Dyed anemones What do people think?

[emerald525]

This was posted in my local forum. This is a wholesaler's facebook page.

I have heard the pros and cons. I have heard that the dye eventually kills the anemone. Is this true? I do know the color fades as having seen these in the past you can see it coming off in the water. I have never bought one because even as a newbie I could tell the color was not real. I personally think it is unethical to sell them and am fully aware that not all LFS owners reveal that they are dyed. I have had some owners tell me they are dyed.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...15932633.12299.107605649267583&type=1&theater



Reefbuliders has a good statement about this:

Dyed animals still an unfortunate reality in the reef aquarium hobby


I'm just interested in the rationale of support of this. The obvious answer is they are bright and attention getting and will sell quicker than the more natural color.

 

[BroncosZOA]

Whats sad

Its sad that as a industry in the whole the diver or collector sells them to a whole saler then sells them to a retailer then to a person.

Problems
1. Someone along the line dyes the anemone knowingly and sells it
2. Someone buys it unaware of the situation or doesnt care.


This promotes this terrible move, it tricks people and makes them think its something its not.

People should have a back bone and say no im not buying it, instead of making the quick dollar.

 

[KLR]

I know they have been doing this with fw fish for a while. Especially the glass-like ones. They make them neon green,pink,yellow,etc. with dye and they sell out because of their color. But 3 months from the purchase the fish is completly clear..

I don't like the idea of it because it is cruel to the animal,to fill them with paint(In a sense), and because it is a rip off to the person who buys it and ends up with a white anemone or pale one.

It would be interesting to try one and see how long it keeps color, if it glows under LEDs, and if the dye makes it less hardy of an animal in captivity.

I guess someone could say-It helps with the aquaculturing of sebae anemones since more purchases are to be made with BRIGHT colored anemones than that of lesser colored sebae anemones. Since there are more purchases it will increase the chances of success in captivity(If people will try to attempt to clone them).

It will make me EXTREMLY upset if I start seeing these as ULTRA SEBAE ANEMONE-BEST COLOR EVER! -$800 and the store not mentioning they are dyed...

If the dye does not fade it is differant. I still do not support it on the animals side,but on the collector/hobbiest side it would be pretty cool.

 

[emerald525]

I know they have been doing this with fw fish for a while. Especially the glass-like ones. They make them neon green,pink,yellow,etc. with dye and they sell out because of their color. But 3 months from the purchase the fish is completly clear..

I don't like the idea of it because it is cruel to the animal,to fill them with paint(In a sense), and because it is a rip off to the person who buys it and ends up with a white anemone or pale one.

It would be interesting to try one and see how long it keeps color, if it glows under LEDs, and if the dye makes it less hardy of an animal in captivity.

I guess someone could say-It helps with the aquaculturing of sebae anemones since more purchases are to be made with BRIGHT colored anemones than that of lesser colored sebae anemones. Since there are more purchases it will increase the chances of success in captivity(If people will try to attempt to clone them).

It will make me EXTREMLY upset if I start seeing these as ULTRA SEBAE ANEMONE-BEST COLOR EVER! -$800 and the store not mentioning they are dyed...

If the dye does not fade it is differant. I still do not support it on the animals side,but on the collector/hobbiest side it would be pretty cool.

Does it actually hurt the animal to dye them? Is there decreased survivability?

Obviously there will be a store owner that will not be honest about the dye. I know it has already happened at one LFS. I wasn't aware they did this in FW fish but makes sense. One of the big reasons I preferred sw fish to fw was the colors.

 

[shred5]

This has been happening for a long time. It mostly happens with sebae anemones (Heteractis crispa) and sometimes some carpet anemones. It used to be very common but less now because more people know about it and what it causes and is a smaller market for them. Occasionally you will still see one posted on a forum mostly by newbies that dont know any better and think they got something special.

Do they survive? Very rarely. These are not the easiest anemones to keep to begin with and are very sensitive. Mostly they bleach and starve to death because the dye blocks the zooxanthellae from getting light. The dye eventually goes away but by this time the animal is either dead or completely bleached..

Dave Polzin

 

[lps1212]

This has been happening for a long time. It mostly happens with sebae anemones (Heteractis crispa) and sometimes some carpet anemones. It used to be very common but less now because more people know about it and what it causes and is a smaller market for them. Occasionally you will still see one posted on a forum mostly by newbies that dont know any better and think they got something special.

