[liz]

My monti was a beautiful purple blue when I bought it but after a couple of days in my tank it has turned almost an army green? It has been like this for weeks. It is growing though.

Ca 420
Alk 7.5
phos. 0.15
Nitrates - almost undetectable

24x24x24 tank, Maxspect Led lighting, 25% water changes bi-weekly, MP 10 and WP 25 for flow, and using bio-cubes.

Monti is near the bottom of the tank. Does it need more light? The tank is 24" deep and it is at about 19" deep. All other SPS/LPS corals are healthy and doing great - they are maintaining their colour (even the purple ones regardless of their placement).

Any suggestions or answers to this colour problem I am having are welcome!
Should I be dosing something? I dose nothing now.

 

[wtac]

Just curious, what's the lighting system used from where the monti came from? What's your Mg?

 

[liz]

I believe it is MH over the tanks. The monti was in the SPS tank but off to the side of the tank so not in direct light. I don't measure mag and don't have test kit.

 

[liz]

I might add that the LFS had got shipment in the night before.

 

[zoapaly]

My monti growth over control and kill almost my zoa colony , more light more flow and alk around 8.4 to 9

 

[liz]

My monti growth over control and kill almost my zoa colony , more light more flow and alk around 8.4 to 9

What type of lighting do you have?

 

[ameekplec.]

Liz, do you have a picture of it? What species of monti is it? Montis are usually pretty good holding colour, so it would be interesting to see the piece.

 

[wtac]

I asked a few of my experienced SPS colleagues and their experiences have been of M digitata going from purple to green.

Apparently for M. capricornis, there is a green fluorescent "infectious" protein (FGP) there red caps get the FGP and the caps acquire green streaks and have become another hot coral "trend" and selling for up to $200 for a 1/2" frag.

 

[altcharacter]

Pics would help a lot. Although I am betting on lighting

 

[violet]

I had the same thing happening to my purple monti. The seller had it under metal halides and I had it under HO t5. couldn't figure out the reason too.

 

[zoapaly]

What type of lighting do you have?

Radion xr30w

 

[liz]

I asked a few of my experienced SPS colleagues and their experiences have been of M digitata going from purple to green.

Apparently for M. capricornis, there is a green fluorescent "infectious" protein (FGP) there red caps get the FGP and the caps acquire green streaks and have become another hot coral "trend" and selling for up to $200 for a 1/2" frag.

Wow, wouldn't that be nice!

I have moved it to the top of my tank and it is now green and purple. I am suspecting it might need more flow that is needed? I am going to experiment with placement to see if the monti changes any?

As for what type of monti is I have no idea other than it is a cap. Google would suggest a M. capricornis.

Thanks for the reply's everyone! I will keep you posted. (Basement is flooding right now so tank takes back seat for awhile).

 

[50seven]

I find this thread extremely bigoted. If a purple monitcap feels that it is truly a green one, then he/she should not be criticized for changing its colour, nor should we be forcing it to change back. You are probably hurting its feelings.[/SARCASM FONT]

Anyways, good luck with the basement...

 

[ameekplec.]

Liz, another thing is where is it changing colour? One of the earliest "named" caps was the leng sy cap which was green with a purple rim.

Also, how purple was it to start? Like a pale lavender, or a deep royal purple? Lighter purples I tend to find don't stick.

 

[liz]

The whole cap changed from a dark purple to an army green.

 

[altcharacter]

Liz, if it's possible could I get a frag and put it in my frag tank to see what happens?

 

[liz]

Sorry, I don't want to frag it as of yet (I don't normally frag my corals). I am still experimenting with placement.

 

[altcharacter]

I can tell you its not flow or intensity that is making this happen. I have a ton of types of monti's and I'm fairly certain its the spectrum of your lights. No worries on the fragging. In the end it's your choice to save the coral or not

 

[liz]

I have it at the top of my tank right now and it is a light purple with green areas.

 

[altcharacter]

Good to hear!!