Another nem post

[NoobSalt]

Well with the recent posts of nems I figured I would post my own. As you may know when I was on vacation last week my tank was in the care of my friend and for a good 2 weeks all was fine, but the day before I returned my tank temp spiked up to 90 before anyone could get to it and help and well I lost some corals in the run..now some things are making a come back and with time it should all be well (minus the corals i completely lost) Anyhow, from what I have read I figure my BTA has pretty much just bleached since then. Its about down to the size of a half dollar and almost clear...no longer green. I've tried to feed it but it's only taken one slice of sliverside and I guess whatever other foods it does take when I feed the fish.

Well I am just wondering if I am on the right track and/or what I should do? Here is a photo of what it looks like as of today:





It used to look like this:



Any tips would be great.

Also as I am sure it will be asked, these are the tank params as of 15 mins ago when I just tested:

temp: 81
Sal: 1.025
pH. 8.2
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10ppm
Phosphate: 0
kH: 9dkH
Cal: 420

Thanks!!

[trustinno1]

wow it is really bleached but im sure with good care it can come back....

[mal211]

Good sign that it hasn't detached from the rock. Amazing to see those pictures. Assuming it remains under those stable conditions I believe it can make a full recovery but I wouldn't touch it as it may cause unnecessary stress. Strong lighting and good water flow obviously. Not to bring up a sore subject, but what corals did you lose?

[NoobSalt]

yeah it has not moved at all since the temp spike so I'm hoping I can help it recover, I've heard feeding but it won't take food really...I lost a Acropora, 3 Frogspawn heads and a growing acan frag.

[FoMoCo Master Tech]

Sorry about your troubles noob. Although lighting is important for a full recovery, feeding it would be most important right now. Keep trying daily feedings ( or multiple times a day if it doesn't take it). Start with small foods like mysis or very small bits of silversides. Remove whatever it doesn't eat but keep at it.

[FoMoCo Master Tech]

Also, turning off the pumps and placing food directly on the oral disk might make it easier for the nem. Less energy would be needed to eat

[NoobSalt]

Got it. Thanks for the advice!

[NoobSalt]

Still not taking food, but I'll keep it at trying again in a few hours, I tried to feed it some minced mysis/brine shrimp but to no avail. I hope it starts taking food again soon!

[mal211]

Maybe FoMoCo can correct me, but why is feeding at this stage so important? After an extreme temperature spike with relatively unstable water quality clearly impacting his nems and corals shouldn't his focus be on stabilizing lighting, temperature, water quality conditions? Won't constant target feeding stress the nem further? I am sure you know far more than I do and I am simply looking for clarification. Either way, best of luck to you Noob!

[FoMoCo Master Tech]

Water quality and temperature are definitely of upmost importance. My mistake for implying otherwise. The reason I said feeding is more important than lighting (at this point), is because the nem lost all/ most of it's Zooxanthellae (hence the bleaching). Without it, photosynthesis cannot take place to provide the nem with proteins/ food. Supplementing with meaty foods will help the nem to survive until the Zooxanthellae rehosts or multiplies within it's host anemone. Overfeeding (too much too often) will definitely stress the nem further but very small amounts daily should be okay. I'm no expert by any means. This is just what I would do in a similar situation.

[NoobSalt]

Well, I will keep trying to feed it small bits of meaty food once a day or once every other day so I don't stress it too much. Water temp and quality are all back on track now, lighting is there. I just need the poor lil feller to eat! Im sure it is getting some foods by my clown, but at the same time, I think the clown is stressing the nem out too and I can't really seperate them at the moment....but again I don't think I want too in case the only food the nem gets at teh moment is from the clown.

[NoobSalt]

Got the nem to take a small slice of silverside today..it took a while for it to actually take it in and eat it but it did. Hopefully I can get it to eat tmrw or the day after again. Anyone have any advice on the clown it ho....well never mind, as I was writing this I look over and what do I see? the goddamn clown fish somehow got the slice of silver side out of the mouth of the nem and took it away!!! WTF!!!!?

[NoobSalt]

Well, its not the best contraption but it works. I fed the nem again and I just put my net over it (It has plenty of room in front of it, the net is point out away from the rock/nem) and it keeps the clown away. I think I will have to keep it like this for the next few days/weeks as I let the nem recover. I think part of the reason it wouldn't eat is b/c of my clown stealing any food from it. It's like the clown wants to bully the nem?

Thoughts on if this is a good idea/bad idea would be great.

Thanks guys!

[chrisfont23]

That nem can and probably will survive. I have seen worse (for sale at petco too).

[NoobSalt]

Good to hear haha. I think keeping the nem and clown separated for a bit will prove beneficial as well.

[FoMoCo Master Tech]

Well, its not the best contraption but it works. I fed the nem again and I just put my net over it (It has plenty of room in front of it, the net is point out away from the rock/nem) and it keeps the clown away. I think I will have to keep it like this for the next few days/weeks as I let the nem recover. I think part of the reason it wouldn't eat is b/c of my clown stealing any food from it. It's like the clown wants to bully the nem? Thoughts on if this is a good idea/bad idea would be great. Thanks guys!

Its a good idea to isolate the nem until it recovers. Its good that it at least attempted to eat. Clowns can be rough with nems at first. I've heard of smaller nems being "loved to death" by host clowns.

[NoobSalt]

So the nem is still struggling to eat, I try to feed it but doesnt take and/or other inverts try to steal the food. I tried to isolate it, my clown found a way around that and started to host again...I don't have a QT to put it in.

The nem moved about what I would call an inch on the same rock, into a small crevice area...I assume to perhaps escape the clown, and while the clown still tries to host, it is not too successful. Any need to worry about this? Or just continue with good lighting, flow, and try to feed as much as I can?

Thanks.

[Mad Mead]

Noob

I would try using a smoothy to feed it. okay so to do this by mix and mashing food or using a blinder if you would like to make a lot.
1. pick the food ( chunks of fish and clams and adding some frozen food )
2. adding vitamin enhancer
3. I'd placed some phyto feast, just because I find that everyone freaks when feed my feather duster. ( couldn't hurt)
4. mash and blind till it will fit in a syringe
5. try spot feeding twice a day a little at a time when do turn off the pump for the best spot feeding


this is what I would do. hope it works