Reef Discussion

[Ian G]

I've previously noted that I've observed white anemone everywhere in the asia pacific region that I've travelled & I've previously doubted current bleaching theories. After all most corals getting too much light or nutrients go brown, not white. Like a sunscreen.

Now it seems that bleaching of anemone may have nothing to do with light at all and may be all about temperature. There's an article on it here. Now I'm wondering and asking for your help. If you've had an anemone go white, did you?.....

Run a chiller?
Have an overheating event?
What is your average temperature in your tank.

If you've kept them without bleaching:
Did you run a chiller?
What other factors in your tank (other than simple light but including spectrum) do you think helped?

 

[Buddy]

I had a chat to @Dr. Schell about this a while ago. Temperature definately cause bleaching. If your temp ever rises too high then turning your lights off will help.

 

[Dr. Schell]

excess temps whist being exposed to light will cause bleaching. turning the lights off when high temps are expected will mosy likely stop the bleaching as there is no need for the anemone to expel their zooxanthellae, as the zooxanthellae will not be producing toxins (ie. free radicles that are toxic to their host anemone) as the will not be photosynthesising. However, if the anemone is subject to high temp AND light, the zooxanthellae continue to photosynthesise. In this process, they produce toxins (these are only produce in toxic levels at high temperatues), which have the potential to KILL the host anemone. As a consequence of this, as as a means of self preservation, the anemone will bleach (ie. expel its zooxanthellae).
Bleaching is an adaptive stratagem and will allow the anemone to modify its zooxanthellae partners. After a bleaching event, the anemone will begin to take in new zooxanthellae from the water column. Often, these new zooxanthellae are MORE RESISTENT to higher temperatures and thus may lead to a better adapted anemone via a new zooxanthellae symbiont

 

[Brent Chadwick]

what if you are using asw, will i need to use nsw for my bleached nem?

 

[Dr. Schell]

what if you are using asw, will i need to use nsw for my bleached nem?

providing you have other photosynthetic corals in with the anemone, i wouldn't worry too much. If, however you only have the anemones, then the use of NSW would most certainly be a way of introducing zooxanthellae that could colonise the bleached anemone