My Scooter Blenny turned his face purple! :)

[IWishIWasAFish]

So cool! Of course, she/he would do it when I'd left the camera in the car. He's one of the black and white scooter blenny variety. As he grew we noticed yellow fringe on his front fins, and his ability to change the pigmentation on his face from a light tan to black. Of course there's also the pretty spotted green back fin display.

Today was his crowing achievement though - I've wondered before if he was turning a bit purple but thought I must be imagining it. But no, today he looked at me, opened his mouth, puffed out his cheeks and turned area around mouth, lower edge of eyes and all over gill area a brilliant purple-blue. Almost the same color as a purple haze monti, or a morpho butterfly. Don't know what was going through his brain, his back fin wasn't raised, but he sure was giving me a look. So, so, so pretty!

 

[marlinmero]

sounds awesome. i wanna see a picture

 

[IWishIWasAFish]

In your name, the camera has been located and batteries are charging I'll give it a go tomorrow...

Meanwhile, he did it again a little, and I discovered that I think it is today's brand new Ecoxotic Panorama LED light strip that is helping the blue/purple color show - it's only big enough to add light to one side of my tank, and when he did his little display on the LED-less side it wasn't nearly so impressive. Fascinating. I noticed a bit of color spectrum alteration with the LED addition, but only a small bit. Certainly not enough to expect such a change in my ability to perceive his colors. It's a white+blue LED, and I've got a pair of HO T-5 bulbs already, 1 white 1 actinic.

sounds awesome. i wanna see a picture

 

[Bosco83]

Maybe he is flirting with you

 

[small alien]

do you by any chance have adorable cheek spines.

 

[IWishIWasAFish]

Of course I do! LOL

...I've been stalking him with my camera, but no luck yet. Apparently, the camera looks like a predator to him, because he swims away from it every time.

do you by any chance have adorable cheek spines.

 

[marlinmero]

maybe leave the camera right next to the tank. if he sees it all day everyday he'd prob get use to it. or hold i when you feed. they have to learn some how i mean they get use to us and start to see us as not a threat

 

[IWishIWasAFish]

That's a darn good idea! Thanks! Won't be able to leave my nice camera, 'cause school is a bit too public, but the one the kids use I could certainly do that with

maybe leave the camera right next to the tank. [...]

 

[IWishIWasAFish]

Victory is mine! I have pictures!!! *happy dance* Of course, the bottom edge of the glass was pretty dirty, but you can see the blue/purple color quite well. In fact, although in person it appears more a solid wash of bright blue and/or black, the camera revealed obvious dots which fill with the color. Can't remember what those are called, but I know I've read about them.

and washed out afterwards:

and with back fin raised:

 

[krisfal]

That is cool! Good job catching it on camera!!

 

[marlinmero]

Thats awesome. persistance paid off