anenome

[Eja]

I bought an anenome about 3 months ago and it was maroon, dark green and had a splash of white through the middle of it. It was in our tank for a week or two and was doing fine. We bought a pair of black saddleback clown fish and they took to the anenome right away. Everyone seemed happy. We went away for the August long weekend, with somebody to take care of the fish. We came home 4 days later and our anenome was fluorescent pink!! So much so that the white on the clownfish turns pink as well. His arms used to be nice and long and now they're short and stubby. Does anybody have any ideas as to what may have happened? I really don't like this pink anenome

[sharuq1]

Looks like a bubbletip anemone. They can have short tentacles or long depending on flow, lighting and often unknown factors. Most people complain about the tentacles being long instead of bubbly because the bubbles look cool. I would not worry about the color change, I guess it has just decided to house pink zooxanthelae instead of green (the symbiotic critters that photosynthesize in your nem and give it it's color). It's a beautiful nem, usually these go for quite a bit more than the green ones so consider yourself lucky.

Check out the difference in tentacles here. These are all bubbletip anemones.

[burrows14]

I have the exact same anemone! i far as i can figure out its a bubble tip i have also been told by others that its worth a few$$$ lol so thumbs up!!

Ray

[mr.wilson]

The colour is pink because it got bleached (expelled symbiotic algae) due to a temperature extreme either direction, or lighting changes (usually too much light).

The bubbles only form when clownfish live in them, as it is their way of reaching around the clowns for more light.

The black melanistic form of the clownfish only happens when they live in certain anemones. I believe it is a long tentacle anemone in the case of the saddle anemone. They are brown in other anemones. Once they change into black, they usually don't go back.

Target feed the anemone, and make sure it is getting enough light and it will bounce back.

The bubble tip (quadricolour) is the only anemone maroon (premna) clownfish go in in the wild.

[Eja]

Thank you for your reply. I'm very new to the salt water world. Your pics were awesome and the bottom one looked very similar to the one I purchased. I paid 50 for the anenome and the rock which I thought was a pretty good deal but I really don't like the pink. I'm considering getting rid of it and getting a new one. Will my clowns accept another anenome?

[belzebuth]

Please let me know If you are wanting to get rid of it.

[sharuq1]

The colour is pink because it got bleached (expelled symbiotic algae) due to a temperature extreme either direction, or lighting changes (usually too much light).

+1 Does it look like your bottom pic at the moment or the other two pics? The bottom pic does look quite bleached. Give it some food more often if so.

The clowns should accept another anemone. They may feel a little lost for a bit though.

I disagree about the bubbles only forming when clowns host. Ours was never hosted when we had it and was usually very "bubbly".

[Eja]

It looks like the second pic I posted. It was the lights I had on that made it seem greenish in the last pic. It's looked like this for the last 2 months though. It's horrible!! belzebuth, I'm going to continue trying to get his colour back for now....give it another month maybe? I will keep you in mind though

[belzebuth]

Thank you. I will gladly purchase it from you if you have a change of heart