Removing a nem? How to?

[AJL]

I have a bubble tip nem that has out grown my tank.

Is there a safe way to remove him and release the foot? so that i can move him on to bigger surroundings.

Any advice appreciated!

[SCOOB]

either place a new rock near him and hope he moves onto this and move him with the rock.

or putting on non talc rubber gloves, lightly tickle the edge of the foot being very very careful not to tear it or distress the animal too much. after about 10 minutes it should come off.

or, i have read about lightly rubbing the edge of the foot with an ice cube, i'm sure it works but how ethical it is i don't know, never tried it.

[instantsquid]

I'd be inclined to move it on the rock it is attached to. But if this is absolutely not possible, you will have to try to get it to release it's foot - and if it's a BTA there's a high probability this will be hidden away in the rocks!
Changing the flow and or lighting might persuade it to move from where it is.
I spent several hours removing mine when it decided to make it's home right on my closed loop intakes. As soon as I got the foot to lift in one place, it'd re-attach somewhere else! I was at my wits end at one point, but perseverance paid off and I did manage to release it without damaging the foot.

I still say moving the rock it's on is the best way :)

- Ian

[AJL]

Umm!

Its sitting under about 45KG of my rock structure so i really dont want to remove the rock as its right at the bottom of the tank..

I may have to just keep him till i upgrade next year if all else fails as i dont want to cause any damage..

[wayne g]

or, i have read about lightly rubbing the edge of the foot with an ice cube, i'm sure it works but how ethical it is i don't know, never tried it.


i wrote about that a while back scoob and i've done this twice with no adverse effects on two diferent nem's...a bubble tip and a carpet.

i didn't touch the area for more than a second at a time though and i had the ice cube in a food safe bag to protect the nem from being 'burnt'....it was just enough to irritate the nem into moving/releasing from the rock.
:)

[Mikey]

Wayne, good point - you should alway cover the ice cube and never apply it directly.

[sharemaster]

I heard that pointing a powerhead at the foot can get them to release don't know how true this is?

[angelfishman]

as already stated point a powerhead at the anemone for a few minutes,this worked for me.the only other way is to gently try and prise the foot off the rock being very careful not to tear it.derek

[deadfish]

Tickle it's foot, again carefully, with patience you should be able to get him to leave the surface he's on, worked for me just fine! good luck

[arrows]

most anemones find a place thats right for them and stay there, if your not able to get to the foot, make this place not the perfect place, either move powerheads or block light, i blocked the light on one of mine and it moved, you never know it may move to a place where you can get to the foot.

[mark-c-]

i wrote about that a while back scoob and i've done this twice with no adverse effects on two diferent nem's...a bubble tip and a carpet.

i didn't touch the area for more than a second at a time though and i had the ice cube in a food safe bag to protect the nem from being 'burnt'....it was just enough to irritate the nem into moving/releasing from the rock.
:)

an ice pole works too :) same method as above and all well when i had to move 1