BTA Recovery - Advice?

[bradleym]

So this is my BTA, on his way back to a healthy size and shape. But not color. Can anyone tell me what this means, and if it will change and how and when to expect it? I've never had a sick one before. It seems like I'm on the right path but the no color thing has got me worried. The only thing that comes to mind is that I don't have any actinic lighting on this tank. FYI, these pictures span the last 30 days, and no I didn't mean for the clown to host it just happened on it's own!

 

[garygb]

What type of lighting do you have. Actinic lighting isn't the solution, but good quality lighting, in general, might be. Also, what are your water parameters (temp, nitrates, etc.)? Do you run carbon? I would wonder if with all the soft corals you have, perhaps you might have some chemical warfare issues going on.

 

[bues0022]

In the mean time, you should be spot-feeding to help it regain strength.

Upon more looking, it actually looks like though the nem has "gotten bigger" the color has degraded a lot. To me, this means that the anemone is trying to reach up for some light, but can't get to it. Gotten bigger doesn't necessarily mean it has grown, but may just be more inflated and stretching for light. Where in the tank is it? It looks like its way over by the edge almost in some shadows? Do you have a FTS to share also? The more information you can tell us the better.

 

[JamesJR]

Actinic lighting is generally pretty low in PAR and is useful to accent other types of lighting not as a primary lighting source. I would use bulbs in 6k -14k as my primary lighting source as these bulbs have much higher PAR values and supplement them with actinic to balance out the yellow coloration these bulbs have.

 

[bradleym]

What type of lighting do you have. Actinic lighting isn't the solution, but good quality lighting, in general, might be. Also, what are your water parameters (temp, nitrates, etc.)? Do you run carbon? I would wonder if with all the soft corals you have, perhaps you might have some chemical warfare issues going on.

I'll check my parameters tonight and post them, but they usually run good for as standard reef - temp: 80 Ph: 8.4 SG: 1.026 Alk: 8-10 N03: 20 or less. These are averages of course, and I'll get specifics tonight, but the whole tank looks great, including him. It's just the color...

 

[bradleym]

In the mean time, you should be spot-feeding to help it regain strength.

Upon more looking, it actually looks like though the nem has "gotten bigger" the color has degraded a lot. To me, this means that the anemone is trying to reach up for some light, but can't get to it. Gotten bigger doesn't necessarily mean it has grown, but may just be more inflated and stretching for light. Where in the tank is it? It looks like its way over by the edge almost in some shadows? Do you have a FTS to share also? The more information you can tell us the better.

I have been feeding it mysis and silverside peices every other day.The color is exactly what concerns me. And it is definitely growing. The tentacles are at least twice as long and the base is nearly three times as wide, but not bloated, just wider. If you look at the pictures, the top one is oldest and all three show the same clownfish for size reference. It is in the corner, and slightly shaded. I think it might be staying there due to the regular food supply.

 

[bradleym]

Actinic lighting is generally pretty low in PAR and is useful to accent other types of lighting not as a primary lighting source. I would use bulbs in 6k -14k as my primary lighting source as these bulbs have much higher PAR values and supplement them with actinic to balance out the yellow coloration these bulbs have.

My lighting is 4 x 24w T5s and 2 100w equivalent CFL bulbs over a 29 gallon tank. All are 6700-10,000k. The reason I asked about the actinic light is not for growth, but for color, because the actinic lighting causes them to flouresce. As I said, it's healthy, eating well, and growing, just no color.

 

[steelhead77]

It expelled it's zooanthellae (sp?) for some reason. Sometimes they do this. Defense mechanism, stress, water params, who knows? One of mine did this about a year ago and fully recovered, but it took several months to regain the color. As long as it is inflating and stretching out toward the light, it should be fine. BTW, it is not necessary to feed very often and definitely not every other day. I rarely feed mine and they are HUGE! They can typically get what they need from the water column.

