Hormone feeding?

[mikechen]

12506Hi,
I heard the discus been hormone feeding tends to have darker fins/tails. Is it true? How long will the color begin to fade? I recently find the color of my friend's discus is unnatural. Mike Chen

[wolfbane]

When the hormones are withdrawn, the fish tends to fade to a more natural color. Organ damage can occur with hormoned fish.

[pcsb23]

Mike,

I'm not sure there is any relationship between hormoned fish and black fins. As an example I have a marly in my tank with black fins, been there a long time too, colour has remained and I know the source real well. She wasn't hormoned. Wolfbane is correct if it is hormoned the colour will fade, usually in the first 3 months too! Depending on how much and which hormone was used will decide how much long term damage is done to the fish. Most heavily hormoned fish don't live too long.

Paul.

[Condor]

My pb have black in the fins, but I believe that is due to peppering as I can see the pepper graduate frome the fins to the body. It is possible that that fish has been color fed rather than hormoned.

Adrian

[mikechen]

Paul, Adrian and wolfbane:

Thanks for your replies. I bet a meal on that discus. That solid red are too bright red near the color of red rose. I'll wait for three months to see if the color fade or not. I wager on that discus for a meal with my my friend. But I also heard that even hormone feeding won't damage female's reproduction ability but will harm the male's.

The comparison with others:
12534

Mike Chen

[Condor]

Hey Mike, your post reminded me of this post from a while back:

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//showthread.php?t=47576

[Kap]

My Marlboro Reds have black fins all around, and they are striking with their deep orange (red?) body color. They have peppering, too, which I am certain is intensified with the black-painted bare-bottom tank. Hormoned? No, but Tetra Color Bits help alot, otherwise the color is not as brightly intense. They will "fade."

--kap

[mikechen]

Condor: Thanks. The reds in the photo are just like the one I saw. Iwonder where did my friend got it from? Now I know she is not color enhanced with hormone feeding but with astaxanthin. Guess I lost my bet and have to buy my friend a meal.

Kap: The two small orange juvenils are mine though. They are orange colored but no peppering at all. So are those small ones PB? Thanks! I will feed the two with tetra bits see if their color will change.