Bleached survivor nem.

Airborne12B

Certified Soul Eater
Premium Member
A while back I was poking around my LFS and saw a small GBA for 17 bucks or something and thought "what the hell, why not". I brought it home and it bleached fairly quickly (within a few days I think), and I thought he was a goner for sure, but he's still with me. It's been at least five months, he's still white, and never really inflates. It's probably about quarter sized and has been since it bleached. The weird thing is that it still moves around every day, but doesn't seem to be improving. I've tried feeding it, but it's tentacles are only about the size of a grain of rice, and it just cant grab the food.

Has anyone had something similar happen? Does anyone know of something I can do to help? My other nem is doing great, so I'm at a loss right now. Is there even anything I can do? Thanks ahead of time people.
 
Do you have some pictures and some tank variables:

temp
lighting type
ph
alk
flow type
 
If his tentacles are nubs don't try to feed him. He can recover but will need substantial light. Also, you will need rock steady pH and temp (the swings seem to really hurt BTA IME).

Temp, alk, calc, mag (if calc, alk and mag are off your pH will be too), pH and lighting info are all necessary info.

Also like worm said flow type is important, these need moderate, and usually indirect flow, across the oral disc to be happy.

I have purchased two bleached BTA in the past and both recovered and colored up within a month (however tips were not nubs). More recently I had the thermostat malfunction on my heater, causing 4 degree F temp swings a day and 9 degree F swings in a month (by estimation), took me a while to figure out what was going on (moral is don't solely trust your heaters digital thermostat). After 3 weeks of this I almost lost all 3 of the current BTAs that I have. One was starting to lose tentacles, one was bleached with nubs, and one spent 50% of its time as mush and was bleached with no tentacles. 2 weeks later one was almost fully recovered the next had color back and the nubs were 50% larger and the third rarely turned to mush and had bleached tentacle nubs. 2 weeks after that the first was recovered the second was regrowing tentacles and the third was coloring up with noticeable growth in the nubs.

I could keep going but the point is that with stable parameters high lighting and no feedings the nem should show signs of recovery in about 2 weeks and substantial regrowth in a month.

I made no attempt to interfere with the anemones as this will stress out an already substantially stress nem. However, mine rarely moved even while severely stressed (once temp was fixed that is) which leads me to believe that something about your tank is still stressing the nem whether it be light, flow or parameters. If it is light or flow I would recommend catering these to the nem rather than the other way around by trying to move the nem unless it is on a small moveable rock.

Remember, BTA like to have their foot in a rock crevice and extend their disc into flow and moderate to bright light, a BTA in a suitable environment (even an unhealthy one) should not move more than slight readjustments. I am not really an anemone expert but I have substantial experience with BTAs and have recovered many, hopefully this info helps.
 
Thanks for the replies. I actually did a water test right before posting this and completely spaced to post the results. They are as follows

Temp = 78-80
Cal = 16 ppm
KH = 12 dkh
PO4 = 0
NO3 = 5.0
PH = 8.2
NH3 = 60
NO2 = 0

I know the NH3 is high, but there isn't anything I can do about that right now. My tap water naturally tests to about 80. It's actually healthier not to do a water change right now. I'll finally be able to order my RO/DI system on the first, which will be awesome. So right away I know that could be a problem.

My lighting is a 4 bulb T5 HO with ATI bulbs. One purple plus, two coral plus , and one blue plus. I never move the little guy he just likes to hang around the arch of my tank about half way down. It's seems every morning when I check on him he is in a different place near/on that arch.

I have one Hydor 850 on the right side glass aimed at the back left corner that makes for pretty good coverage.

I'll try and work one some pictures, but I haven't seen my camera in a while lol.
 
Yeah, tap water. I fill buckets of water and let it sit for 24+ hours to evaporate as much crap out of the water as I can. Then I add salt, an air stone, a small heater, and conditioner and leave it for another couple of hours until everything is mixed and dissolved. It's the best I can do at this point. I've thought of using water from the beach, but the potential for pollutants from the oil rigs makes me nervous.
 
