Removing Carpet Anemone from Rock

freemchr · 10/03/2007, 01:52 AM

Hi Guys,

I have a carpet anemone which i want to remove from the tank due to it already having claimed 3 victims (fish). What is the best way to remove the carpet anemone? It is stuck on a 22 pound rock.

Thanks in advance

Chris

der_wille_zur_macht · 10/03/2007, 06:10 AM

1) Set aside at least a few hours (no, really!)

2) Get some elbow-length gloves (ditto!)

3) Get a small, weak powerhead with a VERY well protected intake (really fine screen, mesh, or foam over the intake)

4) Using the powerhead, blow the anemone from the side near the base to expose the foot. Keep one hand on the powerhead directing flow against the base in this manner - it will help loosen the anemone's foothold and also keep the rest of the animal blown out of your way.

5) Using your free hand, GENTLY pry at the anemone's foot, right where it meets the rockwork. The idea here is to coax the anemone to slowly let go, NOT to actually pull it off the rock yourself, which will surely damage the animal.

Move slowly, and continue working until it is free. Once you have a third or half of the foot free, it starts to go a lot quicker. Still, this can take 10 minutes or up to an hour or two, depending on how firmly the anemone wants to stay put!

Do not, under any circumstances, attempt this bare handed. Even if you have the thickest skin in the world and are somehow immune to the anemone's stings, firing all those nematocysts is very stressful to the animal and can release chemicals into your aquarium that will freak out other livestock as well. The anemone won't fire nematocysts in response to being handled through a glove, so it's the safest way for everyone involved. The powerhead isn't absolutely required, but it is nice to have some directional flow across the animal as you're trying to remove it, to keep it blown in one direction and hence keep the foot exposed.

kuoka · 10/03/2007, 10:27 AM

Very good advice. As for the powerhead, I'd think it would help because anemone's don't like strong currents so it would try to move on its own anyway.

racrumrine · 10/03/2007, 06:14 PM

Running an icecube around the base is also a good way to start to get them to peel off. Once, they start you can usually slip a finger underneath and gently pry them off.

Best of luck,

Roy

10/03/2007, 01:52 AM	#1
freemchr Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: SYDNEY Australia Posts: 68	Removing Carpet Anemone from Rock Hi Guys, I have a carpet anemone which i want to remove from the tank due to it already having claimed 3 victims (fish). What is the best way to remove the carpet anemone? It is stuck on a 22 pound rock. Thanks in advance Chris

10/03/2007, 06:10 AM	#2
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,749	1) Set aside at least a few hours (no, really!) 2) Get some elbow-length gloves (ditto!) 3) Get a small, weak powerhead with a VERY well protected intake (really fine screen, mesh, or foam over the intake) 4) Using the powerhead, blow the anemone from the side near the base to expose the foot. Keep one hand on the powerhead directing flow against the base in this manner - it will help loosen the anemone's foothold and also keep the rest of the animal blown out of your way. 5) Using your free hand, GENTLY pry at the anemone's foot, right where it meets the rockwork. The idea here is to coax the anemone to slowly let go, NOT to actually pull it off the rock yourself, which will surely damage the animal. Move slowly, and continue working until it is free. Once you have a third or half of the foot free, it starts to go a lot quicker. Still, this can take 10 minutes or up to an hour or two, depending on how firmly the anemone wants to stay put! Do not, under any circumstances, attempt this bare handed. Even if you have the thickest skin in the world and are somehow immune to the anemone's stings, firing all those nematocysts is very stressful to the animal and can release chemicals into your aquarium that will freak out other livestock as well. The anemone won't fire nematocysts in response to being handled through a glove, so it's the safest way for everyone involved. The powerhead isn't absolutely required, but it is nice to have some directional flow across the animal as you're trying to remove it, to keep it blown in one direction and hence keep the foot exposed. __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)

10/03/2007, 10:27 AM	#3
kuoka Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NorCal Cali Posts: 713	Very good advice. As for the powerhead, I'd think it would help because anemone's don't like strong currents so it would try to move on its own anyway. __________________ They say don't talk about someone unless you've walked a mile in their shoes.. But if you do, at least you'll be ahead of them AND have their shoes! :) Current Tank Info: 72gal glass bow front reef, mostly LPS with some SPS, tangs, anthias, blenny, paired percula clowns, gold headed sleeper goby, red fairy wrasse

10/03/2007, 06:14 PM	#4
racrumrine Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: San Francisco Posts: 2,290	Running an icecube around the base is also a good way to start to get them to peel off. Once, they start you can usually slip a finger underneath and gently pry them off. Best of luck, Roy