Rose anemone discolored

[davemercier]

Hi all, i have a friend that i gave a rose bubble tipped anemone to which was doing fine for several months but recently went white except for the tips of the tentacles. The nem is eating, but looks wierd. Does anyone have any experience with something like this? Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[worm5406]

Some pictures would help.

Any changes in the setup?

Light/bulbs/water/temperature/light cycle/food/ medications?

 

[ryguy886]

My Local Fish Store had a beautiful RBTA that split recently and they added the clone to another tank in their showroom, the RBTA did the same thing and went completely white with neon pink tips, it looks amazing and is eating and looks great (even has amazing bubble tips) it has since moved itself back into the light and has remained this color for weeks now. They insist that it is still trying to regain its color and will return to its bright red color, but I have never seen one that looks this cool!

 

[bradleym]

This is a regular result of bad conditions. I had it happen to mine when my salinity dropped way too low from my ATO being stuck on. It also happens with high temps.

 

[Fitz19d]

I have one that is this way that I got from a tank breakdown. Disc is white, but arms are hot pink. (whole arm not just tip.)

With proper conditions will they re-color? Or is this basically a kind of perma scarring?

 

[bradleym]

It is what is commonly called "bleaching". They dump all of the symbiotic algae out from inside their body. If they keep any around, the algae will repopulate over time and the color will return to normal (assuming the conditions are all good from there on out). Until then, they cannot gain any energy from the lights, and so they will be entirely dependent on feeding or dissolved organics to survive. If they are not fed, they will gradually shrink over a period of a few months. Eventually it can lead to death if they do not ever regain the algae population.

 

[skincoffin]

I had a green bubble tip that bleached a little. Accidentally mis-programmed my lights and then went on vacation for a week...oops. It didn't go totally white but was obviously lighter that it had been. It did come back eventually and actually ended up looking better than when I got it.
You might try adding a low spectrum purple light, the kind that makes everything fluoresce. I think that's what brought mine back, used a cheap power compact fixture. I think it may encourage the symbiotic algae that gives the pigment to re-colonize. Just a theory and it may not work with the rose tip.