That cold be MOST of your problem right there.

While I used to do it also, when I first started, it is the worse thing.

Even if you go and get a small rodi it will make a drastic change to the water conditions.

Can you go to an LFS and get some?
 
Well I just ordered this http://www.buckeyehydro.com/chloramine-special-rodi/. I went with the 75GPD MAXR with the auto shut off, and the triple in line TDS meter. I hope it gives this little nem the boost he needs. I feel bad for him. I'll be picking up some water from the lfs later on today, but I doubt it's going to make too big of a difference until the RO/DI comes in.
 
After about three and a half weeks with the buckeye unit, I still haven't seen a change. Is there something else I should be doing?
 
Wait... ok...

TEST your water.. after it come out of the RODI.

What are chlorine / ammonia / nitrates / nitrites /phosphates.

I ask extra because I want to ensure it is working correctly.

After that is done and they are all ZERO (or really really close to it) then you need to work on a 100% water change. I assume you have already done this as it has been three and a half weeks.

-- -- BUT I want to know. -- --

Also. How and what has the tank been like? Over feeding? Scrimping on the light? Temp?

Lets do a full test of the TANK water too.

All of the tests. Ammonia. pH chlorine nitrates nitrites temp sg.

Lets give this a fighting chance.

How do you like the RODI btw?
 
Wait... ok...

TEST your water.. after it come out of the RODI.

What are chlorine / ammonia / nitrates / nitrites /phosphates.

I ask extra because I want to ensure it is working correctly.

After that is done and they are all ZERO (or really really close to it) then you need to work on a 100% water change. I assume you have already done this as it has been three and a half weeks.

-- -- BUT I want to know. -- --

Also. How and what has the tank been like? Over feeding? Scrimping on the light? Temp?

Lets do a full test of the TANK water too.

All of the tests. Ammonia. pH chlorine nitrates nitrites temp sg.

Lets give this a fighting chance.

How do you like the RODI btw?


Okay so I just ran water tests on both the DT and the RO/DI

DT :

PH 8.1
Nitrate 10
Ammonia .25
Nitrite 0
CA 400
Phos 0
SG 1.023
Temp 77-78

RO/DI:
7.4
Nitrate 0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Phos 0
I can't test for chlorine, but considering this unit is specifically designed for chlorine/chloramine I would be blown away if they were much higher than 0.

I have already turned over all the water in the tank about 2 1/2 times since I got the RO/DI. I did a 100% water change about 4 days ago. Nothing has changed in the tank. I'm feeding the same thing at the same time as I always do. My lights are on the same schedule, and I ordered replacement bulbs just in case.
 
NH3 of 60?? That'll do it. I didn't even know that was possible. I highly doubt that is comming from the tap.

Thanks for the uh... feedback. As I noted in the original post, I was aware that was an issue at the time. An issue that is no longer part of the equation. I appreciate the input, but I highly doubt you've come to my house and tested the water out of my tap. Maybe there is something else you can suggest that could be a solution.
 
Thanks for the uh... feedback. As I noted in the original post, I was aware that was an issue at the time. An issue that is no longer part of the equation. I appreciate the input, but I highly doubt you've come to my house and tested the water out of my tap. Maybe there is something else you can suggest that could be a solution.

Did you test the tap? What was the reading?
 
There are muncipalities that increase chlorine and chloramine at certain times of the year or based on their own water tests. I also know a thread on here (reefcentral) that had a problem with the RODI gaskets/filters that was letting bad water pass.
 
There are muncipalities that increase chlorine and chloramine at certain times of the year or based on their own water tests. I also know a thread on here (reefcentral) that had a problem with the RODI gaskets/filters that was letting bad water pass.

Well, the water is good now. Does anything else jump off the page at you?
 
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