JennM;1015663 wrote: EnderG60 is the only person telling the correct info here - you are spot on.
They are safe with corals and other inverts. If they aren't properly handled all along the chain of custody, they will perish - that's the trick, and yes they can take a couple of weeks to start to 'melt down'.
If they survive all that to the end-keeper's tank, they can live perfectly well for years. It's believed that they bacterial and algal film - that's the best guess out there.
If it's in one spot for a while, it probably found something to eat. They do best in larger tanks where they can find more food, but they aren't terribly active. They do move around but it's unusual to see them move a whole lot, and sometimes they'll find themselves a happy spot and just stay there for long periods of time.
The whole thing about exposing them to air is a myth. I wouldn't leave one out of the water any longer than necessary but moving them from acclimation tub to tank won't hurt them.
Jenn
