skarz Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 So I picked up this sebae anemone from my LFS about three days ago and so far he hasn't really attached to anything. I had my circulation fan and return pump off for 24 hours so the current wouldn't blow him around but he did not attach in that time. I've tried placing him on the sand and also on rock and he still won't stick. His mouth is closed from what I can tell and his 'foot' is very sticky. I came home today after being at work for 30 hours (military, long story) and found him in the corner. Not sure if he moved there or was blown by current. What should I do at this point? I've read it's bad to continually move them around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorge Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 It's normal. Male sebaes roam around a lot more.. It'll attach when it gets comfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skarz Posted September 1, 2016 Author Share Posted September 1, 2016 What kind of indications should I look for to tell if he's unhappy? Also I don't actually know if it's a he or not, I was just calling it that lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisQ Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 What kind of indications should I look for to tell if he's unhappy? Also I don't actually know if it's a he or not, I was just calling it that lol. IME Shriveling up and not inflating, gaping mouth (sometimes looks to be folding inside out) and ultimately near the end appearing to be melting away (losing tissue and/or dropping tentacles) at that point remove from tank ASAP In the long run you may run into problems keeping nems happy with your current lighting setup, that seems to be the consensus anyway. But i myself have never used your setup before. Good luck, i hope he settles in soon for ya! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisQ Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 (edited) IME Shriveling up and not inflating, gaping mouth (sometimes looks to be folding inside out) and ultimately near the end appearing to be melting away (losing tissue and/or dropping tentacles) at that point remove from tank ASAP Dropping a tentacle here or there wouldn't bother me as much as losing tissue, the loss of tissue will be a sure sign to remove. Losing a few tentacles and very small new ones replacing them could also be a sign of an imminent split. In the long run you may run into problems keeping nems happy with your current lighting setup, that seems to be the consensus anyway. But i myself have never used your setup before. Good luck, i hope he settles in soon for ya! LOL! i messed up my edit Edited September 1, 2016 by ChrisQ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exodus Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 How long has your tank been set up for? After 3 Days and hasn't found a place to attach is not that excellent of a sign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skarz Posted September 1, 2016 Author Share Posted September 1, 2016 My tank has been set up since May. The parameters have been very stable for quite some time and all of my other corals are growing nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcanLord Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 I had a Seabae that was similar to this. It attached itself after a few hours but it was a very weak attachment. After a couple days it was just laying there like yours. Then it started to turn inside out and die. The coral beauty started to pick at it so I took it out. A lot of people have told me to avoid them because they move a lot and are finicky. The low price is attractive but there's a reason they're half the price of a GBTA, because they're half the fun and twice the worry. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skarz Posted September 1, 2016 Author Share Posted September 1, 2016 I paid I think $50 for this one when the RBTA was $35. It was smaller though. Would you guys recommend a RBTA instead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skarz Posted September 1, 2016 Author Share Posted September 1, 2016 Here's a better pic for you guys... I dug down a little and nestled him in there against the rock. So far he's stayed put. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exodus Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 So not all that established then, I would keep an eye out for the signs ChrisQ mentioned but maybe you will get lucky and it will finally settle down. Stable parameters are great but only part of the Equation in reefing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheClark Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 Pretty nem, and by the looks of the live rock you have your nutrients well managed, best of luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youcallmenny Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 He looks pretty happy imo. I tried a sebae early on in my tank and when it crawled under a rock and died it took a few fish with it. It never poofed up like that. