Lionfish Spine Color

[Goodair]

Anyone experience thier spines changing colors?
Noticed the radiata's spines go from white to more of a red sometimes. Haven't thought much of it, except that it could just be the lighting that makes it look different, or my eyes are playing tricks.

 

[Han]

Do you mean the spines or the rays connected to the fins? I’ve noticed the rays change color somewhat due to lighting, I never noticed if the spines do too.

 

[Goodair]

 

[vetteguy53081]

Lion fish do this when shedding or when stressed due to poor water quality
What are your water parameters?

 

[Goodair]

1.025 salinity
~77-78 F
Nitrates are usually 5ish ppm but a large snail died recently and I cant get to it, so its 20ppm currently.
I do ~20g water changes every 2 or 3 weeks.
What other parameters are you looking for?

 

[Goodair]

@vetteguy53081

 

[lion king]

I've noticed changes in coloration in all my lions over the years, sometimes there's a reason. like they will go darker when stressed or mad at something. Yet sometimes they are just chameleon like possibly changing with their mood. The only coloring that may be concerning is when they get faded out. Even the faded color can just mean they are going to shed, which most times is of no concern. In the beginning you may notice, but over time I never even know a lion shedded unless I see bits of skin floating in the water. I've never attributed any color changes to specific water conditions. My radiata's shade changes all the time and my water is pristine with all major elements at reef levels and I see no angst, so I just attribute it as being normal.

 

[vetteguy53081]

1.025 salinity
~77-78 F
Nitrates are usually 5ish ppm but a large snail died recently and I cant get to it, so its 20ppm currently.
I do ~20g water changes every 2 or 3 weeks.
What other parameters are you looking for?

Ammonia
PH
Phos

just assuring there is no chemically/water related issue. Pigments do change

 

[Goodair]

I've noticed changes in coloration in all my lions over the years, sometimes there's a reason. like they will go darker when stressed or mad at something. Yet sometimes they are just chameleon like possibly changing with their mood. The only coloring that may be concerning is when they get faded out. Even the faded color can just mean they are going to shed, which most times is of no concern. In the beginning you may notice, but over time I never even know a lion shedded unless I see bits of skin floating in the water. I've never attributed any color changes to specific water conditions. My radiata's shade changes all the time and my water is pristine with all major elements at reef levels and I see no angst, so I just attribute it as being normal.

Never caught lions shed, except for in the qt tank. Haven't associated the spines changing colors to anything, it just seems random and is infrequent, they are usually just white.

Ammonia
PH
Phos

just assuring there is no chemically/water related issue. Pigments do change

Ammonia is 0
PH is between 8-8.2
I dont know what my phos are.
The spines go red infrequently, just figured if anyone has noticed a pattern to why, it seems random to me.
There is a ton of macro in the DP and refugium, so those parameters are fairly stable. Dead snail is from adding a harlequim tusk and he ate the biggest snail the same day, I been monitering ammonia and nitrates since adding it and its not been anything concerning. Spines are back to normal as of writing this.

 

[Brittany Marie]

my black volitan has changed into more brown stripes. But he went very dark the other day because my daughter fed him without me knowing and he was very stuffed.

 

[lion king]

Very white today, but looks much more red a few weeks ago, lighting likely plays a role as well

 

[lion king]

An hour later in a different spot in the tank

 

[lion king]

Black volitans really turn into more of a dark chestnut brown and turn black when they are acting tough, or like you said, maybe distressed because he ate too much.

 

[Brittany Marie]

Black volitans really turn into more of a dark chestnut brown and turn black when they are acting tough, or like you said, maybe distressed because he ate too much.

Yeah he’s definitely more chestnut brown now. But hey as long as he’s doing well, active and happy. I’m honestly surprised how well he has done, being a petco fish. I’ve had him for about a year.