Turning darker is usually a bad sign...but what does a turning lighter or white mean?

[cyang]

One of my leopards is really light in color, almost to the point where there is more white. It's color has really lightened up and its appetite isn't big. It is the smallest out of 9 fish (all 3-4"). It doesn't turn dark. It swims with others. But it is a picky and timid eater. I haven't seen anything wrong with feces.

Is this just the symptoms of the lowest fish in the pecking order?

Also, I know that turning dark usually isn't a good sign...but what about a fish that is really really light / white-ish...almost to the point that the fish is "ghostly" looking?

Thanks in advance!

[Don Trinko]

Turning light (not just termporarily), hiding a lot, and lack of appetite are also bad signs.
Don T.

[cyang]

Turning light (not just termporarily), hiding a lot, and lack of appetite are also bad signs.
Don T.

This one discus of mine (a leopard) isn't necessarily hiding. It swims with the others. It is a little skittish...yet they all are, even the bullies/pigs. But the appetite just isn't there. I'll try to take a picture later today, but I'm not sure how helpful it will be in showing the color. So far, I'm not too worried. If only it will eat like a pig like the others...

Actually, a couple of them aren't that excited about the food I've been feeding the past 2 weeks. SF Bay BH mix, Hikari FBW + FBS (spirulina) + discus pellets, and Tetra colorbits.

I think it might be because I was giving them CBW before. Hmm...

I hate how some discus are picky eaters...:(

Oh well, I'll have to up the water changes for a couple days and see how that works.

[Don Trinko]

they al love CBW but it will spoil them for other foods. (IMO) Don T.

[April]

i was told by cary..internal when they fade. sick. might have to metro him. maybe separate him and crank ujp the heat and get him eating better.

[ShinShin]

That's right, April, but I don't know that metro is the ticket here. Intestinal flgellates usually turn a discus dark. This may be an internal bacterial infection. I use kanamycin for that. Can you look at the feces under a microscope?

Mat

[April]

yes listen to shinshin. hate to say it..but ive had ones who faded..and started drifting..weak..and passed away.
id try get the antibiotic asap.
got a hospital tank?

[DiscusOnly]

My Red Mellon turned pale, almost pink when it got spook by my neighbor's kids. It was still eating but hiding a lot and it took almost 2 weeks before it recovered and back to it's normal color.

[TJT]

I bought 3 blue discus and had one die from overfeeding, the other 2 got stressed out and went much darker. I seem to have things under control but will there color return as they relax more in the tank?

[cyang]

Fish started eating again, but is very picky. May be the result of bullying (it's at the bottom of the pecking order). Unfortunately another leopard is showing these symptoms. I am going to order Seachem Kanaplex and dose my whole tank next week. Does Kanaplex / kanamycin hurt bio filter?