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorge Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 Looks healthy in the last picture and took front and center!! Looks like it's gonna be alright:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skarz Posted September 3, 2016 Author Share Posted September 3, 2016 Hey everyone. So I woke up today around 6am for work and noticed that the anemone had flipper over and was stuck under some rock. I'm not sure if it got carried away by current or tried to move and there was a mishap. Either way I returned him to his original spot and left for work. I got home around 5:15pm and it looks as if the nem may have attached. As you can see, the currently is 'lifting' him up but he is staying in place. Also hard to see in the pic but it does look like the foot may be stuck to the rock. Also does anyone know what that orange thing is on the nem? Looks like there might be something crusty around it. Too hard to get a clear photo up close unfortunately. I tried feeding the nem some mysis shrimp last night but I don't think it accepted it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisQ Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 Leave him be as much as possible, especially if he is attempting a foot hold. One thing to firmly understand is nems have a mind of their own so to speak and the ability to move around to suit their needs. Very different than corals that have a skeletal structure that depend on you to place them in the right location to suit their lighting and flow needs along with being able to capture food. The stuff you see being ejected from the mouth is commonly seen with feeding nems as they don't require much feeding, they are mostly reliant on photosynthesis. They will take in meaty foods but then sometimes eject 80%? of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skarz Posted September 4, 2016 Author Share Posted September 4, 2016 I have the Orbit Marine Pro from Current USA, currently have blue channel set to 60% intensity and white channel to 40% intensity. My SG is 1.026.I'm going to contact the LFS on Tuesday to see if he'll take him back - yet again today I came back home to find the 'nem stuck under some rock, completely upside down. Not sure if current carried him away or if he tried to move or what happened. I'm worried that this $50 investment is about to go down the drain, literally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skarz Posted September 5, 2016 Author Share Posted September 5, 2016 So, the sebae anemone saga continues. Two times now he's been flipped over and stuck under rock so I continued to play with the powerheads and finally found a spot where I'm confident he's latched on. It's not the most ideal place, but I just want him to be happy and to regenerate to zooanthellae. This is the most 'open' I've seen him in the last 24 hours. Sorry for the algae, it looks MUCH worse in this photo then it does in real life haha. *nervous laugh* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 If you can, get a strainer or one of those black aquaponics pots. Add some rock rubble or a piece of rock and then him, see if you can get him to settle that way. Once he's attached and more stable you can try to place him again. In my opinion a lot of nems are lost in the beginning because they are free floating and we keep trying to put them back. Touching and messing with them as well as coming into contact with corals and rocks can damage them to the point of decline. Good luck. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skarz Posted September 8, 2016 Author Share Posted September 8, 2016 So my 'nem has made itself comfortable in the BACK of my tank... Aka not visible from the front. It looks like his foot is attached to the rock and for the most part he is staying open. Unfortunately I will not be able to feed him where is at so hopefully he will move soon. Should I move him or leave him be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 Leave him be, they need some shade and peace to recoup. He will crawl where he wants anyway, moving anemone's is pointless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skarz Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 (edited) I think he may be dying. He tried to crawl up the side of the rock and ended up falling down, landing upside down. I righted him to help him and the next day tried to feed him and he didn't take the food. Also it looks like some of his tentacles may be deflated. I feel like a failure and I'm also pissed for buying a dying anemone. Edited September 10, 2016 by skarz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youcallmenny Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 You didn't fail and it likely wasn't dying. We just all weren't kidding when we said we've all killed at least one of these before we learned our lesson. They are notoriously difficult to get settled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skarz Posted September 17, 2016 Author Share Posted September 17, 2016 Pretty sure the 'nem is dying. He only opens up at night and then during the day he looks deflated and closed up like this. He won't accept meaty food either. Just waiting for him to die fully so I can remove him and move on... ;'( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxicurls Posted September 17, 2016 Share Posted September 17, 2016 Not sure it's dead, but... You wouldn't be the first to have one of these die without ever fully acclimating. If this should go that way & you decide you want another sebae, one thing to be careful & avoid with those is any that look really white. Healthy photosynthetic anemones are not white. When they look like that, it's because they have lost their zooxanthellae & are very stressed. It's probably possible to bring them back from that state, but it's no sure thing. I think I saw that Bob Fenner mention once something about force feeding them to try to bring them back from that state. It's hard for them to recover from transplant & shipping stress when they have no symbiotic algae left to generate energy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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