Anemone ID

[SneakyPete]

So while I was at my LFS yesterday, I decided to buy a couple of frags. I had other things to do that day, so I came back before they were closed, and in the couple of hours before I came back, somebody came by and dropped this guy off:

Apparently, he was having some trouble with it (its a little bleached) and decided he couldn't care for it.

Note, I did not buy it. I didn't know what type of anemone it was. However, I'm going back to the LFS later this week since they finally got my fish in but I didn't have my QT set up. I'm just wanting to know what type of anemone it is and if it could/would host O clowns.

Thanks!

 

[2Addicted]

M. doreensis (LTA), it's not a natural host for Ocellaris clowns but they have been known to accept them as a host in captivity.

 

[bradleym]

+1 and this LTA is not going to stay purple either I'd be willing to bet.

 

[SneakyPete]

Do you think it is going to completely bleach out?

Sent from my BlackBerry 9800 using Tapatalk

 

[bradleym]

I think that, while LTAs do come in purple, that one was dyed purple rather than born purple. So the color that it has will eventualy fade out. If it manages to survive long enough to regain it's own coloring, it will probably not be purple.

 

[agruetz]

I think that, while LTAs do come in purple, that one was dyed purple rather than born purple. So the color that it has will eventualy fade out. If it manages to survive long enough to regain it's own coloring, it will probably not be purple.

Out of my own curiosity how do you know this?

 

[bradleym]

Well... I don't KNOW it, but here's why I THINK it.

Typically, when an anemone bleaches out, it happens to all the color at about the same time. Not just the bottom half.

However, when an anemone is dyed, the color bleeds out gradually over a period of months, and typically the ends of the tentacles are what lose the dye last.

Also, I saw a BTA that exact color at Petco a few months back. I don't believe BTAs come in that color. I've seen naturally purple LTAs and BTAs, but neither were that brilliant color of purple.

 

[SneakyPete]

I have to say, it did seem awfully fishy to me. The guy that I talked to didn't know much about it other than somebody just brought it in, so that guy could have bought a dyed petco special...

 

[bradleym]

<a href="http://s42.photobucket.com/albums/e337/aquasd/?action=view&current=PurpleLTA-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e337/aquasd/PurpleLTA-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

These are examples of a gorgeous purple LTA, that I am fairly confident is not dyed. The color is very close, but when seen in person it is not the same glowing flourescent purple that the anemone in the original picture appears to be. I could be wrong, but I believe this image is about as bright and intense as the color can get naturally. That along with my other points is why I suggested it may be dyed.

*EDIT*

Additionally, natural coloring tends to appear as if painted onto the tentacles' surface, as above, while dyed anemones often look like they are filled with colored water.

 

[agruetz]

Thanks for that info. I never knew that about these guys. Very interesting.

 

[phender]

I don't think it is dyed, but it is definitely bleached. Bleaching is the anemone loosing its zooxanthellae (which is a brown/gold algae). It has nothing to do with the other pigments, although the other pigments may fade due to low light levels. That is a very natural color for a LTA, but it is usually masked a little by the presence of zooxanthellae.
You get the same effect when a Rose BTA bleaches, except the RBTAs become hot pink.

 

[agruetz]

Interesting thoughts. I cannot even see mine he picked a nice spot in the back of the tank where you cannot see him. All i see from time to time is the ends of his tentacles. I guess time will tell whom is correct on this one.

 

[Winwood]

i don't think it is dyed, but it is definitely bleached. Bleaching is the anemone loosing its zooxanthellae (which is a brown/gold algae). It has nothing to do with the other pigments, although the other pigments may fade due to low light levels. That is a very natural color for a lta, but it is usually masked a little by the presence of zooxanthellae.
You get the same effect when a rose bta bleaches, except the rbtas become hot pink.

+1