Rock nems never move?

[ahiggins]

Story time
I’ve had rock nems for probably the last 6 years or so, and I’ve always been in camp “they don’t move other than to get situated”. Well, I’m eating my words today big red moved after about a year of staying in the same spot. I’ve been thinking it’s going to happen because he’s been puffy and extended the past 2 months. Nothing wrong with him, just not “normal”.
So I get home today and realized he outgrew his spot and is on the move! The last two weeks he’s been best buds with the new anemone crab so maybe that gave him the extra push? I think he’s heading for the hole to the right of him. You can see his old spot where his mucous layer is.

We have all had those moments, today was mine

 

[Peace River]

Interesting! @Ron Reefman - what is your experience with the mobility of RFAs?

 

[reef lover]

They can and will move if they feel the need...just had one that was almost encased in blue ridge coral...hed had enough and finally moved.

 

[bsn_rn_cen]

I had one get super mobile when it rode a snail around the tank.

 

[Katrina71]

I have found the smaller ones in my tank move away from the larger ones. Maybe competition for food? Maybe sexual maturity?

 

[The Aquatic Arsenal]

Typically they will stay put, but they will move around if they feel there is a reason to.

 

[Terri Caton]

Some of mine stay put. Some rome. Guess some just like travel and see their world.

 

[ahiggins]

Some of mine stay put. Some rome. Guess some just like travel and see their world.

Great, I have an outgoing unruly teenager nem

 

[Ron Reefman]

Interesting! @Ron Reefman - what is your experience with the mobility of RFAs?

Interesting question @Peace River.

I think all of the above is true to one extent or another. They can and do move.

However, given a proper placement, they are VERY inclined to stay put. Placed on a rock, even with a good hole for the foot, they are much more likely to move than if they can attach their foot to a rock just below the level of the sand and keep their head up above the sand. In pvc end caps, placed in the sand, they are very unlikely to move. I have babies that have attached to the outside of a pvc end cap and under the umbrella of one of the parents and still haven't moved. Now that I've moved them to a holding tank while I set up a new tank, they have all moved! But the ones that have been inside pvc end caps long term already have stayed in place for the week they have been in the holding tank (no sand).

BTW, when I was moving them from the DT to the holding tank I had an older baby that was just in the sand. The head was just on the surface and the stalk/trunk/stem of the nem stretched 3" and had it's foot firmly attached to the bottom glass!

 

[ahiggins]

Interesting question @Peace River.

I think all of the above is true to one extent or another. They can and do move.

However, given a proper placement, they are VERY inclined to stay put. Placed on a rock, even with a good hole for the foot, they are much more likely to move than if they can attach their foot to a rock just below the level of the sand and keep their head up above the sand. In pvc end caps, placed in the sand, they are very unlikely to move. I have babies that have attached to the outside of a pvc end cap and under the umbrella of one of the parents and still haven't moved. Now that I've moved them to a holding tank while I set up a new tank, they have all moved! But the ones that have been inside pvc end caps long term already have stayed in place for the week they have been in the holding tank (no sand).

BTW, when I was moving them from the DT to the holding tank I had an older baby that was just in the sand. The head was just on the surface and the stalk/trunk/stem of the nem stretched 3" and had it's foot firmly attached to the bottom glass!

I’ve had those that stay put in sand and rocks (as long as they can firmly plant inside the rock a few inches). I’ve also had some come out of the sand to plant on a rock lol I just thought it was a funny story that after so many years of no one moving after getting settled, I came to the conclusion they just sit there....till big red came along, smashing stereotypes

 

[ahiggins]

As of last night, he’s still making a “run” for the hole to the right

 

[Ron Reefman]

I’ve had those that stay put in sand and rocks (as long as they can firmly plant inside the rock a few inches). I’ve also had some come out of the sand to plant on a rock lol I just thought it was a funny story that after so many years of no one moving after getting settled, I came to the conclusion they just sit there....till big red came along, smashing stereotypes

There are very few absolutes in this hobby, and anemones can really rock the boat at times.

Your RFA looks very happy and healthy. Is that a porcelain crab moving with the RFA so keep safe underneath? Very cool. I occasionally get to collect young porcelain crabs along the beach when a cool front goes through and we get a strong northwest wind. That only happens 3 to 5 times a year this far south. The wave wash soft orange sponges onto the beach and the young porcelain crabs and sometimes pistol shrimp live inside the sponge. On Sanibel Island in the dry season (winter to those up north) 99.99% of the people on the beach are looking for nice shells. I look for sponges to open up and save some wildlife for likely death waiting for the next tide.

 

[ahiggins]

There are very few absolutes in this hobby, and anemones can really rock the boat at times.