 

[bradleym]

As promised, here are my parameters:
SG: 1.027
Temp: 81
Ph: 8.4
Alk: 8
Amm: 0
N02: 0
N03: 0

Thanks steelhead77, that's what I was trying to find out. I thought 30 days was long but I'll keep at it.

Bues0022, I moved some stuff around so it gets more light, but left it's rock in place so he wouldn't be as likely to take a walk. Thanks for pointing out the shadow issue. Maybe with some direct light his color will pick up as his zooanthellae multiply.

 

[garygb]

Your parameters look fine. And, your lighting also looks to be sufficient at first blush. If the bulbs are not old (no more than say 11 months for the t-5s and 8 months for the CF) and are good quality bulbs, then I would wonder about allelopathy. Regularly (weekly) activated carbon changes along with good protein skimming and regular water changes should help, if in fact that is a factor in the zooxanthellae not colonizing the tissue.

 

[bues0022]

Steelhead77- I would like to respectfully point out that on this instance you are mistaking about feeding. Under normal circumstances with healthy BTA's, you're right in saying you don't need to feed them. However, when an anemone is as bleeched as this one, it becomes exceedingly important to feed often. The zooxanthellae are what provide the anemone with energy from photosynthesis. A nearly complete lack of this means the nem I'd getting hardly any energy from the light right now. Feeding allows the BTA to regain strength allowing for easier recolonization of zooxanthellae, returning the anemone back to a healthy specimen.

Bradleym - I would suggest staying away from silversides. Many on here have reported death of otherwise healthy nems after feeding. The theory is bacterial contamination from freeze/thaw cycles.

 

[bradleym]

I noticed that today there is already a faint hint of rusty brown color coming back! It's too soon to be sure but if it continues, the lighting may have been the issue. garygb, if it goes back pale I'll start looking at more carbon and water changes. Right now I'm mostly going off a good protein skimmer and a LOT of macroalgae growth. But thanks for the advice.

 

[garygb]

Best of luck getting the darker color back. Keep us posted.

 

[steelhead77]

Steelhead77- I would like to respectfully point out that on this instance you are mistaking about feeding. Under normal circumstances with healthy BTA's, you're right in saying you don't need to feed them. However, when an anemone is as bleeched as this one, it becomes exceedingly important to feed often. The zooxanthellae are what provide the anemone with energy from photosynthesis. A nearly complete lack of this means the nem I'd getting hardly any energy from the light right now. Feeding allows the BTA to regain strength allowing for easier recolonization of zooxanthellae, returning the anemone back to a healthy specimen.

Well, I can only go by my experience. And I appreciate the difference of opinion. I may have fed mine after it expelled it's zooanthellae, but if I did I did not do so excessively. Perhaps once or twice a week is all I have ever fed my anememones. And I have always fed them silversides.

 

[bues0022]

Once or twice a week for feedings is still far more food than it would get under normal circumstances. I had several healthy RBTA's that I literally never spot fed for several years. I would still consider once or twice weekly feedings on the heavy side for feeding an animal that generates most of its energy via photosynthesis. Now, I never consider this type of feeding a bad thing, just pointing out that feedings definitely helped yours back from the brink, so to speak. Had you not fed anything, as your first post implied, the outcome may have been far different.

I guess it's a bit of splitting hairs, but at least yours made a recovery, right? Lets hope this one can also!

 

[bradleym]

Thanks everyone for the advice. Not exactly a full blown recovery, but already the faint hint of more color is visible by camera. It's actually more noticeable in person, but my camera is my phone.

I'll post another update in about 2 weeks, when and if the progress is really worth mentioning. Thanks again!

 

[bradleym]

Overdue Update

Overdue Update

So I was talking to someone about this guy and realized I never updated this thread. Sorry!

So, in the last few weeks, he looked browner but was still kinda stretching. Then I had a tank overflow which submerged a light fixture. Ugh. He almost didn't make it. But he's eating again, and I turned the rock to face more light, which I think he's enjoying.

Just thought some of you might like a happy ending. Thanks all for the advice!

 

[garygb]

Definitely browning up compared with the completely bleached pic. Good to see.