mertens anemone!
- Thread starter m'akoyPINOY
- Start date
phender
Active member
I think an equally good hypothesis might be that we are not supplying the type/intensity of light or other conditions that they need to maintain these white stripes that they would normally have in the wild.
I certainly see this in BTAs that come in with pretty white flecks that often lose them in our tanks. I have seen too many wild pics/videos of mertens with white stripes/patches to think that they are a response to stress.
Just my observation.
phender
Active member
Not all mertens have stripes or white patches, just like not all haddoni have stripes. To say that the white stripes are a stress reaction just doesn't match the observation that the anemones in the wild have the white stripes/patches and then lose them when they get acclimated to our tanks.
If the observation was that wild mertens don't have white stripes/patches in the wild, then develop them after capture and then lose them again after acclimation, then that would match your hypothesis of the white being stress related.
anemoneguy
Member
Reefvette, for what its worth, I was able to get a mertins a little over a year ago from rh spot. After I had it awhile, it developed the white stripes as in the last pic you posted. it took a couple of weeks. It ate well and seemed very healthy. I introduced a bubble anemone with it, and soon after it stated to fade. I cant be sure if it was because of the bubble, but it did look good until after that. Along with the fact the bubble didnt make it very long leads me to believe the bubble was sick. Your lucky to be able to find them. Care to share 
EvolutionXero
New member
nature is just perfect
taylor t
New member
Where did you hear this, Reef? As far as I know, it is a naturally occurring morph, similar to how some haddoni can be striped...
This anemone above doesn't look stressed to me. Just look at the tentacle length. I'm not saying it isn't stressed, but if it is, those are some very long tentacles under stress.
Ill let ya know more tommorow.
I am going to test out some lighting and should have some more specimins.
Same anemone above different view
Another mertens that was stressed
The anemone above, to me, looks stressed. Do the tentacles ever get longer? Is this anemone under stress?
A lot has gone on in my tank in the last month. Quite a few things happened. One of them being a 24" mertens took a walk up to a covered MP40, layed across it, decided it wanted to plant it's foot in it, shredded, and killed every fish in my tank. 11am fish all swimming. 5pm, all dead in the sand. A dozen or more. A week later, my mertens is doing just fine, but went from 24" to about 12". I did not see any white color increase in the anemone, but it did shrink it's tentacles to the size above after it happened. Now, they look more like the anemone Bonzai posted. Took almost a week to lengthen back. Mine seems to desire high flow. I did however see more white come back when I switched from led to MH back at christmas, but that was short lived. I didn't see it as stressed. When I changed back from MH to LED, no change. I have several LED DIY I change around, so I'm not sure exactly if it had to do with a unit that was not as good as another one.
taylor t
New member
Long tentacle length.
Before the shred.
I always looked at tentacle length for signs of stress. I have noticed mine has lost/gained white depending on different things, but not an extreme difference like posted above. Those look like they would keep the white stripes, to me, but it's nature so who knows.
taylor t
New member
I sure wish others would post pics of their mertens... Hey Reefvette, how is your testing going? Have you been able to intensify the white coloration? Got any updated pics?
No update from OP, have they been on since?
Here is a video I took (I think) a couple weeksish after I posted above. This of my flow. I have since moved mine again, I figured since it killed all my fish, and my corals are still all in limbo between tanks, I rearranged my tank yet again...
Does anyone else want to share pics of thier mertens?
No update from OP, have they been on since?
Here is a video I took (I think) a couple weeksish after I posted above. This of my flow. I have since moved mine again, I figured since it killed all my fish, and my corals are still all in limbo between tanks, I rearranged my tank yet again...
Does anyone else want to share pics of thier mertens?
phender
Active member
Here are a couple pics of my current little mertens. When I got it, it was about the size of a silver dollar. It is basically brown with a hint of purple. The tips of the tentacles are a frosty white.
Here is an archive full tank shot of the merten's I use to have before a failed fragging attempt.
This last pic is of the only merten's that ever died on me. It just never settled in a found a place it liked and gradually faded away. I like the pic because it shows magenta spots that transform into orange/red stripes on the foot. The clown is a tiny baby. The anemone was only about 6" across.
Here is an archive full tank shot of the merten's I use to have before a failed fragging attempt.
This last pic is of the only merten's that ever died on me. It just never settled in a found a place it liked and gradually faded away. I like the pic because it shows magenta spots that transform into orange/red stripes on the foot. The clown is a tiny baby. The anemone was only about 6" across.
Mabyboi
New member
Here is an archive full tank shot of the merten's I use to have before a failed fragging attempt.
]
That black tang has got some serious balls..
phender
Active member
Its a purple tang (the lighting just wasn't good in the picture) and Mertens carpets aren't nearly as sticky as haddoni carpets, so he was pretty safe.
That particular anemone did get himself a rabbitfish one time though, but it took the rabbitfish swimming into it twice. The first time the rabbitfish got out but was weakened. About 3 weeks later when it was almost completely healed, it did it again. (Rabbitfish are so stupid)
