bleached BTA

[jeffdroy]

I've had my BTA for a few weeks and it is all white. from what I have read that means it is bleached. It looks like its doing pretty good to me. Will it eventually turn a different color? I'm having a hard time finding info on how and why an anenome gets bleached and how to fix it. Anyone know any links or articles on this subject. Thanks

[StanD]

I've had my BTA for a few weeks and it is all white. from what I have read that means it is bleached. It looks like its doing pretty good to me. Will it eventually turn a different color? I'm having a hard time finding info on how and why an anenome gets bleached and how to fix it. Anyone know any links or articles on this subject. Thanks

The BTA could have been kept under poor lighting conditions. Was it white when you purchased it? What kind of lighting do you have it under currently?

 

Stan

[Carinya]

I just learned recently that apparently a lot of BTAs are bleached by the distributer or wholesaler (or whatever) because they look prettier all pale with the green or rose tips. Then if folks buy them & take good care of them, they start to color up & get their brownish/beige base back, but often times people think this is a bad thing and the anemone is actually dying and they get rid of it. This anecode was related to me by someone in my reef club who definitely appears to know what he's talking about. And from this story I would say that it's possible for you to bring it back by treating it well. That means good water, strong light & feeding it.

[jeffdroy]

Yes it was white when I bought it. I didn't really know better when I did... It was opened nice and seemed pretty healthy so I got it. I have an Orbit power compact light 260w. I've had the anenome for a few weeks and it seems to be happy. It glows a cool neon green under the atenics and is pure white under the normal lights. My clown likes it so much he can't stay out of it... last picture is poor b/c I had to use a flash cause he only gets in it when the lights go off???

Does it look bleached? healthy?

 

 

 

[Travis]

bleached, but healthy other than that.

 

Get some frozen Silver Side fish from your LFS and feed the nem a good sized section of the fish 3 times a week. That will help with the bleaching and the nem will be even more healthy.

[TikiJosh]

just feed, make sure that water quality stays good, that type of stuff. Color looks a little pale, but not exactly "white" like some that I've seen. As long as the tentacles are sticky, that means that it's still producing nematocysts, which is a good thing. When the nem stops doing that, then it's time to worry. Reaction to food and other stimuli should be relatively quick. If you feed as often as Travis suggests, you might find that it won't take up all the food. That's okay. If it won't eat all of it, then just remove the uneaten food.

IME, anemones tend to do best when left to their own devices. If it wants to move, let it. Don't rearrange the tank all the time because you don't like where the anemone is, that type of stuff.

Having said all that, you should be okay. Sounds like your nem is doing alright, and as long as you keep up on its care, you should be able to enjoy for many years.

[clifford513]

I agree with Travis. Be sure to cut the section of silverside into one quarter inch pieces. Your lighting seems sufficient for a bta, imo. It will gradually color up. More than likely, it will take months for it to regain full coloration.

[jeffdroy]

Thanks for the info. I purchased some silversides today and he ate it right up. I'll continue this feeding as you said and hopefully in a month or 2 I'll have an updated picture with a little more color... Thanks again!

[Travis]

The fact that he is eating is good, really good.