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How to add new anemone


Bpb

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I've read up on this a bit on some other forums and the advice seems to be pretty varied. I've currently got a rock flower anemone. It's kinda small and mottled looking but has been a trooper through all my tank mistakes and such.

I'm getting a new RBTA tomorrow morning and I'm fairly nervous about adding it. I know they have a tendency to do this and that and that they like a mature tank. All that I understand. I'm mainly curious for a couple of you who have had alot of experience with these, to let me know your ideal acclimation and addition procedure. I imagine I'll have to move some corals around as it finds its home. The specimen is absolutely beautiful. I've seen it. It's got a dark dark purple base with very bright red tentacles. No bleaching or anything. Comes as a clone from a long healthy line of tank bred supposed "sherman" RBTA's (which if that is accurate, or just a claim, I don't care). I just know it's healthy. I'm picking it up tomorrow at noon so hopefully before then someone will be able to run down their procedure.

I was just gonna cut the lights and pumps. Gently encourage it to attach where I want it. Wait 15 minutes, turn on one powerhead. Wait 30 minutes turn on another. And just run two powerheads for a couple days. I'll also be waiting 4 hours after adding it before the lights come on, which will give me a shorter than typical photoperiod (not really worried about my other corals reacting to that). Sound like a plan? When should I try to feed also?

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they would prob do better in a mature tank but i have added them to my 1 week old tanks before in the past and they still do great. bubble tips are the more easier anemones to have 1

i'm not going to lie i float for 30 mins then through in the anemone this is just me and i do the same with coral once done dipping never have i lost a anemone due to the way i acclimate.

in the stores they just float then release.

your process will be fine the only thing is you need to know is that they can wonder for weeks before settling down and be careful they do not get into the pump. though it may survive if it does, i recommend you get some thing foam or something for your power head so the rbta does not get sucked in while roaming.

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Is my tank not mature enough? It was running for 5 years before I bought it and I've been running it for a year? I figured a 6 year old tank would be plenty mature enough. How old should it be?

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These guys are pretty much bulletproof, far more than most coral in my experience. If your tank is even 6 months old I can't imagine having any problem.

I do a bag float and then turkey baster method for about 30 minutes. I don't mess with the lights at all. Turn off all the pumps and place them where you want them. Pray they don't go cruising across some prized coral, but otherwise, that's it. Turn the pumps back on low about 30 minutes after adding, then back to normal after another half hour or so.

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Thanks for the tips. I don't know why I'm nervous about adding this guy. I really just don't want it to kill any of my sps, but as it stands, this specimen is bigger and better looking than any coral I have right now so wherever it decides to go will be an upgrade from whatever is there. I just hope I can move whatever it touches in time to save it

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The main reason they say to use a mature tank is because RBTA are sensitive to changes and mature systems have less than new systems.

I use the drip method for 30 minutes and then use the plastic container method for the first few days to make sure the animal is eating and the clowns have hosted properly.

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Posted this on my build thread but thought I'd share on here too. Got him added. He's moved about 6" lower but looks wonderful. He really glows. Hopefully he decides to stay put because I like where he's at now. Not bothering anyone. Went from quarter sized when I added the rock he was attatched to, to about 6" across now. Starting to get bubble tips too. Thanks for the advice yall

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I added a gbta to my last 55 gallon about 3 months post cycle. In the new tank, we have added a gbta and rbta along with two maxi mini carpets. The tanks is maybe a month old in combination with live rock and some water from the 34 gallon that was only 2 months old. Keep an eye on parms.

As far as acclimating, what I have had pretty good success with, is floating for 20-30 mins, then I'll drip acclimate for anywhere from 20 mins to an hour. Depending on how the anemone is reacting to the new water dripping in. When it comes time to add, I try to put them high up under lots of light and in decent flow. I have seen in the past how others will turn off lights and powerheads when adding them. That doesn't make since to me. If they find a spot where they are comfortable in low light/flow then you turn everything back on the way it will most likely stay, then it could upset them and make them want to move again. Besides this last rbta, I have been able to keep them happy in at least a 6 inch radius from where I have initially placed them. I find a well lit spot with some moderate flow, once he grips with the foot, blast some food at him to make him think he is in a good spot and he shouldn't move much after that. The rbta that has been moving has only done that because we keep turning the rock so he can be seen from the front of the display. But he seems to like in on the back side of this one rock and makes his way to the same general location every time.

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Thank you thank you. Any advice on when I can start feeding this guy? The clown already is trying to lay in it. Oh how quickly he betrayed his beloved toadstool.

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I would think start whenever you want. I usually give mine some food the second they attach their foot somewhere to help persuade them that they are in a good spot.

I feed mine whole krill once a week or so. The gbta gets a littler smaller piece than the rbta.

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Cool, I decided to feed this morning since I was feeding everything else. He got the same treatment as my rock flower nem. Thin slices of raw jumbo shrimp from the seafood counter at heb (thoroughally rinsed in rodi water) soaked in the cloudy water left over from the mysis shrimp that the lps corals get.He took it in very quickly.

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I would make sure to put sponges over your power heads. I've had my rbta for about 6 mths or so. Mine still moves about every 2 weeks or so. I've even seen it let go and get carried across the tank in the current...one time it ended up tentacles first in the sponge cover and avoided disaster.

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If you have vortechs, you can get them off the shelf. I don't think I've seen them for non vortech models. I definitely recommend using them for vortechs. I've lost several fish that got too close and stuck to a vortech.

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I have one vortech and use the cover on it. I also have a tunze wavebox and a Koralia opposite the vortech, both without covers. I'll need to gets some covers before I had my first bta which may be in a month or so.

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I definitely put mine at the bottom. If they have too much light, they're guaranteed to run. If they have too little, they typically try to tough it out and then slowly move if they have to.

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Well it's looking great still. Almost all bubbled up. It's tending to walk to the bottom in the back of the tank at night when the lights go out. Hiding for protection I assume, and it will wander out front when the lights come back on. Unfortunately to a different spot each time. Had to move my big finger leather today to avoid a war. The mushrooms seem to be immune to its stings

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