Haitian anemone going from white to purple?

[reefguy24]

Got a haitian anemone the other day. At the fish store, I could have sworn it's tentacles where white, with pretty red tips.

I get the thing home and the tentacles turned purple, with purple tips.

Is this normal? Any idea what's going on? I gave it some shrimp and it ate them today.

 

[sjwitt]

Probably the difference in lighting.

 

[sonoma2nv]

Probably the difference in lighting.

i would agree with the above post,nothing to worry about

 

[reefguy24]

Ok, well he found a spot in the front of my tank....he's a bit big.

I took a turkey baster and squirted in some shrimp....the shrimp blog attached itself to his tentacles....and the I saw his tentacles "close" up a bit.....does this mean he was reacting to the food in a negative way, or is this him feeding?

 

[sjwitt]

He's just closing up to eat. If you have good light you probably don't have to feed it too often. Once or twice a week if you want him to grow … or just let it catch whatever it can when you feed the rest of the tank.

 

[albano]

...I could have sworn it's tentacles where white, with pretty red tips.

I get the thing home and the tentacles turned purple, with purple tips.

Is this normal? Any idea what's going on?

Could be lighting difference, but Haitian/Condy anemones can do a color change! I've had them change from white to pink or purple with different color tips...
They can get very large, and if they decide to 'take a walk' they can kill many corals...
Also contrary to popular belief, there are many types of clowns that 'may' be hosted by them!

FWIW... Mine got very large, changed colors, hosted clowns, and lived over 5 years till they started to roam (so I sold them)... All on feedings of about twice a month!

 

[reefguy24]

Ok so small update:

The haitian anemone took a walk last night. Under my live rock bridge and into the back of the tank..

He apparently does not like the light or water flow.


I don't know what to do. I could plausibly bring him back up to the front of the tank....then re-arrange some live rock so he has less light and less flow.....but the anemone might just pick up and move again.


His tentacles have gotten HUGE over the past few days I have had him. He looked a LOT smaller in the live fish store. Not sure what's up with that.

But he's purple....and I guess as long as he's not white, all is well? (because white = bleached?)

 

[albano]

White may not be bleached for a Condy ... You can try to 'place' it , but it will move where it wants, when it wants... If you have corals they can be 'burned'

 

[Reefvette]

Condys

Condys

Condys are no naturally white. Most will turn different shades of brown or purple or pink when healthy.

They get extremely stressed during collection and can shed their partner algea.

Most anemones should never been white, the only anemone that can be white is is a sebea but even then they most turn brown or greenish.

Condys are not typical hosting anemones and can be very difficult to keep. They are not really found in typical reef settings.

 

[sjwitt]

If it's gotten bigger in your tank it's probably happy and settling in. Trying to place it where you want it is futile IMO. It will settle where it wants. If you think it doesn't like flow/current and you don't want it on the back of the tank, then aim your power heads to the back. Maybe it'll come forward.

 

[reefguy24]

White may not be bleached for a Condy ... You can try to 'place' it , but it will move where it wants, when it wants... If you have corals they can be 'burned'

Yeah....I coulda swore this haitain anemone was "white with red tips" when I saw it at the fish store. I brought it home and it immediately changed color to purple.

Also, now the anemone is at the back of the tank. Crap.

I'm scared to touch it because I use latex gloves....and the tentacles get "stuck" on my hand (with the glove on it) and it creeps me out.

 

[bjledbetter]

Yeah....I coulda swore this haitain anemone was "white with red tips" when I saw it at the fish store. I brought it home and it immediately changed color to purple.

Also, now the anemone is at the back of the tank. Crap.

I'm scared to touch it because I use latex gloves....and the tentacles get "stuck" on my hand (with the glove on it) and it creeps me out.

Condys don't generally have a strong sting to humans. But thats not to say you can't have a reaction to it. Using the gloves you should be safe. But if you think it's sticky you should see my haddoni i can't touch it with anything I want back soon, including my turkey baster for feeding which it almost ate once. I had a condy that grew to the size of a large dinner plate and took up the whole side of my 90g tank. I had him about 5 years till my tank had a meltdown. My maroon clowns loved him.

 

[reefguy24]

Just an update....the anemone has settled into a cave and hasn't moved since he landed there a few weeks ago (or whenever my last post was).

He shrinks into the cave when he wants, and comes out (with his tentacles) when he wants.

My peppermint shrimp has hosted to him and just kinda hangs out chilling.


The two clowns have not hosted to this anemone (and I had no delusions they would).


Sooooo knock on wood?