Anemone-- dark coloration

[MoNki]

i recently bough an anemone from a LFS and the coloration of the anemone is a little darkened around the base of the tentacles and around the forebase of the anemone. i bought it white and now it looks a little cream or coffee color... the other one i bought is doing fine and coloration is normal... what does this mean??

[Reefvette]

The darker they are most of the time the healthier it is... Means its getting back its beneficial zoo algea

[dantodd]

The darkening is a good sign.

Most anemone in nature keep a colony of symbiotic dynoflagellates called zooxanthellae inside their flesh. This is the dark color you are seeing at the base of one of your anemones.

In nature most anemones have these in varying degrees based on where they are collected and from how deep. The zoox are photosynthetic and if they stop getting the light they need the anemone will expell the colony. This is commonly refered to as "bleached" in the anemone trade. It is pretty common and your anemone "coloring up" means he is probably pretty happy in your tank.

Good job.

[Reefvette]

You took it to a new level... I went for short and sweet

[dantodd]

that's what happens when you have more time than money. You spend more of what you have, and HOPEFULLY less of what you don't.