Do bleached nems need food?

SamMule

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Hitchiker BTA was doing well until about a week ago. Had a run-in (I suspect) with one of my emerald crabs, resulting in a torn foot.
Nem expelled for a few days, and is now bleached. The cut appears to be healed and its behavior has returned to normal.
Closed in the afternoon, but open in the evening, through night, and morning. The tentacles are pretty spindly as well now, but it did take a piece of mysis yesterday.
My questions are:
Since it has expelled its zooxanthele, it cannot photosynthesize, right?
Should I feed it more often to nurse it back to health?
Or move it higher in the tank for more PAR?
Still hosting the porcelain crab ok which, btw feasted on the expelled matter for a few days.
 
Hitchiker BTA was doing well until about a week ago. Had a run-in (I suspect) with one of my emerald crabs, resulting in a torn foot.
Nem expelled for a few days, and is now bleached. The cut appears to be healed and its behavior has returned to normal.
Closed in the afternoon, but open in the evening, through night, and morning. The tentacles are pretty spindly as well now, but it did take a piece of mysis yesterday.
My questions are:
Since it has expelled its zooxanthele, it cannot photosynthesize, right?
Should I feed it more often to nurse it back to health?
Or move it higher in the tank for more PAR?
Still hosting the porcelain crab ok which, btw feasted on the expelled matter for a few days.

I do not wan to be a debbie downer, but in my experience, when a nem has expelled it's zooxanthellae, it's a goner. Maybe someone else can offer something to try. But keep an eye on it, you don't wan it dead in your tank.
 
Last edited:
Yeah, its been a rough go haha. Didn't plan on a nem in a new tank... I thought it was a gonner after the crab incident, but seems to be improving now.
I feel like if it can get the zoos repopulate, it may pull through.
 

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