What's wrong with my nem?

[1geo]

The nem in the pic below is suppose to be a green, buble tip. He has been fine for several months then turned into the nem pictured below. His buble tips were gone and he has stopped eating. Can anyone shed any light on this condition?

 

[WDLV]

I would say it bleached first then ate all it's available tissues trying to survive. The tentacles were it's last bit of sacrifical nutrients. It will probably die and rot in the next week or two.
I am concerned looking at your liverock. With that many featherdusters I should expect to see a full growth of corraline algae. I would look into the age and intensity of your lights and the pH and (Ammonia and nitrates) of your water.
I don't know what the little blobs are on the upper right of your rock, but I'm guessing they're detritus. If so, you need to aggressively increase the flow in your tank.

I hope that helps a little.

 

[wicked_NaCl_h2o]

What are your water parameters? I need numbers for Salinity, Nitrates, Nitrites, Ammonia, PH and so on. How often do you do a water change? What lights are you using?

 

[majikmike9999]

yeah thats what mine looked like just before the end

 

[1geo]

My concern is the nem dying and taking my livestock with it. So I took WDLV's advice and aggressively increased water flow. The nem did not like the increased flow and released its grip on the rock. I collected the nem and moved it to a tank I use to grow coral. Right now it has several pieces of coral in it but no livestock; its the nem's new home. If the nem dies in this tank at least it will not take my Picasso clowns with it. Before I increased the water flow in the tank, I tried to feed the nem again, no dice, it just will not eat.

 

[majikmike9999]

i would bet it's a lost cause, unfortunately

 

[1geo]

I ran chemistry on the tank I took the nem out of this morning and the results were, Ammonia zero, Nitrates zero, Nitrites zero, and phosphate zero. Since the nem will not eat, I used some Kent Marine liquid vert food in the tank I transfered the nem to. He is still alive but has lost all color to his tentacle area. The only color left is on its foot. The liquid food seemed to perk it up. I'll keep adding this to the tanks and see if its enough to help it survive.

 

[tpenn187]

nitrates a phosphates are hard to test for with out the correct equipment. i am sure you have phosphates in there, but the real only way to test is with the hanna photometer. what kind of test kit are you using for to test nitrates?

 

[WDLV]

George, while you're at it why don't you try running a pH test. Also, take a sample from a dead space near the bottom of the tank and see if the (ammo, nit etc) readings change at all.

While I do think the anemone is doomed, your one saving grace is that it's a BTA. If you were to put it into a really well run tank it could still recooperate... even in it's current state. They tend to be really resilliant.

 

[1geo]

To test for Phosphates I am using a titration method, put out by API. I agree, that this is not the best test. So some time ago I purchased a used colormeter and put in a sample that I know had zero phosphates. The meter registered .195 the sample I took off of the tank that had the nem in it registered at .200 so there may be trace phosphates in the tank but they are very little. I'll repeat the test at the bottom of the tank. I normally take my samples at mid tank.

 

[1geo]

For nitrates I am using a PinPoint Nitrate Monitor put out by American Marine Inc. I calibrate the monitor then take my readings. It registers <1 which is consistent with the API titration method. I am confident that the water chemistry on this tank is fine. I have had the nem for over three months. Up to the last week, he was eating and doing fine then all of a sudden he went down hill big time. I just don't understand what could have gone wrong. As a foot note, I don't have much luck with nems.

 

[majikmike9999]

well good luck and hope he pulls through, if not it doesn't sound like it will be for lack of effort

 

[1geo]

Update

Update

Since I transfered the nem to my coral tank and started feeding it liquid food, it has responded positively. One sign of it getting stronger is the return of its color, not all of it, but the tentacle area which was bleached white before I started the liquid food, now has a hint of green in it. Also the foot has a lot deeper color. Its been my experience that once a nem loses its color, its gone. So its still an up hill battle but at least there are some positive signs.

 

[CockyBrock]

Looks better...ran into a similar situation with a green BTA of mine and once I got the lighting situation fixed, he's on the road to recovery as well...although it never got that bad. One thing that's helped me was using Selcon on the food...and now I realize you're doing liquid but once you switch to whole foods...Selcon (or another vitamin soak) will do wonders...

My 2 ¢ worth

 

[1geo]

Thanks for the suggestion, I will give it a try.

 

[majikmike9999]

Wow, looks better