These anemones are injected with food coloring or some other synthetic dye and are not normally this color. Almost invariably these specimens die and the few that survive generally turn white, and then slowly brown up (in effect, you lose your "colored" sebae
The notion of dying aquatic animals is hardly new even among cnidarians (stinging-celled animals). For many years, exporters have dyed anemones in a dreadful practice that unequivocally compounds shipping stress and rates of morbidity in such animals that have an already high rate of mortality. In the early years, the practice was applied in a myriad of colors before aquarists and dealers began to realize the dismal impact it had on the anemone's survivability. Alas, the practice has not been entirely eliminated, as the occurrence of dyed sebae and carpet anemones is still observed, albeit limited in scope and color. Artificially dyed yellow sebae anemones are perhaps far and away the most common perpetration of the act. Like carpet anemones (Stichodactyla sp.), sebae anemones are naturally brown or green colored and occasionally a very pale yellow cream color (but NO vivid yellow). And while uncommon color morphs may exist, they are rare and priced accordingly. More often, aquarists will find unusual colors in stressed, bleached or dyed animals. Stressed animals will appear to have a thin or watery visage as with yellow or lime colors in naturally green specimens and tan or crème colors in formerly brown pigmented animals. The most severely stressed anemones will appear to be white colored. Bright colored tips (often purple) will remain if they were natural originally, as they generally are not a zooxanthellate pigment or readily aborted under duress.
