bleached sabae anemone

[unoriginal]

I bought this sabae anemone that was advertised as a white sabae. I know I am going to be flamed for not researching before I bought it.

Iv had it for 2 days now, and it hasnt dug its foot in or hasnt eaten. I tried to feed it thawed krill which my haitian anem loves.

I have 260watt HO T5s and the tank is a 55g with med current. I hear most people say that it needs MHs to get its zooxanthellae back.

My water params are good, i do weekly water changes, and the temp is 78 - 79

Should I give him another day or two? Or take the $30 loss and give him up to a LFS.

 

[DaveK]

As you title points out, it is a bleached anemone. With some luck it may come back to it's normal brown color, but it will take time.

Obviously dealing with this can be a problem, since your starting with an animal that isn't in the best of health. OTOH, you already have the anemone, no point in taking a loss right off. It may recover.

I'd consider you lighting a little on the side, but in the range where you have a fighting chance. The flow is ok also. The big question is how well established is your tank? If it's been set up something like 9 months or more, and it's been stable, meaning no major algae outbreaks or other problems, then you have a chance of keeping it.

Anemones are delicate when it comes to moving them. Often a "slight" change in the water can upset them, even if you have acclimated "by the book".

As long as it's not getting worse, don't mess with it. You might want to try to feed it 1 or 2 small pieces of shrimp or crab, and see if it accepts them. Then try again in a few days. With some luck the anemone will color up and you 'll have something nice.

 

[unoriginal]

My tank is about a year old. I did have an algae breakout a few months ago due to the high water temps from the T5s, but i did the "5 day no light" trick that got rid of all the algae, added fans to keep the water temp stable and a phosban to keep the phosphate down. Ever since the algae has been minimal and the water params have been stable.

Hopefully it will get its color back with the lighting, but i guess im a bit more worried about it not eating.

ill try some shrimp today and see if that works. Thanks for the advice

 

[SecretAgent]

Two Sabeas here:

First one was white but slightly brown when drawn in. I Didnt acclimate, just put it straight into the tank. Attached right where I put it. Has grown 1/3 of its original size since buying it a couple months ago. It helps to get a healthy one from a trusted place. Mine came from DFS

Second nem: Bought one a little smaller than the first. Put it straight in tank. This one was the right color. Tannish in color. Didnt want to attach when I put it in, so I blocked it off from going anywhere with a piece of live rock. Three days later I removed the rock and it has attached, same place I put it. Fed it about a week after getting it (silver side) and it ate fine. Still eating fine

My tanks are 7 yrs old with the exception of the pico, which I set up the 16th of this month. Dont know really how much of that matters as I have a 7 year old Pacific Nem that has never seen a bad day in its life (not that I could see anyway)and has been in the 125g since its setup.

The nem of yours looks fine to me, looks better than the ones I put in my tank when I first opened the bag and released them. My small one will even close up at night and withdraw completely, my guess is this brat clown beating it to death. Come lights on time, it flares itself out like a peacock.

I use tap water and only tap water, I do not test for trates, phates or any of that. System must be right on for them nems to be doing so well, that or they can tolerate more than people are saying or even know.

I think it looks pretty good. When the tentacles look stringy and stay that way thats the time to worry

These nems dont need to be fed every day. I feed mine once a week. Yours may have already had a big meal before being sent to you and maybe thats why it isnt eating.

 

[unoriginal]

Thats for all the input, much more relieving now. Still cant get it to eat with the krill, ill pick up some mysis or silverside tomorrow and try that.

Thanks again for all the help

 

[SecretAgent]

I forgot to add that neither of my nems would eat krill. They spit it out after taking it in. I think its the shell they dont like or cant tolerate or something. Silversides, brine, table shrimp peeled, things like that I feed mine. I dont feed anything shelled.

 

[bigdog1428]

i got mine bleached from lfs,,and it colored up in a month or 2 ,,,now its healthly,,just loves to rome all over the tank

 

[Avianman]

I bought my sebae from the LFS years ago, looked exactly as yours did. Didnt eat right away, either. I didn't acclimate at the time, just dropped it in. It ended up quadrupling its size and living for 2 1/2 years. It eventually turned the color it should. No worries, Im sure it will be fine...just leave it alone if you can.

A side note, it did have a clown pair that took very good care of it.

 

[Reddog170]

I have a rose bubble nem here that has turned brown. Now it has been that way for months before I got it. It is healthy now and I have got it eating good. It bubbles up well and looks good other than it is brown. What I am saying is that the color may or may not come back. Just take care of it the best you can and show it that you care about its health. It will come back to health and be happy, no matter what color it is. Have faith, Shaun

 

[Smokey301]

my sebae has been very forgiving the year I've had it, bought it like yours but it ended up attaching to a rock and started taking small krill, i think clowns help them alot too.

 

[JulesVane]

I had a beautiful LTA that thrived for a year in my 90. My nitrates were off the chart high! I added a Sulfur Denitrator to my system and bought a 5-Stage RO/DI unit instead of the distilled water I had been using. The nitrates dropped dramatically. The LTA shrivelled up and died. Point being...The LTA didn't like the water chemistry change even for the better. I just added a nem just like yours and it's craweld behind the rocks where my 2 False Perculas now spend most of their time playing in it. Hope it comes out soon and into the light and view.

 

[Setragni]

When i got my sebae it was just like yours. Turn of the powereads and sit it on top of a rock where it wont move. Its better if the rock is close to the sand. After it sets foot it will start eating. Feed twice a week. Then later feed once a week. I feed mine with frozen shrimp pieces. GL

I have mine for over a year now!!