Bleached Bubble tip

[Kramolegna]

I have a bubble tip anemone for the past 1 month. It is my first.

I was purchased from online vender.

Acclimation went well and it was healthy light green in color. Over the next week it became bleached looking.

I feed it via syringe - some brine shrimp about 1-2/wk. Never really takes to the food much.

I have 3 T5 HO and 3 actinics.

Water parameters are perfect.

I have some relatively nasty hermit crabs that I have seen picking at it on occasion (especially after feedings).

SHould i be doing something different? Am I just waiting this out?
Thanks for the help!

 

[Kio707]

How big is ur tank? Also, quit feeding it. It'll get plenty of food when u feed ur tank. Do any clowns host it? Can u provide a picture?

 

[Sniperhank]

Well, a 6 bulb T5HO unit should easily be enough for a BTA. A picture would be great. How far up is it placed in the tank? Also, what Kio said. Stop feeding. Digestion of large food takes more energy usually than what it provides to the bta from what I have been reading. I never feed mine. But, this would also be why the hermits are "picking" at it. They are trying to take the food from its tentacles.

If it is bleaching, then no you shouldn't wait it out as there is a problem. Now, if this is a too little light or too much even is up in the air since we don't know where he is placed. What are the current parameters of the tank? Phosphates and nitrates don't treat nems very kindly and could also be leading to the problem. There is a chance these levels could be elevated by feeding too much, which I'd take out of how much you are feeding the bta.

 

[Kramolegna]

No clowns host it. I have 2 ocellaris and neither have interest.

I have not checked the phosphates in the tank but that seems like a great idea.

I wasn't feeding it initially then when it got bleached, I thought it was perhaps malnourished so I started feeding it.

My tank is 55gal Red Sea Max tank that is about 3 mos old now.