Ritteri anemone

[Oscar72]

I have a Ritteri Anemone with two clowns that host in it. Ive had it for about 9 months with no issues with it staying high on the rock work mostly in one spot. It would move 3" to either side by not much more. Every once in awhile it would drop to the bottom, Id pick it back up and place in the same place and life would go on. However, this time it just keeps drop, floating to the bottom back. The clown fish follow where every it goes. Ive not made any changes. This normal just going through some kind of phase? It seem a little deflated but has good color and looks healthy. Have flow back there and have good lighting so I guess it will be fine, but he just doesnt seem to like it (always moving). Any one have any thoughts?

Thanks

 

[davocean]

I have a Ritteri Anemone with two clowns that host in it. Ive had it for about 9 months with no issues with it staying high on the rock work mostly in one spot. It would move 3" to either side by not much more. Every once in awhile it would drop to the bottom, Id pick it back up and place in the same place and life would go on. However, this time it just keeps drop, floating to the bottom back. The clown fish follow where every it goes. Ive not made any changes. This normal just going through some kind of phase? It seem a little deflated but has good color and looks healthy. Have flow back there and have good lighting so I guess it will be fine, but he just doesnt seem to like it (always moving). Any one have any thoughts?

Thanks

Post pics for best advice, but off top of my head I wonder if the rock you have it on is smooth enough, they prefer a smooth rock to anchor too.

 

[Oscar72]

Post pics for best advice, but off top of my head I wonder if the rock you have it on is smooth enough, they prefer a smooth rock to anchor too.

Here are a few pics.
first one is where it was for several months

 

[shred5]

You said floating so it detached?

Sometimes this is bad if the anemone is weak but some anemones will detach to float to another spot if not happy.
H. Magnificas move more than any other anemone. They like to sit on the glass allot...
Like Davocean said they prefer a smooth surface.

They are to me one of the hardest anemones to keep.
They usually are collected poorly, their foot will rip easily, they are prone to bacteria infections.

 

[D-Nak]

I know we always ask this, but what are your water parameters? IME mags don't like dirty water, unlike other nems that don't seem to mind. When water conditions get out of whack, they start to wander. I think it's also rare for mags to completely detach and float away (common for BTAs, not so much for mags). I have one that moves around its island but never detaches.

I also agree with davocean that your rocks may not be flat enough. My DT that has the mag is comprised of Pukani rock, but I had to use a Fiji rock that's flatter for the mag. They like to spread out their foot as much as possible -- which I like to describe as looking like a fried egg -- and if they aren't able to, they keep moving around.

 

[Oscar72]

Yes, it will drop off, but moves itself across the bottom. I'll have to test the water, but other hard to keep coral are doing well. Thou it spent a long time atop that rock.

 

[davocean]

I know we always ask this, but what are your water parameters? IME mags don't like dirty water, unlike other nems that don't seem to mind. When water conditions get out of whack, they start to wander. I think it's also rare for mags to completely detach and float away (common for BTAs, not so much for mags). I have one that moves around its island but never detaches.

I also agree with davocean that your rocks may not be flat enough. My DT that has the mag is comprised of Pukani rock, but I had to use a Fiji rock that's flatter for the mag. They like to spread out their foot as much as possible -- which I like to describe as looking like a fried egg -- and if they aren't able to, they keep moving around.

Completely agree w/ this, and add they usually stay put when given proper conditions, not known for wandering at all.

Also I think they really are not hard to keep once you get past initial introduction, getting a healthy one or past the typical treatment needed is usually the only real challenge to keeping these really, once you get past that issue, I think they are actually easy to keep.

If it stayed put as long as it did, I would try same location, but a smoother rock, and agree stay on top of quality water and stable params.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Curious what lighting you have? My H. magnifica would go on the move sometimes when I needed to change the bulb in my Metal Halide fixture. Do you have T5s or MH? Are the bulbs due to change?