Superman monti color

[Cozmo4]

I have a superman encrusting monti that has maintained a brilliant blue base, but only towards the growth areas...from the edge, maybe an inch in. The base in the older areas is more of a beige with a light blue tint. Is this normal. If not, any thoughts on the likely cause?

 

[nano427]

mine is blue all the way across, whats your lighting and perams? nitrate, phosphate?

 

[TXCrawdad]

Wild caught?

 

[Cozmo4]

Wild caught at some point , but bought a frag from a fellow reefer here on RC last summer. NO3 and PO4 both read as zero with both API and Elos test kits. I've got a 7 bulb T5 fixture and this monti is in the upper third of the tank. I got a rainbow and a sunset monti from the same person and the superman is the only one that has lost some color, but again, it's only in the center, oldest area. No color loss in the polyps at all - still bright red - just in the base.

 

[dvanacker]

My thought also is that it may be a maricultured/wild look a like.

 

[Cozmo4]

Since it came from a fellow reefer here on RC that sells frags of this from time to time, we would have to consider it aquacultured, right? It came from a colony that was well established that had been fragged multiple times.

 

[Spongie]

If the center part is at the peak for getting light (growth edge is coming down from frag plug) then it could be getting burned/bleached don't know how far down you have it in the tank. With 7 bulbs if it is in the upper portion of the tank it wouldn't be hard to do. Just my .02 . Also what types/combination of bulbs are you using?

 

[PSam]

I'd try to move it down a bit. If in upper third of tank, go middle 3rd somewhere.

 

[smokenax]

I have mine midway about 12" from water surface on 250w14k phoenix bulb and its bright blue.

 

[maysorum]

hmmm... mine is high in the tank with 8 bulb t-5 fixture and tons of flow. the superman monti's skin is bright blue/purple.

 

[ryanrid]

i haev 4 superman monti colonies and 4 frags all under different conditions to see which it prefers my observations (all from the same master colony)

under 250w 12k reeflux supp with 4 x 54w T5
high in tank (10cm from top) - dark base with lots of red polops so much so can barely see the blue base
mid range (30cm) - still dark blue but polops are not as dominant so more blue is visible
sand bed (60cm) - blue is less dark more sky blue similar polop as mid range

under 16W LED in frag tank (same water butless flow)
significanlty less polops so more defined blue/red ratio blue is more sky blue.

conclusion = more light = more polops and dark base, less light and flow = more bright blue and greater polop disctintion.
have similar results with pokerstar, but find rainbow loves more light.
better lower down IMO

 

[Cozmo4]

I'll see if I can move it down. Could be tough because of the rock it's on. Thanks for the suggestions.