Explaining Tail Changes?

[Mermaid Marius]

For those with multiple tails, what do you tell children/patrons when they ask why your tail/color has changed?
I've got explanations for almost all other cosmetic things.
Tattoos: I saved an octopus and he used his ink to give me a tattoo as a gift.
Piercing: A friendly sea urchin used his one of his spines to pierce it for me.
Hair: Mermaid's hair grows back extremely fast, so that's why I can short hair one day and long hair the next.
But I haven't found an explanation I like yet for tail changing. I don't like "I can change colors" or "You can dye it" because I feel a mer's scales don't work like hair. The explanations also don't work because I have different flukes.
Any suggestions or ideas?

[Misty Lau]

If your tail changes maybe it has to do with the exact ph and temp and things of the water when you change into a mer, as well as the salinity. As for me, I will only have one tail. But for those with multiple, I think that's a good way to describe it.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

If your tail changes maybe it has to do with the exact ph and temp and things of the water when you change into a mer, as well as the salinity. As for me, I will only have one tail. But for those with multiple, I think that's a good way to describe it.

I just say, "the water feels different today. That's why my tail looks a little different."

[Alaw ferch Tonnau]

You could say "Magic..."

[Mermaid Lazuli]

Some fish change colors based on their mood or the season. You could maybe bring up that? Or maybe as was mentioned above, say your tail reacts to the kind of water it's swimming in.

[Mermaid Marius]

If your tail changes maybe it has to do with the exact ph and temp and things of the water when you change into a mer, as well as the salinity. As for me, I will only have one tail. But for those with multiple, I think that's a good way to describe it.
I kind of want to build off this one! Maybe say that my family tree has some octopus in it, so my tail can change shape and color depending on the environment much like octopuses in camouflage.

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[Misty Lau]

I love that idea too! Sounds so fun!

I'm just pureblood Lionfish. Maybe if I get a freshwater tail I'll switch it to a koi pattern and fins, and say that it happens whenever I go in freshwater. IDK. I can't swim in chlorine anyway... my scales are too sensitive. So I'll mostly be in saltwater. In that case, I wouldn't need a freshwater variant of myself lol.

[Mermaid Lanier]

These are some great suggestions to keep in mind for when I go pro! My tail design looks similar to beta tails made by Finfolk, even though I'm not trying to go for a specific breed. But if I get another silicon tail in the far, far distant future, it'd be good to have some explanations for the wee'uns.

[Mermaid Mia]

Also some fish go through puberty (like flat fish are often born normally, then their fins change shape and their eye literally migrates to the other side of their head so they can rest on the bottom) so you could go that route. Perhaps mermaids have several stages of life


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[Merman Dan]

As mentioned above some fish have juvenile colors, some fish have different colors according to gender, and some change color from day to night.

Or, if you want to damage them for life, just say you molted...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QIgW639Oog

[Mermaid Wesley]

I like to answer questions with questions. "What? Don't your legs change color sometimes? No? That's weird! Humans are weird!"

[MerGreg]

I like to answer questions with questions. "What? Don't your legs change color sometimes? No? That's weird! Humans are weird!"

I officially adore this answer.