Malu browned out?

[FWC]

My LFS has a couple of healthy looking Heteractis malu's for sale, however they are totally brown with purple tips, and a faint stripped pattern on the oral disk. Is there any hope of them coloring up, or shall they be brown forever ?

 

[ThRoewer]

My LFS has a couple of healthy looking Heteractis malu's for sale, however they are totally brown with purple tips, and a faint stripped pattern on the oral disk. Is there any hope of them coloring up, or shall they be brown forever ?

Brown is a totally healthy color for them. What color did you expect?

 

[Big E]

Not sure on those specific ones in that store, but this is how mine looked early on. It browned out as per your description. I haven't had the time to give an effort to see what it needs to capture those vibrant colors.

The whole foot was a bright majenta and the green was more intense. Part of the more intense colors is due to it not being as expanded and healthy. The pic above is a unhealthy anemone.........the bulbus tentacles and the smaller size & slightly gaping mouth are all signs of that.


Now--

 

[traveller7]

Nice recovery Big E.

 

[OrionN]

In general, the brighter the light, and the lower the nutrient, the less brown and more color the anemone will have. I guess it depends on how long the anemones have been under low light and how stressed they are.

 

[OrionN]

This is a picture of two not so special Malu. Just brown with purple tips. They are certainly different from each other, tentacle wise. Both have been under my care for roughly 10 years.

 

[davocean]

Brown is a totally healthy color for them. What color did you expect?

While I would agree and say the same for most any other host nem, Malu's are the exception, many are very brightly colored when healthy.

 

[Big E]

Nice recovery Big E.

Thanks, wish I could have saved the other one I bought with it. It was super hot majenta, green & pink.

On the colors..........I believe the ones that have been flowing through DD are the same as mine pictured above. That is, if they have the green body and purple tentacles. I think they can be colored up some over time.