sebae Anemone bleaching out

don954

don954

New member
my sebae Anemone suddenly has taken a turn for the worse. After a few months of being health, in the last 2 weeks, it has lost almost all its coloring. Its still eating, it still has a strong mouth, but it is bleached. It is on my sand bed in a 18x20x60 tank, under 2x 10,000K and 2x antic 96 watt power compact lights. My parameters are stable, temp is 82, nitrite/rates are less than 2, which is low as my kit goes, phosphate is 0-0.2. Ammonia is 0, Ph is 8.2-8.3 depending what time of day, salt is 1.025. Its in a low flow area, and other corals in the tank are doing good, including a frog-spawn, ricordia, mushrooms, zoos. It has 2 clowns hosting in it, they are both healthy. I feed it a lance fish 3-4 times a week, and i feed it cyclopeeze daily. The tank is only 4 months old, i know, i should have waited longer, but the LFS got these guys paired up and I couldnt resist.

If anyone has some insite of what im lacking or what i need to check, please let me know. I really want this guy to make it.

From when it was colored up on july 9th:
sebea%20-%20clowns.jpg
 
I wouldn't say there is too little light--the amount fed would make up for a minor deficiency, in general. IME, compacts and VHO seem to work well for this species. How often do you do water changes? Do you use RO/DI? Do you know the quality (TDS) of the water? What is the average fluctuation of the pH? What do you use to measure salinity/specific gravity?
 
I use Ro-DI filtered water with a inline TDS meter, with displays after the RO and another after DI. After Ro im down to 3TDS and after DI im down to 0. I use Instant Ocean Salt. I do 15 gallon water changes weekly and on every 4th change i do a 30 gal change. My water mass is about 150 gal with my refuge and main tank added together. I use a kent swing-arm meter that was just recently calibrated against my LFS's refractometer. I dont have a digital PH meter, so i test once every few days about 9:00 at night, its normaly 8.2-8.3 as close as i can tell using my salifert kit.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7789721#post7789721 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 55semireef
Watt/gallon can mean nothing. You either need MH or strong T5s for that anemone
Click to expand...

What makes you say this? I have had this species at the bottom (over 24" away) of a tank lighted by 440w VHO for well over 11 years. It has even spawned more times than I care to mention under this lighting. IME, water quality and feeding are even more important for these anemones.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7789741#post7789741 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by don954
I use Ro-DI filtered water with a inline TDS meter, with displays after the RO and another after DI. After Ro im down to 3TDS and after DI im down to 0. I use Instant Ocean Salt. I do 15 gallon water changes weekly and on every 4th change i do a 30 gal change. My water mass is about 150 gal with my refuge and main tank added together. I use a kent swing-arm meter that was just recently calibrated against my LFS's refractometer. I dont have a digital PH meter, so i test once every few days about 9:00 at night, its normaly 8.2-8.3 as close as i can tell using my salifert kit.
Click to expand...

Ok. Is your LFS's refractometer calibrated against a known standard? You may want make sure--you can find them in the chemistry forum. I would try to do a larger water change and see if that doesn't help. A while back when mine went through a similar bout, the only thing that helped was a substantial water change. Like you, everything appeared to be just fine.
 
well, i have a 250watt halide fixture coming in that i ordered for my mom's tank, she would understand if i redirected it.. ;) I should be able to fit its reflector in my hood over the Sebae's area if you think it will make a good difference. What color bulb would you recommend?
 
Color temperature isn't a big matter, so long as it is within standard ranges. That may help. Any extra energy for the animal may be best for now. Be careful to acclimate everything to this light, or you may make matters worse.
 
I have 30 gal mixed up, i will try my 30g change ahead of schedule. I just did a 14gal change yesterday too. Ill see what i can do about double checking my salt tester.
 
I agree that you really want to increase the lighting. In the interim you may get some help be replacing the actinic with daylight (6700K) bulbs. The old "rule of thumb" is 4w/gallon which would put you at 480w. The rule isn't that great but you are still under lit and aren't getting adequate penetration of what light you do have.

The problem is that PC don't penetrate very well and you have a bottom dwelling anemone. Additionally the actinic bulbs don't put out nearly the same PAR (light the anemone uses to feed it zoox) as the same wattage of daylight bulbs.