Do they survive? Very rarely. These are not the easiest anemones to keep to begin with and are very sensitive. Mostly they bleach and starve to death because the dye blocks the zooxanthellae from getting light. The dye eventually goes away but by this time the animal is either dead or completely bleached..

Dave Polzin

Well said +1

 

[Viva'sReef]

This has been happening for a long time. It mostly happens with sebae anemones (Heteractis crispa) and sometimes some carpet anemones. It used to be very common but less now because more people know about it and what it causes and is a smaller market for them. Occasionally you will still see one posted on a forum mostly by newbies that dont know any better and think they got something special.

Do they survive? Very rarely. These are not the easiest anemones to keep to begin with and are very sensitive. Mostly they bleach and starve to death because the dye blocks the zooxanthellae from getting light. The dye eventually goes away but by this time the animal is either dead or completely bleached..

Dave Polzin

YEP....

I've also seen it a lot with Goniopora. Usually yellow, or Red ones are almost always dyed.,

 

[SaltWaterDave]

Personally, I'm totally against it. For one it's 100% not natural. If you want fake looking livestock then just got out and buy the brightly colored plastic corals and anemonies. I think people who die any of the livestock and really doing a disservice to the SW hobby.

Also, what is the process they use to die these creatures? Do they inject them, to do just plunk them in a tub of die?

 

[Reef lvr]

I wonder if they are doing this with the rbta? Funny how they usually come in looking like they came from a nuclear reactor, then few months later they just turn boring red.. Regardless if its not nice enough to sell in the hobbie, leave it be in the wild don't pump it full of chemical to make a buck!!!

 

[clowns101]

First of there is not one Pro to a dyed anemone, every thing that comes after the anemone being dyed, goes down hill.

Most of what I have seen when I have seen the overseas operations is wholesalers will pay their collectors to go and collect a batch of anemones for them to sell. Before they sell the anemone, they will dye the anemone and will allow them to dry and let the dye set so they keep the color for a little bit. After they are sold into the US market, generally to people who tranship their live stock, they will soon perish and will die off.

Most of the time these anemones die off before they even reach the US which is why Im surprised to see that people are still buying them, I guess that atleast tells me transhippers are bummping up their game to scam people off in a since.

Unfortunatly, they will NEVER stop doing this as long as it makes them money, these transhippers are not in the reefing bussiness to have fun and make it a hobby, they are here to collect, sell, and make profit, there is not one once of coustomer service from these over seas facilities.

This has got me started on clownfish altering now, haha!

 

[BighohoReef]

Going to keep watching this thread, there is a new local hobbiest who claims he’s coming up with a new “chemically” created anemone in a year or so. He’s not a chemist or a biologist or anything science related for that matter. He’s killed a majority of his fish experimenting and wants to try with corals as well . Sad that there isn’t more news/research on this in our trade

I am familiar with this topic and know of the risks of dying anything. It isn’t a natural process and chemicals more often than not kill something in our tanks one way or another. My wife is a biologist and she was sad to read this thread, but wasn’t surprised. anything to make a buck I suppose

 

[jamie1210]

Years ago, sebae anemones would be dyed the most garish colors--bright pink and yellow. Then, I figured they stopped because I hadn't seen dyed anemones in almost 10 years. Unfortunately, it might be starting back again with carpets. Saw some carpets that were dyed yellow a couple weeks ago. Because carpets were not typically dyed back then, for a few minutes I thought it was real! Then, upon closer inspection of the bag, I noitced, hey, the bag water got tinted yellow too! lol

 

[BighohoReef]

Years ago, sebae anemones would be dyed the most garish colors--bright pink and yellow. Then, I figured they stopped because I hadn't seen dyed anemones in almost 10 years. Unfortunately, it might be starting back again with carpets. Saw some carpets that were dyed yellow a couple weeks ago. Because carpets were not typically dyed back then, for a few minutes I thought it was real! Then, upon closer inspection of the bag, I noitced, hey, the bag water got tinted yellow too! lol

I guess my biggest question is how do we promote this knowledge so that new reefers don't support this type of business practice or reefing practice? It's so disheartening to hear about people making this mistake, but also chemically trying to alter a live creature. Saebes are beautiful on their own... everyone wants a rainbow of something it's sad.