White Anemones?

tedr · #1 10/14/2007, 11:09 AM

Do anemones come in white? I was under the impression that this is not the case. Along the same lines, is "bleaching" in anemones shown as more of a transparency of the anemone?

TIA

Toddrtrex · #2 10/14/2007, 11:43 AM

There may be some NON- photosynthetic anemones that are naturally white.....

But for all intense and purposes, no anemones don't come in white.

This was my bleached LTA when I first got it,

A couple of months later.

Lance M. · #3 10/14/2007, 12:11 PM

I agree with Todd. Nice pics btw.

White in host anemones is usually a sign of poor health; however, when given proper care and environment, it is not that difficult for them to get their color back.

tedr · #4 10/14/2007, 02:29 PM

I'm getting some "heat" from a local club member that insists they are found in nature. This all came about from a member posting a pic of his "white" anemone. Should have mentioned that the foot is brightly colored (red/orange), but the tentacles are a bright white. I thoroughly agree with your statements. That having been said, anyone able to refer me to an online source which will back this statement? I just hate it when I know I'm correct and others are so steadfast in their feelings. Eventually, one needs to refer them to a source which is indisputable.

Again, TIA

Lance M. · #5 10/14/2007, 04:33 PM

I'm not sure of a specific source that states this.

But what kind of anemone does this person have? and how long have they had it?

tedr · #6 10/14/2007, 05:18 PM

I had asked for age of system, type of lighting, how long was anemone in system and if there was good flow. Response I got was that system is one year old, and that the LFS had told him anemone was wild caught. Don't have the experience to specifically ID. I can say it is long tentacled with no transparency to the tentacles; it's just a solid white color. Others on the post are claiming that lack of transparency indicates the white as its real color.

Toddrtrex · #7 10/14/2007, 05:20 PM

They are wrong, what the white color is indicating is that the anemone has expelled its zooxanthellae.

Lance M. · #8 10/14/2007, 05:23 PM

Completely agree with Todd.

Just wait a couple months down the road (assuming this person has the correct environment), the anemone will get it's color back.

phender · #9 10/14/2007, 06:02 PM

First of all, anemones bleach in nature just like they bleach in our tanks, so be careful on your language when you are trying to make a point.

Bleaching usually causes a transparency in the anemone. Yes, 99% of the white anemones in stores are bleached, but nothing we "know" about things in the wild is ever 100%.

I have some pictures from a DVD of the Marshall Islands. Please exuse the quality. I had to take a photo of my monitor. The DVD was purchased from www.underwaterkwaj.com for $20 including shipping. Best $20 I ever spent.

I would not consider this H. crispa healthy if it were in a store, but this is a wild pic.

Here is another H. crispa that looks to have white pigments rather than being bleached.

Here is a purple H. crispa that is a little bleached

And not to leave out the carpets, a S. haddoni that appears to have white pigments on the ends of its tentacles.

The clowns in the crispas are chrysopterus. The clowns in the haddoni are tricinctus.

Sangogo · #10 10/14/2007, 10:06 PM

In addition to what Phender said, most of my diver friends in Japan also will insist that there are white anemones in the wild. In fact, the name for the sebae in Japanese is literally "white-thread anemone," thus even if they're not completely white, there is the image of them being white.

Toddrtrex · #11 10/14/2007, 10:18 PM

You guys are right, but I still feel safe in saying that if there is a white one in a home aquarium the odds are that it is bleached.

FishboyBT · #12 10/15/2007, 03:01 PM

At Sharky's Reef, where I volunteer, we got a BTA that was white. It's base was pink, it bubbled up nicley and ate fine. I thought it was bleaced but it was so healthy. Bleached or not?

Lance M. · #13 10/15/2007, 03:14 PM

I have one similar to what you describe FishboyBT. Time will tell if it colors up.

littleshark · #14 10/15/2007, 05:27 PM

Quote:

[i]
And not to leave out the carpets, a S. haddoni that appears to have white pigments on the ends of its tentacles.

The clowns in the crispas are chrysopterus. The clowns in the haddoni are tricinctus. [/B]

Hey My friend has a haddoni thats white like this one. Is it just bleach or does it come in white?

phender · #15 10/15/2007, 05:50 PM

There is a difference between being white-transparent (bleached) and white-opaque (not bleached). The color of the base has nothing to do with whether or not the anemone still has its zooxanthellae in the tentacles.

I have seen carpets both haddoni and gigantea that look as if their tentacles have been dipped in white paint. The base of the tentacle is brown, but the tips are opaque white. If your anemone is a uniform clear white in its tentacles then it is bleached. That doesn't mean its not healthy.

There are obviously some H. crispa that are opaque white (from the pics above), but most white H. crispa that you see at the LFS are transluscent (sp?) white from not having any photosynthetic pigments.

I have never seen a BTA that has white masking pigments. It doesn't mean they aren't out there, but all the white BTAs I have seen are transparent.

Wrench · #16 10/16/2007, 07:50 AM

I have a BTA in my tank that is opaque white with neon pink tips. I thought that it was not healthy but it's been growing and splitting for over a year.

phender · #17 10/16/2007, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wrench
I have a BTA in my tank that is opaque white with neon pink tips. I thought that it was not healthy but it's been growing and splitting for over a year.

Pictures please.