If you are using quad tube bulbs you are also getting less light than if you are using dual tube 34" bulbs due to restrike and heat build up.

I would strongly suggesting upgrading to T5 or possibly VHO. Of course Mh would also be fine but 60" can be tough with Mh and would probably need 3 Mh bulbs to prevent a lot of shadowed spots. I really feel that T5s would be your best option.

edit: I didn't realize there was a full blown conversation while I was responding! Mh is a good idea but watch for trapped heat putting it in a hood.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7789781#post7789781 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dantodd
I agree that you really want to increase the lighting. In the interim you may get some help be replacing the actinic with daylight (6700K) bulbs. The old "rule of thumb" is 4w/gallon which would put you at 480w. The rule isn't that great but you are still under lit and aren't getting adequate penetration of what light you do have.

The problem is that PC don't penetrate very well and you have a bottom dwelling anemone. Additionally the actinic bulbs don't put out nearly the same PAR (light the anemone uses to feed it zoox) as the same wattage of daylight bulbs.

If you are using quad tube bulbs you are also getting less light than if you are using dual tube 34" bulbs due to restrike and heat build up.

I would strongly suggesting upgrading to T5 or possibly VHO. Of course Mh would also be fine but 60" can be tough with Mh and would probably need 3 Mh bulbs to prevent a lot of shadowed spots. I really feel that T5s would be your best option.
Click to expand...

Thank you Dantodd.

Watt per gallon is one of those rules that you read in the book. Anywhere from 4-8 watts per gallon is what they say.

Why do I say this? Say you have four different types of 40 gallon tanks. A 40 high, a 40 extra high, 40 breeder and a 40 long. Each 40 gallon has the same lighting fixture over it. In this case its 200 watts of PC. A sebae anemone would have the best chance of suriviving in the 40 gallon long because the depth of the tank is the least of all the different tanks. In this case, we are dealing with a sand dwelling anemone. The anemone is going to get more light the shallower the tank is. In addition, a 6500 K spectrum is the most appropiate regarding anemones. As aquarists, we want to emulate the natural enviroment as best as possible.
 
i got 2 tube PC coralife lights. Im definitely swiping my mom's MH fixture when it comes in Monday, her tank has no livestock yet, she'll understand.... :)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7789862#post7789862 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 55semireef
Thank you Dantodd.

Watt per gallon is one of those rules that you read in the book. Anywhere from 4-8 watts per gallon is what they say.

Why do I say this? Say you have four different types of 40 gallon tanks. A 40 high, a 40 extra high, 40 breeder and a 40 long. Each 40 gallon has the same lighting fixture over it. In this case its 200 watts of PC. A sebae anemone would have the best chance of suriviving in the 40 gallon long because the depth of the tank is the least of all the different tanks. In this case, we are dealing with a sand dwelling anemone. The anemone is going to get more light the shallower the tank is. In addition, a 6500 K spectrum is the most appropiate regarding anemones. As aquarists, we want to emulate the natural enviroment as best as possible.
Click to expand...

It is true, I HATE the wpg 'rule of thumb'. That wasn't really what I was referring to. I was addressing the your statement of 'need strong T5 HO or metal halide,' which is not true. My VHOs are positioned an extra 8 inches above the water level on a 75 gallon tank--28" away from the animal that is at the bottom. I have Actinic White tubes and Actinic tubes; none are 6500K. T5s or metal halide is NOT absolutely necessary. Having metal halide or T5 will not make or break success with many anemones ( though I do think it does hold true for two species in particular). On another note, I know at least several people who keep sebaes (years) underneath multiple NO tubes, but in shallower tanks. In all honesty, though it is important to an extent, I think people put too much emphasis on lighting and not enough on other key aspects in regards to these animals.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7790204#post7790204 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by don954
how should i acclimate them? Should i set the MH to only run 1 hour the 1st day, 2 the next, etc?
Click to expand...

That would work (I would do it a bit slower than that, though), or you could raise the bulb a few inches higher than the final resting point, gradually lowering them over several weeks.
 
Powerfeed him back to health !!

Small pieces of meaty foods daily !

It will make up for the lack of light !
 
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