This is just something I've learned over the years, thought I'd share.
Every reefer knows that an anemone on the move, wandering in the tank is an unhappy anemone, searching for a more prefered spot. I have anemones in my tank, one hasn't moved in a year (rock anemone) and one in six months (atlantic). After reading every article I could find for months, I found how to keep them sedentary and happy.
We all know prestine water and proper lighting is needed for anemones to be happy, so no need to discuss this, let's move on.....
I've found through reading many articles and "trial and error" that anemones need not only the proper substrate to anchor on, but at the proper angle as well.
Substrate... Live Rock of coarse, with holes of the proper size and depth to to accomidate it's "tube section" and foot. They seem to prefer a hole they can completely fill when expanded with only the "crown" exposed at times (this does not apply to rock anemones as they ONLY expose the crown) They seem to accept a hole that is slightly too large, but will move on from any crevice that is too small. They seem happiest if atleast three sides of the tube section is in contact with a substrate when completely expanded.
Proper angle..... This seems to be every bit as important as substrate and probably the most useful bit of info I've learned on the topic. Anemones seem to prefer being at a 45 degree angle from the horizontal light and substrate. This means that any Live Rock you choose because of it's proper sized holes should then be placed with the holes at a 45 degree angle from the light. This varies a little as my rock anemone prefers less of an angle from the light, meaning it prefers to lay slightly flatter against the substrate, while my atlantic anemone prefers slightly more of an angle, at times hanging out of the rock sideways.
I plan to someday purchase a RBTA for my tank, but as my Clarkii has bonded with both my rock and atlantic anemones, I'll wait until the Clarkii dies of old age before I purchase a RTBA.
This could be helpful to reefers who keep corals and anemones in the same tank (yea, we probably shouldn't but yet we do) as I maintain several softies with no problems with anemones walking around creating a path of destruction that would lead to the demise of all involved.
From my experience, anemones NEVER move unless there's a problem, just because they can move doen't mean they want to. Lighting, water quality, pest and nutrition should all be checked, in that order if your anemone isn't staying in one spot.
I hope this info helps someone.
Dakota
Every reefer knows that an anemone on the move, wandering in the tank is an unhappy anemone, searching for a more prefered spot. I have anemones in my tank, one hasn't moved in a year (rock anemone) and one in six months (atlantic). After reading every article I could find for months, I found how to keep them sedentary and happy.
We all know prestine water and proper lighting is needed for anemones to be happy, so no need to discuss this, let's move on.....
I've found through reading many articles and "trial and error" that anemones need not only the proper substrate to anchor on, but at the proper angle as well.
Substrate... Live Rock of coarse, with holes of the proper size and depth to to accomidate it's "tube section" and foot. They seem to prefer a hole they can completely fill when expanded with only the "crown" exposed at times (this does not apply to rock anemones as they ONLY expose the crown) They seem to accept a hole that is slightly too large, but will move on from any crevice that is too small. They seem happiest if atleast three sides of the tube section is in contact with a substrate when completely expanded.
Proper angle..... This seems to be every bit as important as substrate and probably the most useful bit of info I've learned on the topic. Anemones seem to prefer being at a 45 degree angle from the horizontal light and substrate. This means that any Live Rock you choose because of it's proper sized holes should then be placed with the holes at a 45 degree angle from the light. This varies a little as my rock anemone prefers less of an angle from the light, meaning it prefers to lay slightly flatter against the substrate, while my atlantic anemone prefers slightly more of an angle, at times hanging out of the rock sideways.
I plan to someday purchase a RBTA for my tank, but as my Clarkii has bonded with both my rock and atlantic anemones, I'll wait until the Clarkii dies of old age before I purchase a RTBA.
This could be helpful to reefers who keep corals and anemones in the same tank (yea, we probably shouldn't but yet we do) as I maintain several softies with no problems with anemones walking around creating a path of destruction that would lead to the demise of all involved.
From my experience, anemones NEVER move unless there's a problem, just because they can move doen't mean they want to. Lighting, water quality, pest and nutrition should all be checked, in that order if your anemone isn't staying in one spot.
I hope this info helps someone.
Dakota
Thank you. I would like to see some pictures if you have any. 
