Bleached out Rock anemone

pickupman66 · Jul 23, 2014

Back in April, I bought a gorgeous Orange and green rock anemone. it was a beautiful thing, then it walked to the back of my tank under all my rocks and vanished. i wrote it off as dead and when i broke my tank apart in july, it was fortunately stuck to one of the rocks I kept in my new tank. However, this thing is WHITE. you can just barely see some coloration in the outer tentacles. Otherwise, it looks ok. mouth is good and tight and it has stayed put where it was attached. It is not in very direct light. I also have two BTA in the tank that look incredible as they ended up in very good lighting areas.

any suggestions on anything I can do for this thing? it was so pretty when i got it. now its.. well.. white.

FWIW, old tank had a bit of a nitrate and phosphate issue. Zoas and the two BTA were very happy. sps.. not so much. new system is starting of in much better shape and since it is 1/3 the volume, I am much better able to keep up with things.

Tank stats currently:
PH 7.9
Salinity 35ppt
temp is 78.5
phosphate was .09 last week
nitrates were 0-5 ppm
alk is 10

I havent tested the calcium and mag but have plans to run full tests tonight.

zwulfke · Jul 23, 2014

If you get him in the light and feed him he should regain the color back. It will take some time and effort. Or you can sell him to me for 5 bucks lol

pickupman66 · Jul 23, 2014

aaaahhh.. no. I paid $40.

how easy are they to coax to let their foot release? I know the BTA get deep in a crevice. this one is on a very flat piece of rock.

zwulfke · Jul 23, 2014

I would try to set him in the tank somewhere in max flow they don't like that but, being all bleached out and stressed I would try to leave him on the rock and try to set him somewhere

pickupman66 · Jul 23, 2014

Easier said than done. He is attached to a large piece of bottom rock. Rock is 15x10 inches or so. On top of that rock is a giant shelf that is 2 foot x 2 foot.

zwulfke · Jul 23, 2014

try to set him In direct flow so he
detaches himself from the
rock

pickupman66 · Jul 23, 2014

ok. ill move one of my powerheads so it blows on him.

pickupman66 · Jul 23, 2014

Here is a photo I took this evening. I also turned up my leds as I had them set a little too low.

zwulfke · Jul 23, 2014

He looks ok other than bleached

pickupman66 · Jul 23, 2014

Yea. Other than just no color it's in good shape. I put a powerhead in front of him to see if I can make him let go and I plan to try and put him somewhere in full light. What do you recommend? Top of my rock work or on the bare bottom?

Fwiw I have all led. 3x 55 led China type leds. 3 watt bridge lux.

pickupman66 · Jul 23, 2014

I kept powerhead on it for a good hour and it didn't move so maybe I'll just leave it where it is and try to feed it. The new system has been setup for 20 days.

zwulfke · Jul 24, 2014

mine is a condy and took 3 hours before he moved I would feed it see if it takes food and I would put him mid way to let him get acclimated to the light he has been in the dark for a long time

pickupman66 · Jul 24, 2014

you would figure they would walk to where they light was good. ill try later this weekend when I am home more.

KorD · Aug 1, 2014

If the powerhead does not work, try holding the rock upside down out of the water for a little while... that is how I got my stubborn one to let go.

pickupman66 · Aug 2, 2014

He walked deeper into the rock. I gave up. Btw. He is on a very large chunk of rock that cannot be removed with out taking out two massive top rocks. I won't remove my rocks. He has walked a few times since my posts. But is still in a shaded area. Here he is when I got.

pickupman66 · Aug 12, 2014

So, a wee bit of an update here on this guy. last week it walked around in the little cavern area where It was and last night, it came out front. WAY out front. it is now about 50% shaded but is receiving direct lite from my lights. Cool. Stil quite white but with the green tips. I fed LRS last night and gently placed a small piece in its tentacles. it stuck briefly but never folded in on the food. the food was allowed to blow off eventually.

it just so happens this area is also closely inhabited by one of my BTA's who has been acting strangely by being out and proud one minute and then completely drawn back the next. this is before the rock got close.

pickupman66 · Aug 12, 2014

Here is a photo today.

pickupman66 · Sep 25, 2014

So if anyone subscribed to this... there is hope.

Here is my nem today. I have not target fed it. After making it start to move it moved alot. Then settled slowly in more light and is now in a 300 par area. It has truly colored up and is pretty nice now.

ReeferRookie · Sep 25, 2014

Looks alot. Better. Ive learned over the last few months of anemone ownership. Theyre drama queens they get upset over everything its like having a 15 year old one day they wanna die. And then in a week theyre walking around like the hottest girl from school

pickupman66 · Sep 25, 2014

ReeferRookie said:
Looks alot. Better. Ive learned over the last few months of anemone ownership. Theyre drama queens they get upset over everything its like having a 15 year old one day they wanna die. And then in a week theyre walking around like the hottest girl from school

That has to be the best analogy I have ever heard.

Notice the rainbow bta next to this guy. It has a twin. In the far front corner that in the evenings sulk and vanishes while this one is loud and proud.