Color Enhancers

[architect1]

yeah see I got this feed thats called Azoo as many people have started posting about it. But i got the one for blue enhancers and its says spirulina. On the bottle. Thank you for the heads up. Good luck.

[Rod]

scollop roe, spirilina and shrimp. All good for red tones.

I'm not so sure blues can be greatly improved like the red tones. I think tank decor and the level of health along with genetic traits is what controlls blue/green tones. In other words the healthier the discus the better the blue/green colors.

[kaceyo]

As far as I know all the blue enhancing formulas are based on spirolina. Unless you want to go with the ever popular M.T. I add astaxanthin powder and spirolina powder to my BH mix and call it good enough.

Kacey

[Greg Richardson]

M. T.?

[rsawest@yahoo.com]

Methyl Testosterone?

[kaceyo]

Yup! Gaurenteed results. It's like that song. Don't it make your brown eyes blue. (substitute "fish" for "eyes")

[Ann]

The colour benefits of daisy and Chrysanthemum petals would more than likely be due to flavonoids. I have just finished my thesis in plant secondary products and here is a paragraph from the flavonoid section.

Flavonoids are generally water-soluble compounds with the more conjugated compounds often being brightly coloured. The most colourful and abundant of the flavonoids are the anthocyanins. Anthocyanins absorb light at the longest wavelengths and are responsible for the common red and rare blue pigment of flower petals, fruits and vegetables and can make up as much as 30% of the dry weight of some flowers. They are also the basis for most orange, pink, magenta, mauve and purple colours.

Essentially any edible fruit, vege or flower (as long as it were not toxic to the fish) could promote colour if it contained enough of the colour pigment and was fed often enough. Blue is the toughest one as there are very few blue pigmented fruits, veges and flowers in nature.

Hope this helps with your quest to build a list.

[Greg Richardson]

Ann. Thanks for your info. Yes, blue continues to be very limited.

Of course I'd need a camera taking pictures for proof as this is just an observation based on my perspective but after using Omega3 in my BH it seems like my blues were better.

If you ever run into any other info please share.
Very interested in natural enhancers.

[raglanroad]

Some of the colours may be from iridescence, not actual pigmentation. This link also explains a bit about how fish look pale at times, intensity of bars change, etc.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/AqSciSubW...coloration.htm

[Greg Richardson]

Dave. Excellent article!
Gave me lot of roads I can now travel down in my quest here. Thanks!
Definitely going into my folder.

I noticed at end of article there is a lot of sources for books on this subject also!

[shandy]

Ann. Thanks for your info. Yes, blue continues to be very limited.

Of course I'd need a camera taking pictures for proof as this is just an observation based on my perspective but after using Omega3 in my BH it seems like my blues were better.

Greg, how does this compare to rolled oats?
Yup, blue is a structural coloration unlike yellow and red which are mostly carotenoids.Tough nut to crack.

Perhaps to bring out the best blue coloration, a combination of a few ingredients is required.I wonder if those use to enhance blue mbuna would work on discus,too.

[Greg Richardson]

how does this compare to rolled oats?

Not sure as the rolled oats info was given to me unlike others where I read the reason behind it. Since then I can't remember where though I saw it listed in a fish food.

I wonder if those use to enhance blue mbuna would work on discus,too.

Do you know what is being used? Took a look at the fish.

[Ann]

Check out this link

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/color_control.php

I think it might help you blue quest. It seems blue-green algae and Spirulina algae are the key to blues.

[Greg Richardson]

Ann. Thanks! WOW! Two great articles today!
This is great!

It seems blue-green algae and Spirulina algae are the key to blues.

Yep. That's what I got out of it also.

[Peachtree Discus]

i know im resurrecting here ...but this was a great thread. any updates?

i've tried to avoid color enhancing but started feeding color bits to a recent batch of fry. it's incredible how fast you can see a difference. do color enhancing foods have any effect on breeding?