my cards are fairly colorless when I first turn on the lgiht in the morning... after being in dark for 10 hours. By the time coffee is made (turn of tank, turn on coffee pot) they look normal.
I've noticed that some fish change color at night so that might be it. The chances are the cardnals won't breed in that tank. Scince you pH is not low enough and you don't have dense enough planting in it.