Your RFA looks very happy and healthy. Is that a porcelain crab moving with the RFA so keep safe underneath? Very cool. I occasionally get to collect young porcelain crabs along the beach when a cool front goes through and we get a strong northwest wind. That only happens 3 to 5 times a year this far south. The wave wash soft orange sponges onto the beach and the young porcelain crabs and sometimes pistol shrimp live inside the sponge. On Sanibel Island in the dry season (winter to those up north) 99.99% of the people on the beach are looking for nice shells. I look for sponges to open up and save some wildlife for likely death waiting for the next tide.

Thank you! I try to keep them super happy so they give me babies. Him and pinky have already started “spreading their seed”. Oh and that’s crabbo, his bff. Never leaves, even if it means he’s upside down.
I’m definitely a shell searcher on the beach (mostly North Carolina though). Never actually been to Florida. Would love to see the reef out there. They actually live inside the sponge?

If anyone would like an update, he’s back to the exact same spot he moved from

On another topic, I have a new angsty teen attached to the underside of a rock and reaching up. He was just put in today so I imagine he will be moving again soon.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Thank you!
I’m definitely a shell searcher on the beach (mostly North Carolina though). Never actually been to Florida. Would love to see the reef out there. They actually live inside the sponge?

Then I have two offers. If you ever come to SW Florida (Ft Myers, Cape Coral, Naples...) let me know and we can do a beach walk together. I volunteer for the Bailey Matthews National Shell Museum out on Sanibel. We walk the beach and help anybody who is willing to ask questions. We wear blue shirts that on the back in big yellow letters say, "I KNOW SHELLS. ASK ME". It's great fun and I get to meet people from all over the USA and even a lot of other countries.

And if you ever go to the Florida Keys, let me know. We love to snorkel there. We (my wife and I) go there 3 to 5 times a year for 3 to 5 day trips. We've found some really nice places to snorkel right off the beach! And see some very cool things. Check out this thread here at R2R:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/snorkeling-collecting-discussion-group.412414/

And the answer is yes, the porcelain crabs, pistol shrimp and serpent stars all live INSIDE these sponges. And it's not all sponges, just a species of semi-soft orange sponge. And it only washes up on the beach after stormy cold fronts go through (waves and wind direction issues). But down here we only get a handful of cold fronts that make it this far south and only 1 in 3 or 4 is strong enough to wash up good stuff! So it's kind of a rare event. And you have to be on the beach the very next morning after the front, when it's usually quite cold (by SW Florida standards) and windy but sunny. Otherwise they either wash out with the next high tide or more likely the sponges dry out and everything inside dies by mid afternoon. BTW, there are photos about this in that same thread linked above.

Just as a sample of stuff we find literally ON the beach (not even in the shallow water).

Shells:

an anemone:

A baby sea hare:

Even a small octopus:

 

[ahiggins]

Then I have two offers. If you ever come to SW Florida (Ft Myers, Cape Coral, Naples...) let me know and we can do a beach walk together. I volunteer for the Bailey Matthews National Shell Museum out on Sanibel. We walk the beach and help anybody who is willing to ask questions. We wear blue shirts that on the back in big yellow letters say, "I KNOW SHELLS. ASK ME". It's great fun and I get to meet people from all over the USA and even a lot of other countries.

And if you ever go to the Florida Keys, let me know. We love to snorkel there. We (my wife and I) go there 3 to 5 times a year for 3 to 5 day trips. We've found some really nice places to snorkel right off the beach! And see some very cool things. Check out this thread here at R2R:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/snorkeling-collecting-discussion-group.412414/

And the answer is yes, the porcelain crabs, pistol shrimp and serpent stars all live INSIDE these sponges. And it's not all sponges, just a species of semi-soft orange sponge. And it only washes up on the beach after stormy cold fronts go through (waves and wind direction issues). But down here we only get a handful of cold fronts that make it this far south and only 1 in 3 or 4 is strong enough to wash up good stuff! So it's kind of a rare event. And you have to be on the beach the very next morning after the front, when it's usually quite cold (by SW Florida standards) and windy but sunny. Otherwise they either wash out with the next high tide or more likely the sponges dry out and everything inside dies by mid afternoon. BTW, there are photos about this in that same thread linked above.

Just as a sample of stuff we find literally ON the beach (not even in the shallow water).

Shells:

an anemone:

A baby sea hare:

Even a small octopus:

That’s super amazing and very generous offer I’ll definitely take you up on that when we plan our next vacation lol

 

[Ron Reefman]

That’s super amazing and very generous offer I’ll definitely take you up on that when we plan our next vacation lol

Always willing to help people who want to visit SW Florida or the Keys. ESPECIALLY if you want to snorkel.

