H magnifica color change

[maww]

Has anyone else had this happen with their ritteri? I bought this guy July 05. Here is a pic just after I got it

Six months ago, it looked pretty much the same

Over the last six months or so it has started to change color. It has completely lost the white tips, and has turned from brownish color to a light lavenderish/bluish color. Also, the tentacles have picked up a green flourescent sheen.

 

[sonofgaladriel]

I would attribute most of that color change to an increase in its xooanthellae. It was probably a little bleached when you got it and now its looking good!

 

[GSMguy]

i second what son of gadriel said

 

[phender]

The white in the tips shouldn't be blocked by the zooxanthellae. The white is actually a pigment in itself and don't usually work that way.
It looks to me like the very tips of your anemone's tentacles have constricted. I have never quite seen that before. I bet if the tips re-inflated you would find your white tips again.

 

[Flighty]

I have pics up here somewhere of a color shift of a pair of my clones. let me find them.

here we go, They are both splits from the same parent added to my system a few weeks apart.

 

[catastrofe]

Just a shot in the dark (or light), but could this be due to a shift in the color spectrum of your lighting? Possible I'm sure, but documented. . .who knows?

 

[SVXH6]

mine looked very similar to yours upon purchase and also swithched to have bright green tips.. i have two that have both done this exact change, both started same color and both turned into the same color.. i also have a purple based H. Mag that started with white tips and changed into haveing bright yellow tips..

 

[Flighty]

Think the white tips may be a juvi thing?

 

[Mirror Pond]

I just purchased a 5" ritteri about a month ago and it is the exact same color as the first one pictured in maww's first post. I didn't know that they could change color like that but I would welcome such a change.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

IMO maww's anemone looks healthier in the first pic. I wonder what's causing the tentacle tips to get pointy like in his second pic...

 

[maww]

So it does seem to be a fairly common occurence for these guys to change colors in captivity. I am surprised that they appear to pick upcolor rather than turn drab.

the pointy tips come and go. I haven't been feeding regularly lately, maybe it is a response to less food? I will see if the tips round out after a feeding

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

What and how often do you feed that anemone? What lighting is over it and how far is the anemone from the light source?

 

[Jadran]

Mark, did you maybe improved your filtration system or did something else what would eradicate nutrients from your water... or maybe changed lighting..? interesting thread..

 

[maww]

For the first month, I kept it in my basement sump (150 gallon rubbermaid tub witha 1000W MH light 4ft overhead). Since then it has been first in the old 65 gallon, and then into the new 120. In both those tanks it has been about 12 inches directly below a 400W 10kK MH. When I first got it, it was 5-6 inches across (the clowns in pic 1 were newly purchased tank raised, maybe 3/4 inch at most). It is now between 10-12 inches depending on the day. I feed it at least weekly, about a teaspoon volume worth of anchovy/silverside. Some weeks I may feed 2-3 times per week. I.ve gone back through some old pics, and the transition has been over a longer period than I remembered. The white tips slowly disappeared over about the first 6 months or so, and the color slowly changed to the more lavender on, starting on the oral disc, and then on the pedal disc. It is only over the last 6 months that the green sheen has come up on the tentacles.

 

[maww]

doh.. double posted.