Advice for coloring a anemone back up?

[Saisori]

So first picture is when I got it and he was in a QT tank. Second picture is putting it back in QT tank after being in the MT for a week. I don't really know what parameters are in the QT it probably all over the place, but the lightning is definitely 80-100 par. There softies growing in there. There is one other RBA in the MT so I think maybe chemical warfare could be part of the issue? Any advice on getting it to color back up?

MT has the below parameters.


nitrate 15-20
Phosphate sitting at .03
Par 150-200

QT

DT after 2 week (put back in QT).

 

[Timfish]

Your PO4 is borderline and I'd raise it. Lighting could be another issue, are the lighting conditions similar? Do you know what it was growing under?

 

[Saisori]

Your PO4 is borderline and I'd raise it. Lighting could be another issue, are the lighting conditions similar? Do you know what it was growing under?

Interesting, I was told to shoot for .03 but I could raise it. Both tanks are running radion xr30s. QT is about 50-100 par less.

Vendor said it like high light and if possible elevated nitrates.

 

[BryanM]

par looks good.

I'd start feeding it mysis 2x a week (I add benereef to mine as well).

 

[D-Nak]

Once you move the BTA back into the main tank it should color back up on its own, assuming it's going to get 100+ more PAR than it's getting in QT. It looks a lot like a CSB, and as it sounds like you're already aware, there is a chance that it won't do well with the RBTA.

Some questions for you:

1. Why did you put it in the DT only to move it to QT after a week? Was it not acclimating?
2. If you're aware that CSBs (assuming it's a CSB) sometimes don't do well with RBTAs, are you planning to remove the RBTA?
3. What are your goals with color? Do you want it more red? Brighter? Darker?

 

[dvgyfresh]

Low nutrients and low light usually cause bleaching or big parameter shifts, I think moving it back and forth between displays is not a good idea and will only cause more stress

 

[Saisori]

Once you move the BTA back into the main tank it should color back up on its own, assuming it's going to get 100+ more PAR than it's getting in QT. It looks a lot like a CSB, and as it sounds like you're already aware, there is a chance that it won't do well with the RBTA.

Some questions for you:

1. Why did you put it in the DT only to move it to QT after a week? Was it not acclimating?
2. If you're aware that CSBs (assuming it's a CSB) sometimes don't do well with RBTAs, are you planning to remove the RBTA?
3. What are your goals with color? Do you want it more red? Brighter? Darker?

1. It did well in QT during its time. color fade while in main display. moved it up the glass about an inch every other day until we got to 200par and the color didnt seem right.
2. yeah I might end up moving the Rainbow, but focus on coloring the csb back up.
3. looking to get the color back to that rich dark orange

 

[Saisori]

par looks good.

I'd start feeding it mysis 2x a week (I add benereef to mine as well).

will try this, was only spot feeding it once a week.

 

[dvgyfresh]

I also have a CSB with a bunch of rainbows / black widow - I run a fair amount of carbon to hopefully prevent any chemical warfare , one RBTA did get a little bleached ( I left the lights off for one day)

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Honestly, I think if you did some of the recommendations that have been given, and allow it to have time to settle back in your tank, it will recover just fine!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Both of the pictures in the first post are under identical spectrum of lights?

 

[Saisori]

Both of the pictures in the first post are under identical spectrum of lights?

yes both were taken from my QT, the light schedule wasnt change but the height might be slight different.

 

[Saisori]

I also have a CSB with a bunch of rainbows / black widow - I run a fair amount of carbon to hopefully prevent any chemical warfare , one RBTA did get a little bleached ( I left the lights off for one day)

yeah i tossed a cup of carbon into the main tank as a precaution.

 

[Timfish]

Interesting, I was told to shoot for .03 but I could raise it. . . .

Unfortunately, the assumption corals needed PO4 levels kept below .03 was mistakenly made a couple decades ago without considering all the available research and information. Research linked to in my first post adds additional insight and emphasises the importance of maintaining healthy levels. Raising nitrates without raising phosphates can also be an issue and adding labile DOC, aka carbon dosing, can exacerbate the problem.* Here's videos by Charles Delbeek, Curator at the Steinhart Aquarium, and Christine Ferrier-Pages, Head of the Coral Ecophysiology Team at Scientific Centre of Monaco, you may find informative.






*Sugar Enrichment Provides Evidence for a Role of Nitrogen Fixation in Coral Bleaching.

 

[Saisori]

Unfortunately, the assumption corals needed PO4 levels kept below .03 was mistakenly made a couple decades ago without considering all the available research and information. Research linked to in my first post adds additional insight and emphasises the importance of maintaining healthy levels. Raising nitrates without raising phosphates can also be an issue and adding labile DOC, aka carbon dosing, can exacerbate the problem.* Here's videos by Charles Delbeek, Curator at the Steinhart Aquarium, and Christine Ferrier-Pages, Head of the Coral Ecophysiology Team at Scientific Centre of Monaco, you may find informative.






*Sugar Enrichment Provides Evidence for a Role of Nitrogen Fixation in Coral Bleaching.

okay, I might try to raise it to .05 to match the ratio with my nitrate.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Borderline PO4 and too much light at times will cause them to expel inner algae known as zooxanthellae which provides color and energy