Is this a Red Cover?

[Moriarty]

Is this a Red Cover?

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j124/moriartymark/Red%20Something/th_SDC13252.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j124/moriartymark/Red%20Something/?action=view&current=SDC13252.jpg)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j124/moriartymark/Red%20Something/th_SDC13203.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j124/moriartymark/Red%20Something/?action=view&current=SDC13203.jpg)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j124/moriartymark/Red%20Something/th_SDC13189.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j124/moriartymark/Red%20Something/?action=view&current=SDC13189.jpg)

[Eddie]

I wouldn't call it a red cover, it looks like a throwback maybe. Seems to have some peppering in it. Its definitely a mut, meaning not a set type.

[Moriarty]

Thanks Eddie. I have been looking at pictures of Red Covers online, and none of them looked like this.

When I first got this fish it did not show any peppering. In fact, it also had very noticeable stress bars. However, in the last 5 or 6 weeks the stress bars have become less and less noticeable, and the peppering has become more and more distinct.

He or she is certainly a healthy fish, and has quite the personality. I look forward to watching it grow and develop into a full grown fish.

[Jennie]

I kinda like it! looks different:)

[Moriarty]

I kinda like it! looks different:)

Thanks, I like it too.

I have not seen another one like it.

[stanlee]

with stress bars and all, seems he or she may be a rose red.

[Moriarty]

I've heard that some people claim that a fishes stress bars can be effected by the color of the aquariums background, so I decided to convert my background to what it was when I first got this fish.

Anyway, it's been about 4 hours or so since I returned the background to the blue side, and I can tell that the stressbars are returning.

Do most fish respond to background color like this?

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j124/moriartymark/Stressbars%20Return/th_SDC13310.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j124/moriartymark/Stressbars%20Return/?action=view&current=SDC13310.jpg)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j124/moriartymark/Stressbars%20Return/th_SDC13314.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j124/moriartymark/Stressbars%20Return/?action=view&current=SDC13314.jpg)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j124/moriartymark/Stressbars%20Return/th_SDC13294.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j124/moriartymark/Stressbars%20Return/?action=view&current=SDC13294.jpg)

[Moriarty]

I was hoping that someone might be able to answer my previous question that I asked above concerning whether or not most discus respond to a change in background color like this?

If the answer is yes that most discus do respond to a change in background color, is there a consensus among the experts on what background color is most ideal for bringing out the most color from the fish?

It's a little confusing to me at this point, because when that red discus above lost its stress bars because of me turning the background around to the black side, a few of the other fish in the tank (a blue turq, a red turq, and a leopard turq) simultaneously seemed to develop what seemed like "permanent" stress bars under those exact same color conditions. :confused:

I should have taken more photos of the turqs before I changed the background around to the blue side last night, so that I could better show you folks what I am trying to say here. I regret not getting more before pictures of them because a few hours after I changed the background around to the blue side last night I noticed that those "permanent" stress bars on the turqs were starting to appear faded.

I've been keeping various kinds of fish for many years, and I've seen (as I'm sure most everyone reading this has) many dramatic, and fascinating color changes in fish for a multitude of reasons. However, I do not ever recall having fish before that were as sensitive to background colors as these wonderful discus seem to be.

This has really sparked a new found curiousity in me now. If there was a way that I could be sure that it would not stress my fish out too much, I would love to play around with trying out different colored backgrounds in an attempt to see what colored backgrounds might cause what kinds of changes in the color of my discus.

Unfortunately I will likely never experiment with any of that due to a sinking suspicion I have that an experiment like that would likely cause the fish undue stress. In fact, last night after I changed the background around to the blue side I regreted not putting more thought into how quickly I changed that background color.

It went from pitch black, to an ocean blue color after I turned the background around. Even though I feel that the colors on both sides of the background are likely soothing to the fish, I suspect that the abrupt change in color might have spooked them a tad bit initially.

Anyhoot, sorry rambling on and on here. :o

[DiscusLoverJeff]

It would be interesting to know that a background color could influence the color of a discus. I hope we can find out more about this topic. Glad you brought it up.

[Eddie]

It's a norm that light colors are better at bringing out the fishes colors. Dark colors generally only work well with albinos. There are some folks who have a dark background but very light bottom and the colors pop as well. I find that the bottom is more important than the back.

[Moriarty]

That's interesting. Thanks Eddie.