Pots –
No plant likes being root-bound, or being in “cramped quarters”, or any other euphemistic way of saying “running out of space” — it’s a persistent myth.
So basically: the reddish tones are anthocyanins, which are the reason a lot of plants in full sun come in pink, red, or purple (or -toned, at least)! They’re produced over chlorophyll for baby leaves, because until they harden off/mature, they don’t need to produce energy really — the old leaves are doing that — but the old leaves are also sensing how much light they’re receiving (which if it’s sunlight, means how much UV radiation they’re also receiving). UV radiation messes with everything, and chlorophyll doesn’t protect against it at all — but anthocyanins do! So while it’s hardening…
An “Off the Cuff” fish blog post!
Context: this was in response to someone asking for tips on what fish to get for their first tank, or if we had any general advice. As I do, I got wordy.
Off the Cuff