RBTA color change

[motoxmann]

I have a medium sized RBTA that I've had in my tank for about a year that has recently changed color. It has lost almost all of its vibrant red coloring, and has turned a much deeper almost purple color. I've read about nems bleaching when they're stressed or what not, but I've never seen this. Other than the coloring it seems to be acting just fine. It opens during the day, hosts my clowns, and eats when offered food.

I changed to a Phoenix 14k bulb (from the stock jbj 28 hqi bulb) about a month before the color started changing. Could that have something to do with it? I've seen plenty of tanks online that use the same bulb and have brighlty red colored nems.

Dont know if it helps but phospates are undetectable and nitrates are about 20ppm.

anyone have any ideas or suggestions? Thanks!

 

[Sikryd]

Kind of hard to tell without pictures

Sounds interesting though.

Most of the ones I have had have stayed pretty much the same color.

 

[nayrgaijin]

I've noticed that BTA's can look a-lot cooler (imo) when 'bleached' and still live just like a normal bta. I have a friend with a BRIGHT neon green bta, obviously bleached gbta haha.
BTA's can be some buggers now can't they.

Did you acclimate the lighting appropriately ?

 

[motoxmann]

i tried to attach a pic.. hopefully it works. I acclimated everything to the new light for a little over a week. The nem was fine under the new light for about a month before it started changing color. You can see in the pics where the tentacles towards the top still have the bright coloring while the rest has darkened considerably. Please excuse the crappy photo its from my iphone. The light is actually alot brighter. I'm running the one 150mh and two 18watt actinics.

 

[nayrgaijin]

How did you acclimate the lighting ?
Test water params recently ?

 

[Sikryd]

i tried to attach a pic.. hopefully it works. I acclimated everything to the new light for a little over a week. The nem was fine under the new light for about a month before it started changing color. You can see in the pics where the tentacles towards the top still have the bright coloring while the rest has darkened considerably. Please excuse the crappy photo its from my iphone. The light is actually alot brighter. I'm running the one 150mh and two 18watt actinics.

If I was to guess, that is probably off to the side of your light and your running a small (8x6) reflector which is probably getting very little light actually on the nem'.
I'd say the lack of light/par is what is changing it. Especially since the more reddish tentacles are on the side that is getting light.

What do you think?
How long has it been in that spot?

 

[motoxmann]

Used a couple pieces of window screen stacked together and removed a layer every couple days over the course of about a week and a half. I tested the water before i did a water change two days ago and everything was normal, though the nitrates were a little high. Amonia, nitrite, phosphate all undetectable and nitrates were 20ppm.

 

[nayrgaijin]

Well I don't think params would change the color of a nem, just curious what they were

I'm willing to bet it's the light change. Probably not in enough lighting since it's getting darker. Risky business trying to move it !

 

[motoxmann]

yeah im not going to move it. it can move on its own if it wants/needs to. The light is really my only guess too, its just odd that ive seen other tanks with the same light and their rbtas look normal. im stumped