# Need Help: Purple Monti cap turned green?



## 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

zoapaly said:


> 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

liz said:


> What type of lighting do you have?


 Radion xr30w


----------



## liz

wtac said:


> 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!!


----------



## liz

altcharacter said:


> 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


Why would it only affect the monti. I have purple SPS and a chalice that are maintaining their colour under these lights?


----------



## ameekplec.

liz said:


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


It's possible that there's weak green fluorescence from the monti (many caps have some GFP or RFP), and that a bleached/weakly coloured purple specimen shows the green, where normally strong purple colouration would obscure the green fluorescent proteins (much like the changing leaves in the fall).

Maybe once it colours up, it'll be purple with no more green showing. I'm sure once it's settled in you'll have consistent colours - it may be just too "fresh" to tell.


----------



## liz

It was brought my attention on another site that I might have a potassium deficiency? I run bio cubes and have a pretty clean tank as far perimeters go.

Could this be the culprit??

Note: it is still light purple with army green patches. Top of the tank and flow doesn't seem to affect it one way or another.


----------



## altcharacter

Only one way to find out, and yes this could be a problem. Although since it happened so fast I still think it might be spectrum or possibly dkh?? Keep us posted


----------



## liz

altcharacter said:


> Only one way to find out, and yes this could be a problem. Although since it happened so fast I still think it might be spectrum or possibly dkh?? Keep us posted


Well my dkh is sitting around 7 so maybe I will start dosing and testing to see if that causes any changes.

Thanks for the info.


----------



## liz

Update: Tried different locations in the tank and increased my alk to 8.7 and the monti is still very pale with green areas. Paid $65 for it too 
I have say though that it was outstanding purple when I bought - stunning!

I think I need to find another purple monti for my tank as that is what I wanted?

Does anyone have a frag of purple monti cap? It would be interesting to see what it does in my tank.


----------



## ameekplec.

Liz, I've got a bunch of caps you can check out if you want to come by (purple too).


----------



## altcharacter

I have an ORA purple...but again it's pretty expensive! Same with me, I have all types of colors if you're interested


----------



## liz

Thanks for the offer ameekplec but downtown is just to far for me.

altcharacter I have sent you a pm


----------



## Thoreffex

If it's pale I would think lighting is too intense drop it lower in the tank, I run radions and if I raise my corals to fast they bleach in a day or 2 then they have to spend the next 2-3 weeks on the sand bed. And I run my lights at 55% max. I would also try dipping it too maby it has some pests on it.


----------



## altcharacter

Liz, just wanted to give you a heads up on the frag I was going to give you. A snail knocked it over and it landed right in the middle of my octospawn and it was stung to death overnight so now I only have a small frag left as a mother colony. 

When it grows out we can trade.


----------



## liz

altcharacter said:


> Liz, just wanted to give you a heads up on the frag I was going to give you. A snail knocked it over and it landed right in the middle of my octospawn and it was stung to death overnight so now I only have a small frag left as a mother colony.
> 
> When it grows out we can trade.


Too bad!!!
Sounds good - whenever you are ready. Thanks


----------



## aquatic_expressions

wtac said:


> 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.


They are calling it grafted corals. I have seen it on some setosas.

I believe that your coral is due to lack of a potassium supplement.


----------



## liz

aquatic_expressions said:


> They are calling it grafted corals. I have seen it on some setosas.
> 
> I believe that your coral is due to lack of a potassium supplement.


If it was lack of potassium wouldn't my other blue and purple corals be washed out or a different colour too?


----------



## aquatic_expressions

That would be somewhat correct.

The problem is that they are all different and not the same. One may be able to absorb or consume pottasium at a quicker rate then the other piece or one is more hardier then the other...


----------



## liz

I guess I better buy a potassium kit or maybe someone on here has one they can sell?


----------



## Thoreffex

I'd get a LFS to test it for you before you spend money on the kit. I tested mine after a year it was perfect. Try moving it right low(sand bed/shaded area) till it starts to brown out then move it up or into more light slowly. What I do for pale/ bleached corals. It takes time though.


----------



## liz

Bought a potassium kit and mine is dead on 400 so that is not the problem.

Updated steady perimeters now.

Ca 450
Alk 8.4
Mag 1600 - high I know but don't know how to lower it without giving up water changes?
phos. 0.05
Nitrates - almost undetectable
Potassium 400

It is not bleached or pale - it is now a dark army green from a dark deep purple.

Still no change??? I am stumped!


----------

