my starry blenny is instantly changing color?? i got some crazy pictures of it!

romsoccer12 · 07/06/2009, 06:53 PM

can anyone tell me how he is doing this? honestly, he will change completely different color in the blink of an eye. these pictures where taken 5 seconds of each other.

here is another picture of him another different color

aquaman67 · 07/06/2009, 06:55 PM

I don't know how they do it but I've seen Foxfaces do it too.

Nice blenny BTW.

OneReef · 07/06/2009, 07:16 PM

Fish change color like that usually from stress. My Foxface does it at night, and my Tailspot Blenny (RIP) did it when stressed in the day.

29reef · 07/06/2009, 08:32 PM

color change in fish is pretty common. I wouldn't worry about your fish, it looks like it is happy and healthy. The color change may have something to do with his "mood" or whatever you choose to call their changes in behavior.

driftin · 07/06/2009, 09:16 PM

Ours does it a lot for no apparent reason. [even has the black spot on its flanks!!]Andy (umm, fish?) has a recent video of a crazy color change in his female during a -possible- spawning event.

driftin · 07/06/2009, 09:16 PM

dp

Toddrtrex · 07/06/2009, 10:25 PM

My golden lawn mower blenny changes drastically at night time.

From this,

To this when the lights are off.

jvannucc · 07/06/2009, 11:16 PM

Blennies tend to color up and down depending on where they are in the tank for the first 6 months or so at least. When sitting very still they will "camouflage", but when swimming acquire a more natural (recorded) color.

After being in the tank long enough to get very comfortable, in my case in the absence of any predators, they will essentially quit producing that dappled/camo coloration.

Probably a natural defense mechanism for new surroundings.

Amoore311 · 07/07/2009, 06:43 AM

My Yellow Watchmen Goby turns completely white at night, almost translucent.

Also, My powder blue tang will get white vertical stripes when he is angry at my Yellow Tang. He doesn't do it very often, only when the yellow tang tries to sleep in his cave.

username in use · 07/07/2009, 07:15 AM

My starry will turn whitish like that when he is ****ed at something. Otherwise he stays mostly black with stars or black with the wide white stripes, and every now and then he gets a blue spot on his rear. Really cool to see happen.

rgulrich · 07/07/2009, 07:42 AM

I guess mine is entirely too comfortable in his/her surroundings (and entirely too well-fed) to bother color flashing...
Of course, my Tangs and FoxFace all have suspicious "kiss marks" on their sides...I guess we all know who really owns this reef.

Cheers,
Ray

Sugar Magnolia · 07/07/2009, 08:19 AM

Pretty cool color shift captures guys! I miss my blenny. They have such great personalities.

jadeguppy · 07/07/2009, 08:24 AM

Cool pics! My sailfin tang and my Molly Miller blenny often change colors. Very neat to watch.

SWINGRRRR · 07/07/2009, 08:31 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ksf2JpIKcYo

07/06/2009, 06:53 PM	#1
romsoccer12 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: ohio Posts: 2,625	my starry blenny is instantly changing color?? i got some crazy pictures of it! can anyone tell me how he is doing this? honestly, he will change completely different color in the blink of an eye. these pictures where taken 5 seconds of each other. here is another picture of him another different color __________________ Colin R Current Tank Info: 3rd tank working fine!(29gal oceanic biocube) 5-6months old

07/06/2009, 08:32 PM	#4
29reef It's all about the flow Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Huntington Beach OC Posts: 3,643	color change in fish is pretty common. I wouldn't worry about your fish, it looks like it is happy and healthy. The color change may have something to do with his "mood" or whatever you choose to call their changes in behavior. __________________ -Brian RIP-The Metal Halide- My SPS may never know such a great friend again. Current Tank Info: Currently Tankless

07/06/2009, 09:16 PM	#5
driftin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,247	Ours does it a lot for no apparent reason. [even has the black spot on its flanks!!]Andy (umm, fish?) has a recent video of a crazy color change in his female during a -possible- spawning event. __________________ -Jim Current Tank Info: 70 gal custom room divider

07/06/2009, 09:16 PM	#6
driftin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,247	dp __________________ -Jim Current Tank Info: 70 gal custom room divider

07/06/2009, 10:25 PM	#7
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	My golden lawn mower blenny changes drastically at night time. From this, To this when the lights are off. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

07/06/2009, 06:55 PM	#2
aquaman67 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 7,629	I don't know how they do it but I've seen Foxfaces do it too. Nice blenny BTW.

07/06/2009, 07:16 PM	#3
OneReef Reef Guru Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: the great South Posts: 3,218	Fish change color like that usually from stress. My Foxface does it at night, and my Tailspot Blenny (RIP) did it when stressed in the day.

07/06/2009, 11:16 PM	#8
jvannucc Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 19	Blennies tend to color up and down depending on where they are in the tank for the first 6 months or so at least. When sitting very still they will "camouflage", but when swimming acquire a more natural (recorded) color. After being in the tank long enough to get very comfortable, in my case in the absence of any predators, they will essentially quit producing that dappled/camo coloration. Probably a natural defense mechanism for new surroundings.

07/07/2009, 06:43 AM	#9
Amoore311 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ulster County, NY Posts: 2,521	My Yellow Watchmen Goby turns completely white at night, almost translucent. Also, My powder blue tang will get white vertical stripes when he is angry at my Yellow Tang. He doesn't do it very often, only when the yellow tang tries to sleep in his cave. __________________ 30 Gallon FOWLR 2004-2006 90 Gallon LPS Reef 2006-2008 180 Gallon SPS Reef 2008-20012 100 Gallon Custom Rimless Mixed Reef 2012-2014 29 Gallon Biocube Reef! Current Current Tank Info: 29 Gallon Biocube, StevesLED Upgrade, Neptune Apex

07/07/2009, 07:15 AM	#10
username in use Sciencing Daily Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 6,560	My starry will turn whitish like that when he is ****ed at something. Otherwise he stays mostly black with stars or black with the wide white stripes, and every now and then he gets a blue spot on his rear. Really cool to see happen. __________________ Joshua "With fronds like these, who needs anemones?" - Albert Einstein Current Tank Info: multiple nano's sprinkled around the house

07/07/2009, 07:42 AM	#11
rgulrich greybeard Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: MD Posts: 893	I guess mine is entirely too comfortable in his/her surroundings (and entirely too well-fed) to bother color flashing... Of course, my Tangs and FoxFace all have suspicious "kiss marks" on their sides...I guess we all know who really owns this reef. Cheers, Ray __________________ The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination. Albert Einstein Current Tank Info: 360 degree walk around 300 DD island–4 300W & 2 165W ViparSpectra, 4 Kessil A350W, 2 A360WE, 3 XF150, 1 XF250, 1 XF350 Gyre along with 2 PP40 and 2 IceCap 3K gyre for robust current. Basement 150 gallon RubberMaid sump, SKIMZ skimmer, DCP18000

07/07/2009, 08:19 AM	#12
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	Pretty cool color shift captures guys! I miss my blenny. They have such great personalities. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

07/07/2009, 08:24 AM	#13
jadeguppy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: nw Florida Posts: 2,611	Cool pics! My sailfin tang and my Molly Miller blenny often change colors. Very neat to watch.

07/07/2009, 08:31 AM	#14
SWINGRRRR Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Pcola FL Posts: 2,504	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ksf2JpIKcYo __________________ Have you ever tried to hold a monkey still if it is not drunk ~ insteng Current Tank Info: 45gal Rimless mixed reef--SWC 150BMK--2xMP10ESW--Giesemann 150W HQI