Is my nem bleached

[Sexytang]

Ive been told by a few people on here my nem is bleached. I’m running a little nano light over my tank I had on my 14g the light is in middle of the tank and around 5 inch’s from waters surface and prolly a foot from the actual nem. I can easily move the light farther out because it’s on a bracket that moved it out and a little higher what do you think I should do. Been told that if I move the light it will mess with my corals
HIPARGERO LED Aquarium Light – Aquarium LED Lights 30W Saltwater Lighting with Touch Control and 3W Cree Chips for Coral Reef Fish Nano Tank

 

[Sexytang]

 

[Sexytang]

Anyone

 

[DSC reef]

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[Sexytang]

It is a rose bubble tip nem and I’ve had it maybe 4-5 months and it was a little more red when I bought it and has looked like this for months

 

[DSC reef]

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[Sexytang]

Turn down how much. It’s 100 atm would turning it down mess with corals lower down

 

[Jon M.]

Rent a PAR meter to see if the light is sufficient. I am guessing your nem is slowly bleaching.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

I had one turn this color years ago. After a while it split, then spilt again, then again until it was the size of a quarter (it started the size of a dinner plate) and then it disappeared.

 

[Sexytang]

Mine has just grown like crazy hasn’t gotten smaller or split has been this color for about 4 months I truly don’t see the light doing it but could be possible because none of the other corals are. I kinda like the color of it

 

[Sexytang]

Should I try moving the light up and closer to front of tank or just leave it alone

 

[shred5]

It is bleached. The red color is the pigment and proteins not zooxanthellae .
You can tell by the pastel color.
Bleaching can happen when the lighting is two high, temps are too high, stress or other environmental problems like something happened to fast etc.

It can be hard to pinpoint, I find BTA's do not require as much light as other anemones. Have you change lighting or lamps? Usually if it is to much light they will hide under a rock or towards the bottom of the tank? After they bleach they move back up because of lack of zooxanthellae. This usually happens fast. Has it moved at all?

Any changes to the tank like a temperature spike? Added phosphate removing compounds? Quickly removing something from the water can cause bleaching. Salinity change? Anemones like stable conditions.

Usually a anemone wont bleach with lower light unless the light is so low the zooxanthellae can survive. Usually they go darker or more brown first due to a increase in zooxanthellae to give the anemone more glucose. This is usually a slower process.

With it being light in color I would try to feed it. If the anemone is not getting its nutritional needs met they can start to consume themselves.

 

[Sexytang]

Well the nem hasn’t moved from this spot in the 4-5 months it’s been in the tank. And same light. The only think I could think of in change is maybe temp but it’s been this way for many months now I feed the nem mysis when I feed the fish. The nem has actually been staying out lately usually it closes up around 6 but been out past 9 past few weeks

 

[Sexytang]

I keep my tank at around 80 maybe it’s to hot because it has started staying out more now it’s summer and I have the air on because the air is right by the tank

 

[ReeferReefer]

I would reduce the lighting. If you are at 100 right now try 80. I would get those temps down to around 74-78 as well.

 

[shred5]

I keep my tank at around 80 maybe it’s to hot because it has started staying out more now it’s summer and I have the air on because the air is right by the tank

80 is not to hot to make it bleach. I used to keep my tank 82 and I had lots of BTAs at the time. BTAS do seem to like a little cooler water around 78 as with most anemones.

 

[Sexytang]

What do I need to watch for in my other corals if the lighting is to low

 

[ReeferReefer]

What do I need to watch for in my other corals if the lighting is to low

Corals should be pretty tolerant of low lighting. You can observe them stretching, looking for more light. I'd say drop the lighting to somewhere between 60 and 80% and leave it there for a week. Then once a week up the percentage until you get to the desired level.

 

[JustAnt]

Anemones move around or at least are capable of doing so. Don’t they move to a spot where they r happy with the light and water flow?

 

[Sexytang]

This is true that’s kinda why I don’t want to mess with my lighting I do have it turned full brightness I can hit the button a time or two and make it more blue but don’t really wanna mess with me corals they are doing great