red hadonni faded in colour

[sohal tang 1]

I bought a red hadonni carpet anenome about 3 months ago
and approx 1-2 weeks after I got it ...I came home and it had
left the bottom of the tank and was attached the glass in the
top right corner of the tank near the return pipe and close
to the metal halide lighting...I just left it there because it knows
where it wants to be right..... Anyways...here I am 3 months
later it is doing great, getting bigger, eating but the colour
is not near as vibrant as it was.....

is it the closeness to the halide that is causing the fading or
is it because it is awayyyy from the actinic VHO which is at
the front of the tank away from where he is at the back of the
tank...????

How do I get his colour back????

He eats shrimp from the deli.

Please email your response to maccafan@rogers.com
if you can help...
much appreciated

Tim

 

[55semireef]

email sent...

 

[rkelman]

Don't forget when you buy them they are contracted which intensifies the color. When they get comfortable they expand..

 

[55semireef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8209496#post8209496 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rkelman
Don't forget when you buy them they are contracted which intensifies the color. When they get comfortable they expand..

Thats not true well atleast in my case it isn't. My bluecarpet is the most intense when it is expanded.

 

[rkelman]

When mine expands the space between his tentacles increses and you can see the pink flesh between them which washes out the blue. I've seen this in many anem's at the lfs. My lighting is on the low side which could be a contributing factor I guess. But i've seen in on many.

 

[55semireef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8210419#post8210419 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rkelman
When mine expands the space between his tentacles increses and you can see the pink flesh between them which washes out the blue. I've seen this in many anem's at the lfs. My lighting is on the low side which could be a contributing factor I guess. But i've seen in on many.

Well than you answered your own question. Its like with humans. You stay out in the sun for a while, you get a tan or red. One of the two.

Its the same with anemones, stronger lighting "tans" the anemone into more brilliant colors. Under lower lighting, they won't have the most intense colors but under higher lighting, they will have more intense colors as a kind of sun block.

 

[rkelman]

I don't remember asking a question

 

[55semireef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8212290#post8212290 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rkelman
I don't remember asking a question

Not literally.

 

[bencozzy]

original poster-you do know corals and nems will adjust their pigments so they can best utilize the light they are being supplied with.

take a coral grown under a 20K MH and put it under a 10K it will change coral more than likely.

also they can use pigments given to them through their food.

also did you change anything in the tank, lighting, salt brands, etc.?