Originally Posted by
Bilbobaggins
I believe it's hormones because hormones burn out a fish's capability to produce those lush bright colors whether blue or red. Sure red fish are going to show a more drastic change on and then off hormones but that's because their pigments come from a different source. When a fish is a youngster it has only a little color. But as it ages it develops more color. This will continue until the fish reaches it's genetic potential with other things considered like health, food, water quality, etc... But with hormones the fish can reach it's hasn't 'genetic end' a lot sooner. The same colors that would normally develop at a slower rate will develope quickly. Blues, reds, yellows, all. The same went for rams. I knew people that juiced their rams. The result was a fully colored ram at 1 inch size. I was even asked to juice my rams by a buyer so he could jack the price at that small size. I did not. I feel the same thing has happened to his discus. Blue is the natural color of his fish but yet it lost it at a very young age. Looks like hormonal burn out to me.