Has anyone had this experience?

[Patr1ck]

Hello all. Ive recently been trying an experiment with one of my new discus a BD to find out how gravel color, background, and other tank mates affect color. After finishing his 6 week quarentine the new fish had his gravel changed from black to regular sand. His color lightened but not to how he was when I first bought him. The background in his tank is black thats the next thing to change. Ive recently added one discus who is also dark from the other tank (also black substrate and background) to see if he himself would lighten up being in the presence of the new one, and to see if the new discus would lighten up further. Instead, He within an hour of the older fish being added to his tank became very pale and eyes dark. He wont eat much either. When I first added the older fish to the tank the new fish's colors went vivid and then suddenly faded over the hour. Faded to pale, not to his normal dark state, but pale whitish. Has anyone got some input on this one? btw the old fish colors have lightened up since being moved into the tankwith the new fish.:confused:

Thanks
P

[Crstfr]

Hello all. Ive recently been trying an experiment with one of my new discus a BD to find out how gravel color, background, and other tank mates affect color. After finishing his 6 week quarentine the new fish had his gravel changed from black to regular sand. His color lightened but not to how he was when I first bought him. The background in his tank is black thats the next thing to change. Ive recently added one discus who is also dark from the other tank (also black substrate and background) to see if he himself would lighten up being in the presence of the new one, and to see if the new discus would lighten up further. Instead, He within an hour of the older fish being added to his tank became very pale and eyes dark. He wont eat much either. When I first added the older fish to the tank the new fish's colors went vivid and then suddenly faded over the hour. Faded to pale, not to his normal dark state, but pale whitish. Has anyone got some input on this one? btw the old fish colors have lightened up since being moved into the tankwith the new fish.:confused:

Thanks
P


could be just stress from the move... tank mates, new environment...etc..

[Roxanne]

here's some unscientific personal thoughts, but hey you asked...;)

Could be the way our eyes see it, the whole light relecting off dark and light surfaces thingy...or they could be trying to blend into their environment..

...I always wonder about the glare from a light substrate, you know lights overhead...like trying to drive a white car on a really bright day....looks good though and it appears they get used to it cos alot of people have it.

...I think they also use the colour changes for a camoflage, try to blend in..I've always thought that's y they go dark when they sleep, aside from there's no one awake to impress, they are less vulnerable while asleep if they darken their colours...but, I've never seen my red melon go dark like the other varieties, just lighter when first got her she loooked white:confused:

I noticed mine spook at the glare from the bare bottom,especially after a wipe down, so I lay a VERY thin scattered layer of substrate to break up the relection......just thoughts;)

Rox

[Patr1ck]

In my rambling on above, I probably confused everybody, but the only thing that changed was an addition of another discus to the tank that the BD is in. All other variables stayed the same. An hour after adding that discus in with the BD the BD colors went from bright and pretty to pale and blah. Also his appetite isnt as much as it was. :confused:

P

[Apistomaster]

It sounds like the new tank has different water chemistry for it to affect both Discus the same way. Loss of appetite and poor colors. I would double check everything and make a water change. Check to see that the new tank is warm enough. Offer them some live foods.
If they do not quickly return to normal it might be wise to de-worm them. these treatments are not too stressful and if worms are the problem, then the Discus will get better quickly.

[Patr1ck]

It sounds like the new tank has different water chemistry for it to affect both Discus the same way. Loss of appetite and poor colors. I would double check everything and make a water change. Check to see that the new tank is warm enough. Offer them some live foods.
If they do not quickly return to normal it might be wise to de-worm them. these treatments are not too stressful and if worms are the problem, then the Discus will get better quickly.

Only the BD is pale the other one is fine. Sorry for confusing you. Water change has just been done. Water is warm 86 degrees.
What do you recommend to deworm them? Thanks

P

[Patr1ck]

Ok so Ive treated with prazi pro. The BD in the process, got his appetite back but still, his colors are still very blah. He's black around his fins and pale whitish on his body. He used to be a brilliant blue with beaming orange eyes. Does anybody have any ideas? His poo is brine shrimp color and of the same consistency(looks like brine shrimp):(
Thanks,
P

[Eddie]

Ok so Ive treated with prazi pro. The BD in the process, got his appetite back but still, his colors are still very blah. He's black around his fins and pale whitish on his body. He used to be a brilliant blue with beaming orange eyes. Does anybody have any ideas? His poo is brine shrimp color and of the same consistency(looks like brine shrimp):(
Thanks,
P

When you say deworm them, PraziPro only gets tapeworms and usually you see the worms fall from the fishes anus. I had some goldens a while back that dropped worms fast after PraziPro.

You might something for roundworms.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FA091

HTH
Eddie

[Eddie]

Read this too

http://article.discusnews.com/cat-02/beefheart.shtml

HTH
Eddie