What causes peppering?

[xXDylanXx]

I was just wondering because once i sell the angels im making the tank BB. Now the stand is black, will this cause peppering or not... If so what would be a good solution?? Trying to figure out before i get the discus.

Also, how well do african brown knives do with discus? Ive got one thats about 6" with angels... Do i need to sell it also or will it be fine with discus??

[LizStreithorst]

Pepper is a function of genetics. The color of your tank stand will have nothing to do with it. Ditch the knife fish.

[discuspaul]

Peppering, mainly in pigeon-blood based fish, can be caused by stress, usually occasioned by poorer water conditions, or is genetically-based, or a combination of both, and is generally brought about by dark tank conditions, both in tank bottom/substrate, and background, among other minor causitives.
Stay away from dark substrate & backgrounds to minimize peppering if you wish to keep pigeon-blood based discus. However, the color of the stand should have little or no effect regarding peppering. Use a light-colored substrate, and a light/medium background to avoid, or at least minimize it.
If you keep no pigeon-based discus, there should be no problem, although some light-colored, pastel shades of discus have been known to pepper (probably because there is some pigeon blood genes way back in their ancestry.)

The african knife fish can grow quite large, up to 12", and may tend to be semi aggressive in later growth stages, so it shouldn't be counted on as being a good tankmate for discus. I wouldn't suggest trying it.

[discuspaul]

Oh, Hi Liz
I was still typing my comments when you posted.

[LizStreithorst]

If you're worried about it and the tank stand has a bottom that is painted black, stick a piece of styro under the tank. Lowes has it in a pretty blue color.

[xXDylanXx]

Thank you!! I was looking for either some sort of blue or white! Red would be my last choice!!

[Crunchy]

I found that dark substrate had. Little more peppering than bare bottom, although not very significant.

The turq discus do turn darker with ada black amazon substrate tho.