Losing Zooxanthellae???

[oo7slice]

Can someone explain to me in full what exactly happens when a BTA expels its zooxanthellae? I think this has happened since mine recently moved under a rock and when I flipped it over a few days later it is white as a ghost. Anyway, why do they do it? What does this mean? Will it most likely die? If so, should I remove it now? Can I treat it?

 

[thomas712]

Originally Posted by OO7Slice
Can someone explain to me in full what exactly happens when a BTA expels its zooxanthellae? I think this has happened since mine recently moved under a rock and when I flipped it over a few days later it is white as a ghost. Anyway, why do they do it? What does this mean? Will it most likely die? If so, should I remove it now? Can I treat it?

Bleaching can be triggered by multiple factors: extremes of temperature (heat shock and cold shock),high irradiance, prolonged darkness, heavy metals (especially copper and cadmium) and pathogenic micro-organisms.
In the case of the anemone the zooxanthellae is a tan to dark brown color. When it happens it means that the host body (anemone) is now unhealthy. Its a symbiotic relationship.
They can recover from it, but it takes time, proper lighting and some feedings to bring it back to health, about 3 months or more.
See post #4: https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=142080

 

[milomlo]

Hey Thomas - look at mine. Does it look healthy? I don't notice the "brown" you are talking about in that thread. Let me know if it looks healthy or not. I was planning on feeding it everyother day. Is that to often or should I go just twice a week or so?
I think he has finally found his spot. He has been here for 2 days now and he is opened up alot. Much bigger (more opened up) than he was when I bought him.

 

[thomas712]

I think he is looking better don't you? Fuller looking. I know what you mean about the color. There are multiple species of zooxanthellae - in fact tens of species and sub-species - but they all are golden to brown, a consequence of the privileged absorption of the blue/green wavelengths by the photosynthetic apparatus - brown is in fact a very dark red! The visible color of a coral will be the result of the mix between the colors of its pigments, the dominating brown of the zooxanthellae, and the respective densities of these two components. The whole will depend on the two organisms and the subtle laws governing the coral/zooxanthellae symbiosis.
I've watched my BTA's in there time go from light tan to dark green or heavy brown. Depends on the age of my lights, intensity, chemistry and what not. I'll have to see if they get darker when the moon is full

.
I'd feed him 2 or 3 times per week max, but that's just me talking.
Thomas