Please tell me I didnt get hosed!

[brian762]

I bought this H. Crispa today. He has a yellowish hue (more beige than yellow) to him and i am hoping he is not dyed. His foot is cream. I have attached two pictures, one with all lights on and one with just my 10000K lights. It is with a point and shoot camera so I know the colors are off. I will try to get a better pic tomorrow with my DSLR. So does he looked dyed? He settled right in and within 30mins of being attached he accepted some PE mysis. He is super sticky!

With all lights on
<a href="http://s271.photobucket.com/albums/jj132/bstetka/?action=view&current=IMG_1267.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj132/bstetka/IMG_1267.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

With just the 10000K's on
<a href="http://s271.photobucket.com/albums/jj132/bstetka/?action=view&current=IMG_1268.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj132/bstetka/IMG_1268.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[davocean]

It's most likely not dyed, but rather bleached, and this is very common in freshly shipped nems.
It's not the optimum way to start out w/ a nem, but it can very well recover and come back to health, given stable params in an established tank and regular small feedings like mysis.
I would not say you got hosed per say, many LFS sell them this way, and many have no idea this is not a natural color.
FWIW my last Crispa of 5.5 years started out that way, not only regained health, but grew to 2 feet in diameter.
At least the foot is set, that is a good sign, expect it to become more beige in color as it regains health.

 

[Toddrtrex]

I think it might have been dyed, but a while ago, and most of the yellow dye has been expelled.
I am not as optimistic as Dave, but I would gladly be wrong in this case.

 

[brian762]

For some reason the first pic wont show. but if you click on it, it will bring up the pic. He is already feeding so that is a great sign. I just wanted to make sure he wasnt dyed. The other one in the tank at the LFS was a bleached clear white so thats why i picked this one. Thanks for the input!!!!

 

[brian762]

I think it might have been dyed, but a while ago, and most of the yellow dye has been expelled.
I am not as optimistic as Dave, but I would gladly be wrong in this case.

Thanks Todd. I guess only time will tell....

 

[Toddrtrex]

In the future, when purchasing an H. crispa, avoid white/yellow ones, and ones with short tentacles -- those have already started to consume themselves for energy. Dave should have a picture of what a healthy one looks like, and how long their tentacles should be when healthy.

 

[brian762]

In the future, when purchasing an H. crispa, avoid white/yellow ones, and ones with short tentacles -- those have already started to consume themselves for energy. Dave should have a picture of what a healthy one looks like, and how long their tentacles should be when healthy.

Now that it is in my tank, his tenacles are longer not as stubby. And like I said earlier, it has taken food no problem. It was very sticky when i put it in.

 

[davocean]

I'll give ya two pics, the first is not long after purchase(Mine looked exactly like yours at purchase) and it is just starting to regain natural color.

And what it became.

I am pretty optimistic by nature, but I have also kept my eye on this topic for a while and seen many come back.
The fact the foot is set and it's eating is a very good sign, as long as water params are good/stable, and there are no other issues like a torn foot or anything(usually not if it set foot)it should regain health.

 

[brian762]

Thanks for the encouragement Dave! I have been researching them for quite sometime now. I bought the "less bleached" one and then on my way home I remembered the threads about dyed H. Crispas and my heart sank!

 

[Toddrtrex]

brian762 -- look at Dave's second picture, that is how long the tentacles should be.
I personally would have skipped the "less bleached one" and found a healthy one. But, at this
point need to make yours healthy again;

What size tank do you have?
What lights do you have?
How long has your tank been set up?
What are your current water parameters -- with numbers.
What all is in the tank?

 

[brian762]

brian762 -- look at Dave's second picture, that is how long the tentacles should be.
I personally would have skipped the "less bleached one" and found a healthy one. But, at this
point need to make yours healthy again;

What size tank do you have?
What lights do you have?
How long has your tank been set up?
What are your current water parameters -- with numbers.
What all is in the tank?

I understand! At first I thought I was getting a healthy one since it wasnt white. I have a 6 bulb T5. My params are, ammo 0 nitrite 0 nitrate .5 (maybe hard to read the difference so i am rounding up) alk 8 cal 420 SG at 1.025 in a 55 gal with 10 gal sump with refugium. Tank has been set up for about a year. All LPS and a E. Quad running carbon and GFO. Did a 20% WC on Wednesday in prep for the H. Crispa.

 

[brian762]

Update

Update

I took this picture without the lights on. This is less than 12 hours in the tank and after it ate 2 pieces of mysis. What do you guys think?