Awesome neon pink BTA, now losing color

[brentj]

Well, I didn't want to manipulate the settings on the photo, but the pictures do not do this anemone justice. I got it two weeks ago and I'd never seen anything like it; so fluorescent pink/orange. In the store tank it really blazed neon and caught the eye.

It reportedly came from a local tank, the product of a split and a trade, having been in that tank for at least 8 months. I don't have reason to doubt this. (I'm telling you this as an attempt to avoid the "it was dyed" replies; feel free to still say it if it's what you believe, but I don't think so)

I am happy that it settled into the rock I placed it on, slinking its foot impossibly far down into a hole in the rock. It hasn't moved in 2 weeks, eats well (shrimp and raw tuna)

But it's been losing color.

2 weeks ago:

Now:

My first impression was that the green at the base of the tentacles was increasing, but then that the neon orange was decreasing.

Water parameters 79 degrees pH 8.2, dka 11, Ca 450, nitrites/nitrate/phos "0"

I'm assuming it's a lighting issue. I never saw it in the original tank but I'm told it was fairly shallow under a 150 MH.

It's now under 24" of water. Lighting, AquaIlluminations LED fixture. Blue at 98%, White 70%.

This is where I assume many will say, "duh, too low light". But in my (semi-newbie) mind it's not that simple because I've had to turn the white DOWN to keep from bleaching hammer coral and pink birdsnest acropora (shallow). So I know it's putting out light at the shallower depth at least.


So is lighting the culprit? Malnutrition?

1) Can an RBTA get too MUCH light? Theoretically? Doubt it at 23" depth, but can you OVER-light them? Will they retract if you do? I don't have room to move this rock up to the top...

2) does the 2 week fade match "too-little light"?

Anything else to think of? I'm confused because I thought the increasing green at first was a healthy thing since I'd read that the green was the zooxanthellae; the red was an anemone pigment.

Thanks for any advice. I want to save this unique specimen that now looks drab.

 

[Gig 'em]

Normally when an anemone is bright pink that means it's a bleached Rose bubble tip anemone. They may look really cool, but it's not a good thing and it will eventually die. Normally it's a lack of light since they don't NEED solid food to supplement their diet as long as they get the proper lighting. I'm not familiar with LED's so I can't really make a suggestion on that. Good luck

 

[brentj]

Interesting. Thanks for the thoughts. That would go along with my thought that the green part was increasing in my tank, making me think the zooxanthellae were increasing. But I assume it's getting LESS light in my tank (assumption only)

Hard to believe it was unhealthy before since it looked so amazingly cool. And it had reportedly divided looking like that. Never seen anything that intensely bright!

Reportedly it was really well lit by MH lights in its former home.

Can anemones bleach from too MUCH light?

It supposedly was "happy", firmly staying put on one rock for many months in its former home.

I never saw it in its former home, so I can't judge how much more or less light it's getting now.

Any other thoughts people have would be appreciated. Do people agree that it was bleached when it looked so bright and cool?

I know it's hard to tell just from pics

Anyone had one go from bright neon orange to more "normal" RBTA look?

 

[myxsptlk]

I think it looks okay, it's probably getting used to a different lighting setup. I think the term you guys are after is dyed, bleached means its gone white and lost its zooanthelle (sp?). But no this fella doesn't look like it's bleached, it doesn't look unhappy either and if it isn't walking around in your tank I think you're doing fine. It may look different but still a nice looking and healthy anemone.

 

[brentj]

I'm saying I don't think it's dyed (chemicals) because it's supposedly been a long-term tank inhabitant that was traded in.

Some say it's bleached (from wrong lighting (I'm asking if it can bleach from too much light or just too little)) saying that the darker zooxanthellae are gone leaving the underlying pigment to show through brighter?

 

[t4zalews]

def not dyed..my rbta is a bright pink sometimes, doesn't bulb like your's though. Mine too was a split off of a single rbta.

 

[dja1980]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14928383#post14928383 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by brentj
Can anemones bleach from too MUCH light?

Mine bleaches a little each year when I change my MH bulbs, so I'd say yes. The funny thing is that this is when I enjoy my RBTA the most... because it turns neon pink and the tips bubble up again for a few months. However, it eventually darkens up and loses its bubbles once it acclimates to the new bulbs and the bulbs start to lose their intensity.

 

[brentj]

Interesting. So we all agree then that when it's neon pink is when it's bleached unnaturally? Too bad. I too liked it most that way!!!!

Now it looks like a "regular" (healthy looking, shouldn't complain!) RBTA