My anemones are not as colorful as these, what can I do to help them be more colorful?

[davocean]

btw, Condy nems are aggressive, and it's not advisable to keep BTAs and condies together. In case you were considering adding a BTA or other nem.

A condy is not really considered to be a host anemone, but sometimes clowns will make do, and yes I agree they do have a stronger sting than most host anemone's, but keeping them in a tank w/ other nems is not really a big deal, I just would not want them touching other nems or corals.

 

[Jeremy Lain]

Here is a picture of them under white lighting they are cool looking, they are just not as colorful as some others I have seen. I would like to have some more colorful anemones some day maybe, and a reef tank with better lighting, and maybe I can someday get a better camera for better pictures!

 

[mikes686]

I don't think this is a sebae, especially if it has a bright purple foot, looks and sounds like a magnifica to me.
Maybe post pics of foot and base for ID

It's a Sebae, I asked the same question whether it was that or a magnifica

 

[davocean]

Here is a picture of them under white lighting they are cool looking, they are just not as colorful as some others I have seen. I would like to have some more colorful anemones some day maybe, and a reef tank with better lighting, and maybe I can someday get a better camera for better pictures!

Looks fine, it's about 10k/natural lighting so I'm sure that purple rock IS actually purple!

Your tank probably just needs to mature and grow out a bit more, but the good thing is your nems are taking on better color and health, the one does not looks so bleached as in your first pic.
Not all nems are brightly colored, beige is a common base color for many, but if you search there are some that are naturally brighter colors.
Malu's are one of my favorite for a mixed reef that has sand, they stay small and at sand bed, and can be extremely bright purples, yellows, other colors.
Meantime, just keep doing what you're doing.

 

[davocean]

It's a Sebae, I asked the same question whether it was that or a magnifica

I've never seen a sebae w/ a purple foot, but that is common in magnifica.
Also keep in mind sebae is a generic ID that includes cripsa and malu, which are both extremely different animals w/ different needs, it's a good idea to know which it is you have between those 2.

I'm pretty sure that is neither though, no offense, maybe post in nem forum for others to comment on.

 

[mikes686]

I've never seen a sebae w/ a purple foot, but that is common in magnifica.
Also keep in mind sebae is a generic ID that includes cripsa and malu, which are both extremely different animals w/ different needs, it's a good idea to know which it is you have between those 2.

I'm pretty sure that is neither though, no offense, maybe post in nem forum for others to comment on.

Thanks for the info. It seems to enjoy living in my reef. It loves fresh shrimp from the market and picked it's spot in the rockwork.

 

[davocean]

Thanks for the info. It seems to enjoy living in my reef. It loves fresh shrimp from the market and picked it's spot in the rockwork.

That's the other thing I'm looking at, it placement is typical of mag.

This is one of my mags, classic purple foot, tentacles that look much like yours, rock dwellar.

 

[Iona Skye]

A condy is not really considered to be a host anemone, but sometimes clowns will make do, and yes I agree they do have a stronger sting than most host anemone's, but keeping them in a tank w/ other nems is not really a big deal, I just would not want them touching other nems or corals.

Thanks, good to know! How would you keep them from wandering into enemy territory, though? My experience with my two Haitian nems is that they make a home, stay for a few months, then go on long vacations around the tank when they felt like it. Is that typical?

 

[davocean]

Thanks, good to know! How would you keep them from wandering into enemy territory, though? My experience with my two Haitian nems is that they make a home, stay for a few months, then go on long vacations around the tank when they felt like it. Is that typical?

If they wander the only way I know is to try to block their path or separate w/ a rock maybe, or manually pull and relocate, carefully not to tear foot.
In times I've kept multiple species I try to keep ones that typically go to different areas of tank, so sand dwellar w/ rock dwellar, but I did have a Crispa and LTA/doreensis in same tank for 5 and half years, both being sand dwellars, they did actually move towards each other, but I kept pulling and relocating, eventually they stayed put at opposite ends of tank.
The one to the far right is a sebae(H. crispa)

 

[davocean]

It's a Sebae, I asked the same question whether it was that or a magnifica

This is what the base and foot of a sebae/crispa looks like.
This is the same one I posted earlier in tank, took this during a tank swap, not pretty pic but gives clear ID image.

 

[jimbob928]

I would also like to make a comment on your tank setup. Anemones are apt to walk around a bit. When I first started keeping them, I had my heater was in my tank like yours. One day my anemone decided being right next to my heater was a great place to be until the heater turned on causing it to be burned and killed. From then on always had heater in the sump. They can also get sucked into filters or powerheads. I've had them stay put for months only to have them go on walkabout for no obvious reason.

 

[Marie7]

Anemones come in different colors
This is Sherman rose bta.

This one is inferno bta

This one is a rainbow bta.

All of these anemone are bubble tip anemones. The rainbow anemones are the cheapest of the 3 I posted. You just need to buy the right type of anemone. Condy anemones usually have a little less color than BTAs.

Woooow I will die for the rainbow one ...breath taking!

 

[turchan]

Bet those anemone colors you covet don't look like that in person LOL. Most of them look shopped to me.

Mine aren't photoshopped or filtered at all. That's exactly what they look like. I have found that proper care and environment make all the difference.

 

[Scopulum Zombie]

I use SB ReefLights this is a Colorado Sunburst bubble tip anenome. SB’s are great and pretty affordable.

 

[Scopulum Zombie]

I use SB ReefLights this is a Colorado Sunburst bubble tip anenome. SB’s are great and pretty affordable.

 

[CherBear811]

I can't afford radions, or kessils at this time. Does someone know of lighting that is not as expesive that can help the colors to show more?

I have a viparspectre on my nano, pic is my avatar. I grow sps with it and it keeps my nems happy. I have rainbow that has not lost any of its amazing color in the year I have had it... I don't think it's in that pic but not sure. They are only $120 on amazon, 2 channels, and a timer (which I don't use, as I manually ramp up and down). Not the same coloration or control as high end units but it has maintained good colors on my tank.

 

[Marlin_theClown]

I can't afford radions, or kessils at this time. Does someone know of lighting that is not as expesive that can help the colors to show more?

LEDs sure do produce bright and vivid, poppy colors, but you dont need high end expensive LED lighting to get good coloration or of your colors, just the right spectrum of lighting.
Check of these videos



There is a lot of good information here about T5 lighting that compelled my to not switch from my T5 halide hybrid light to an all LED system

 

[Kit_Kat]

I can't afford radions, or kessils at this time. Does someone know of lighting that is not as expesive that can help the colors to show more?

I couldn’t afford them either. I was told to buy the black box from Amazon.
They are excellent as far as a cheap light goes. After a few weeks I have noticed a big improvement with my corals and colors I’ve not seen with cheaper lights. I have a 72 gal so I bought 2. Good luck!

 

[Jeremy Lain]

I couldn’t afford them either. I was told to buy the black box from Amazon.
They are excellent as far as a cheap light goes. After a few weeks I have noticed a big improvement with my corals and colors I’ve not seen with cheaper lights. I have a 72 gal so I bought 2. Good luck!

Can you adjust the color on these? How high do they need to be off the top of the reef tank?

 

[Kit_Kat]

Can you adjust the color on these? How high do they need to be off the top of the reef tank?

Yes. I have mine 6-7 inches above my tank. You will also need a hanger, Amazon has that too. I think it was like 75.00.