BTA stuck itself down under - UPDATE

[SeahorseGuyetGal]

Got home last night and found him no longer "under the rock".  The little bugger found a hole to slurm into and has totally hidden itself in there. I turned the rock over and hope it will start to peek out.  At least I can get food into the hole and have it hopefully eat.



Got a pretty pink BTA that I placed in what I thought would be a good spot. It decided it unstick itself in the middle of the night and tumble/slurm its way into a crevice under the main piece of LR.  I've been trying to get him out but no go doing so by hand. I am trying now with a nano powerhead and still no unhinging.  I have another BTA attached topside of the rock so I can't just flip the rock. 

Any other suggestions?   

I am concerned that w/o much light or the ability for me to give it some food that it will got caputs on me (hoping that he'll get unhinged before then!)

[Snowgrrl83]

How long have you had it for?  It might move again tonight if it thinks it doesnt have enough light.  Give it a few days.  I'd be surprised if it would starve itself to death.  Most living things that are mobile will move if they are starving and don't usually comit suicide.  The only downside is that if it decides that it like that area and that it gets enough light, it will simply stay there and you won't necessarily be able to see it if its on the backside of your tank.

[RossW]

Nem's have a way of finding a place where THEY are happy.  I have been fortunate with mine, mostly

[Bob P]

Fear not, mine was attatched to the back of the bottom row
of live rock for a year or so. You will be surprised how far they
can extend themselves. During the day, mine resembles a huge
toadstool coral, reaching out into the open. Finally to get it out
to trade, I had to chisel some l.r.  cause he would not let go.
Now it's in my nano, crawling all over looking for a new home.
I'll probably sell it with the rock it's on. It will be easier.

[RoxyDog]

I would say you should just leave it.  If it's pink, it might be bleached and not used to how much light you're giving it.  I bought a pink one on boxing day and it hid in an impossible to reach place and received almost no light at all.  I figured it was a gonner for sure.  But it came out the end of last month (so it hid for 4 months straight) and now has found a nice place to bask in the light.  If yours is decently healthy now, it will decide when it's ready to join the party.  

[RossW]

Is it still pink?

(so it hid for 4 months straight) and now has found a nice place to bask in the light.

[SeahorseGuyetGal]

Okay.  So this eve I'll take away the powerhead that's on it and see what it does.  It is a healthy speciment and fairly large too. I've had him in the tank less than a week.  Maybe I can shift the rock a bit to expose it to a little more light.  

As long as no harm comes to it then I  won't worry.  I can still see it pretty well when the tentacles are extended  

[SeahorseGuyetGal]

Is it still pink?

Yep.  Very similar to:

http://www.reefhotspot.com/store/images/large/lbubbletipanemrer93.jpg

[nelson]

I find that each time I feed my many bubble tips they seen to become mobile for some reason.  If you can reach it, try feeding it a piece of shrimp and see what happens.

[jimskoi]

Just let him be!

[RoxyDog]

Is it still pink?

Yessir, surprisingly it only lost a very tiny bit of colour after all that time.

[Bob P]

I'd say the more you harass it the more it's trying to hide.
Be patient, let it do it's thing, it won't starve itself to death.
I feed mine once every couple weeks.