Zooxanthellae Transplant for Bleached Anemones

[OrionN]

So this stuff isn't worth trying on a bleached anemone or coral?

Overview
Available for the first time ever: a multi-species, pure, live Zooxanthellae culture! PhycoPure(TM) Zooxanthellae is a blend of LIVE zooxanthellae assembled for use as an aid for marine reef aquarium corals and clams. Aquarists have reported great results ranging from coral recovery from stress events to enhanced overall coral and clam coloration.
Zooxanthellae are the symbiotic microalgae that live in the tissue of numerous corals and clams. They consume waste produced by their host, coral/clam, and in return produce carbon in the form of a sugar that feeds the host. It has been documented that there is an exchange of zooxanthellae between corals/clams and their environment.
All strains are aquacultured, pathogen free, and cleansed of excess nutrients. PhycoPure Zooxanthellae is cultured in purified natural Atlantic Ocean water and should be refrigerated. PhycoPure Zooxanthellae has no preservatives, is not subjected to harsh processing steps, and is batch processed to ensure quality.
Great results will happen when you routinely spot feed 2-3 times per week or broadcast feed 1-2 capfuls per 10 gallons. Whenever possible, it is best to spot feed corals and filter feeding inverts from a small syringe or baster.
PhycoPure is cultured in purified natural Atlantic Ocean water and should be refrigerated. PhycoPure has no preservatives, is not subjected to harsh processing steps and is batch processed to ensure quality.

You should try to obtain the zooxanthellae from the lab that produce it. There is very strict protocol and transfer shipping regiment. Even with this they won't warranty that the culture stay alive. Anybody can put any dirty water in a bottle and try to sell it. Keeping living things alive is not always easy. Just cooling them probably won't keep Zooxanthellae alive.

 

[piranhaman00]

+1 on wow.

 

[jtf74]

Great thread. Thanks. Will definitely remember this one.

 

[Miller535]

Call me a skeptic, but how do you know that Anemone wouldn't have regained the zoo on it's own? Many many people have had bleached anemones and corals and they regained their zoo and color from just good husbandry. Just because it looks bleached does not mean all the zoo are gone.

 

[OrionN]

Call me a skeptic, but how do you know that Anemone wouldn't have regained the zoo on it's own? Many many people have had bleached anemones and corals and they regained their zoo and color from just good husbandry. Just because it looks bleached does not mean all the zoo are gone.

Bleached anemone or corals, if partial bleached will return with out transplant. This is true if the the coral or anemone sill have a few, or even 1 or 2, that is not visible. However, If they truly completely bleached, they will have to get the zooxanthellae from and external source.

 

[OrionN]

This is a picture of a tank of mine back in 1997. I got a small Rose BTA that I bought bleached. He hosted a pair of White stripe Maroon back then. That anemone died after 6+ months or so, never regain his color. I was an OK reefer back then and everything were growing well, but the tank was really over loaded with animals. The anemone can be seen near the large maroon clown in this picture.

 

[Miller535]

Bleached anemone or corals, if partial bleached will return with out transplant. This is true if the the coral or anemone sill have a few, or even 1 or 2, that is not visible. However, If they truly completely bleached, they will have to get the zooxanthellae from and external source.

But there is no way of knowing if they only have 1 or 2. So how can you be sure this has done anything? Not trying to argue, just a little skeptical like I said.

 

[OrionN]

Microrganism growth rate is exponetial. Once they are healthy, if there are any zooxanthellae living, they will have the population recover in a few weeks.
So when I have a bleached, but healthy anemone for 6 weeks, I consider them completly bleached and in needed of transplant.
That Bleached Rose BTA pictured above never recover and died bleach after about 6 months or so.
Feeding them live Zooxanthellae cannot hurt, it can only help so why not? I will feed my bleached anemones becasue I have had experiences with them.

 

[Mattiejay6]

How often do you all actually feed your Gigs?/ how often is actually necessary.

 

[OrionN]

I don’t actually feed my anemones regularly. They just catch fish food. Sometime I do feed them but few and far in between. Even with large tank Like I have, 320 gal, I am running out of room so I don’t want them to get bigger.

 

[Hot2na]

after a month..I see my transplant as a partial success...only a portion of the tentacles are "dirty"..and not progressing...Do I re-transplant with more zoox ?

 

[reef lover]

Awesome thread and concept here guys!

 

[OrionN]

after a month..I see my transplant as a partial success...only a portion of the tentacles are "dirty"..and not progressing...Do I re-transplant with more zoox ?

IMO, if only partial re-population of the anemone after 4 weeks, then I would look to improve the condition of the tank. If the zooxanthellae are doing well, they should continue to multiply. If they do not, then there is problem with the micro-enviroment.

Retransplant also cannot hurt. In the rare case where you only have a single or limmited species of zooxanthellae successfully transplanted. It is possible that the strain of zooxanthellae may be weak and not suited to the current tank condition. Transplant cannot hurt the recipient, so do another transplant would be fine, and it may help. I would make sure that you provide optimal care for the anemone at is still partially bleached.

 

[kels64]

Microrganism growth rate is exponetial. Once they are healthy, if there are any zooxanthellae living, they will have the population recover in a few weeks.
So when I have a bleached, but healthy anemone for 6 weeks, I consider them completly bleached and in needed of transplant.
That Bleached Rose BTA pictured above never recover and died bleach after about 6 months or so.
Feeding them live Zooxanthellae cannot hurt, it can only help so why not? I will feed my bleached anemones becasue I have had experiences with them.

I have a question about this and I’ve been searching all kinds of scholarly articles and there doesn’t seem to be much information. Of course I think you guys are always the best experts! So if you do a zooxanthella transplant from another organism does the anemone take on the color of that organism or is the color of the organism independent from the zooxanthella?

 

[wnnabereefer]

This is amazing! I haven't seen that before, it's so cool that you literally fed it a tentacle and it's colors came back to life!

 

[gig 'em]

I have a question about this and I’ve been searching all kinds of scholarly articles and there doesn’t seem to be much information. Of course I think you guys are always the best experts! So if you do a zooxanthella transplant from another organism does the anemone take on the color of that organism or is the color of the organism independent from the zooxanthella?

It’s independent. Zooxanthellae are pretty brown, whereas the pigment of the coral is in the flesh itself.