bleached trachyphillia

[hobogato]

the red brain that i got from polly's a while back was doing great for a long time, and then it started to lose color. it was very near another bigger green trach and they touched every day when they would both puff up. it was on the bottom, but in an area that gets pretty direct sunlight in the middle of the day. i thought it might be the green one attacking it or the light was too bright, so i moved it to a shaded area away from the green brain, but it continued to loose color. i have now moved it to the back of the tank in an area of moderate light, but i am looking for ideas. it still eats when i feed the tank and other than the color, looks healthy. has anyone else had this happen? if so, how did you get it to recover?

here it is before the change (far right)
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hobogato/aggressive%20reef/DSC06453.jpg

here it is now
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hobogato/aggressive%20reef/DSC06512.jpg

[Aqua-Dome]

keep feeding. have had much more luck with bleached trachys recoloring than receding trachys recovering.

[hobogato]

thanks hunter :)

[MRSBIGBIRD123]

I had read a while back on Wet Web to feed them at night, when this happens...I believe it had something to do with the tentacles being out at that time..

[StevenSeas]

My advice is like everyone said make sure you keep feeding. I would spot feed everynite or every other. Cuz as im sure u well know bleaching is when it throws out it zooanthel and so it looses color. However what some ppl dont know is that Red Trachys are from deeper water than greens and require a dencent amt less of light, so I would get it under some moderate lighting (seems like u said u did just ensuring) So pretty much now its up to ensuring its well fed so that it can supply the remaining zooanthel (sp?) w/ enough nutrition to regrown and repopulate it.
So basically i guess what all that says is like what everyone else said keep feeding (preferably everynite or 2 till it regains color) and keep it in moderate lighting and leave it there and be patient it will adjust

[hobogato]

thanks for all the help folks :)

[Pennies2Cents]

Sorry so late on this one. I agree Direct feed and it should do the trick! :)

[justahobby]

Did this brain come from a different store (different lighting?) Maybe from a different region. I would guess that the new summer ...er "spring" sun is just rocking it's world and it had trouble self-acclimating.

[hobogato]

i think you are probably right justin, it was in an area that got pretty direct sunlight in the middle part of the day. it has already started to look a tiny bit better (or maybe that is wishful thinking on my part :) ).

[StevenSeas]

^^^^ red open brains are found in deeper water than green open brains so this probably has a lot to do with it

[hobogato]

thanks - learn something new here every day :D

[apedroza]

Hey Ace the exact same thing happened to my Giant wellso when I had it. It happened right after I went from SE to DE metal halides. It totally lost all its color but still puffed up and took food with its tentacles. I moved it from the middle of my tank to a darker corner on the bottom and after a few months it started getting its color back. I think th shock of coming from a lower lit place to bright sunlight causes them to expel their color, but as long as they keep eating they start to produce more.