it still there upside down ... this was at dawn (light was completely out) .. perhaps this is the reason .. as it is not expanded .. but I could be wrong .. this is all a guess.
then I pulled my sleeve and helped the guy out .. attach it to a rock nearby where it was for the past 2 hours .. then of course it attached quite quickly .. but then the question will it stay for long ..
for now .. it did .. 1 full day yesterday and it was still like this ... but who knows what is going to happen tonight when I get home ...
a mind of their own ...
surrounded by its close relatives .. the red morphs.