I helped a local Florida aquarium club with snorkeling and it worked out great. They had big plans that fell through. We were going to met up in the afternoon to snorkel together. But there huge pontoon boat rental wasn't available, so I got them to a spot where we could all snorkel (or even scuba dive 40' down) from shore. We stayed there all day!

 

[ahiggins]

Always willing to help people who want to visit SW Florida or the Keys. ESPECIALLY if you want to snorkel.

I helped a local Florida aquarium club with snorkeling and it worked out great. They had big plans that fell through. We were going to met up in the afternoon to snorkel together. But there huge pontoon boat rental wasn't available, so I got them to a spot where we could all snorkel (or even scuba dive 40' down) from shore. We stayed there all day!

That’s amazing lol
Would I need any training for snorkeling? It’s only scuba that people need right?

 

[Ron Reefman]

Yup. Snorkeling is easy. As long as you aren't afraid of putting your face in the water, or are not abnormally afraid of sharks! I know a guy who moved here from up north and is so afraid of sharks he won't even go in the water with his kids! Now that's abnormal! State Parks like Bahia Honda even rent snorkel gear cheap. To scuba dive you need classes and to pass 2 tests to get certified (in the USA). Some countries do allow resorts to do a quick swim test and pool test and will take you on a shallow dive (30') with a dive master.

The big reef is 5 miles off shore and there are lots of charters that will rent you a snorkel, mask, fins and snorkel vest (for extra buoyancy). They usually do one 90 minute session or two 30-45 minutes sessions at 2 different sites. It's big coral, big fish and water that goes from very shallow to 20 feet deep. But you can't touch ANYTHING as it's protected reef.

We snorkel off the beach where it's always shallow water (zero to 10 feet). At the state parks it's still protected from collecting, but not from touching. So it's OK to lift a rock and find sea stars, sea cucumbers, emerald crabs, fire worms and more under them.

We also go off beaches that aren't state parks and we can even collect some animals. But even that is tightly controlled and enforced by FWC rangers. And getting caught with something illegal or more of something than is legal will get you a big fine! Like $500 to $1000 for one stony coral. But we collect some zoas, serpent stars, snails, gorgonians, emerald crabs and more.

And even snorkeling off a popular beach in 2 to 3 feet of water we've seen small sharks, rays, squid and even moray eels!

Things we collected and took home for our aquarium last summer. My absolute favorite serpent star!

A basic, mostly white Rock Flower Anemone. The really nice colorful ones are all 30 feet deep and out at reefs.

And an assortment of odds and ends, a clam, 2 emerald crabs, 3 limpets, a snail and a calcareous algae called a mermaid's shaving brush.

 

[ahiggins]

This is amazing, I’ve already text my hubby that we are planning our next vacation here lol when’s the best time to come?

 

[Ron Reefman]

This is amazing, I’ve already text my hubby that we are planning our next vacation here lol when’s the best time to come?

As early in the summer as you can. We visit the Keys in late May, June and July almost every year. The water is warming up by May and afternoon thunderstorms are just getting started in early July. Hurricane potential is still quite low. By late July and thru August and September the water is toasty warm and everything underwater is on full display. It's a wonderful time to snorkel. But then afternoon thunderstorms are almost a daily feature and hurricane possibilities are at their peak potential.

If you don't mind me asking, what part of the country are you living in now? I ask because my wife and I have taken 3 serious vacations in the last 13 months. And as thin blooded Floridians, we when places that were cold. The opposite of what you might be doing by going to the Keys in June!

Albuquerque in September was chilly (upper 30s) at sunrise for watching the Balloon Fiesta. Churchill, Manitoba was 37 degrees below zero at 11pm to watch the Aurora Borealis (northern lights). And we just got back from Moab, Utah were we were out before sunrise 4 mornings in a row to get quality photos of arches and canyons and when I took this one, about 30 minutes after sunrise, it was 11 degrees (see the apparel in the 2nd photo).

Shortly after sunrise, for about an hour, the rising sun (behind the arch) reflects of the red rocks at the base of the 300 foot cliff just through the arch and the underside of the arch glows almost a fluorescent orange due to indirect sunlight. It was an amazing site. I've since talked to 3 people who have been to Mesa Arch and they had no idea this was possible as they saw it in the afternoon.

On nice days 200 to 300 people gather here to take sunrise photos. It's hard to get a photo of the arch without people in the picture. But do it on a morning that it's 11 degrees outside and it cuts the crowd down to about 50 people (about 25 in this photo) And 16 of this 50 were our travel group and 3 professional photographers we had as instructor/guides. ;Happy