Tank Color For Royal Pleco's?

[GEV83]

Hi everyone. I don't post much here I use to be mainly on AC but seems like that place is a bit slow now. So here I am. Well my question is having to do with my L27 Royal Pleco. When I first acquired it from John (Snookn21) the striping on it looked awesome but now the stripes are not that amazing. They just aren't popping like they were when I first got it. Can it be that my tank is to dark? The back and bottom are both painted black. Will switching to a lighter color like a blue fix this?

I'm planning on housing it in a 40 gallon with another Panaque but having it divided to prevent fighting. Will make it easier for the clean up and they won't keep damaging each others fins. I will also be painting this tank but need to know if it would be best to go with a blue. If I do how light/dark should the blue be?

 

[Rotaryp04s]

I cant help with the darker or lighter tank problem because I got my plecos in bare bottom tank. My plecos color is just fine. Also john(snookin21) keep most his fishes in bare bottom, just like your L27 Tocantin when his color was poping.

 

[GEV83]

Do you got clear sides on your tank or is it painted or got a background? My tank is a bare bottom as well just I painted the underside of the tank so it's black which you can see in my avatar. That's the back wall and bottom of the tank your seeing.

 

[lmt6600]

I dont think the background makes difference, I have on tank with black back and one with mirror kind and royals still seems darker, only time they show their nice color is when they are out of the water... Hmm maybe its the water, may water dont stay clear, they turn tan due to all my dw

Sent from my C6902 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[Rotaryp04s]

Do you got clear sides on your tank or is it painted or got a background? My tank is a bare bottom as well just I painted the underside of the tank so it's black which you can see in my avatar. That's the back wall and bottom of the tank your seeing.

My tank is clear all around, I too wanted to black the bottom out, but I like to check my plecos under side every once in awhile(it easier to see them when their hiding under stuffs with a clear bottom) also to see if their getting enough foods to eat.

 

[mrtoofay]

There are reports of Goldlines going completely black in an all black tank. People use WTT (White tank treatment) or BTT (Black Tank Treatment) for their asian arowanas and other fish. That alters the color of the fish, but mostly only temporarily. The guy that had his goldline lost its strips never did report back if he was able to get them back.

Just so you know, many of the vivid colors you see on plecos are actually stressed coloration. You may see many white based xingus, but most are just regular xingus that were stressed from shipment. My Teles Pires was very bright when I got it. It was a 36hr+ shipment that usps fudged up. Now that it's settled down, it's a lil darker, but still very pretty. If you look up my posts, you'll see the difference.

If you paint the tank sides and bottom white, it's called WTT, and it will most likely make it look brighter, but for two possible reasons. 1. it's trying to blend in to a brighter surrounding. 2. Plecos like darker environments, you are placing him in a bright environment, so it's consistently stressed. It will be a prettier fish, but not a happy fish.

 

[GEV83]

I dont think the background makes difference, I have on tank with black back and one with mirror kind and royals still seems darker, only time they show their nice color is when they are out of the water... Hmm maybe its the water, may water dont stay clear, they turn tan due to all my dw

Sent from my C6902 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

I do frequent water changes to keep up with the poop machines so my water doesn't really tan it's nearly clear almost like a super weak tea color. Also the DW I got in there are older pieces and have leaked out most of there tanins already so even though the darkness of the water can probably affect there color it wouldn't be the cause in this case with almost clear water.

My tank is clear all around, I too wanted to black the bottom out, but I like to check my plecos under side every once in awhile(it easier to see them when their hiding under stuffs with a clear bottom) also to see if their getting enough foods to eat.

I use to have my tanks all clear but I saw some pictures online and loved the all black look and saw it made some fish really stand out then I bought a tank from a user on here that had all the walls black the bottom is a light blue and kinda like the black walls.

There are reports of Goldlines going completely black in an all black tank. People use WTT (White tank treatment) or BTT (Black Tank Treatment) for their asian arowanas and other fish. That alters the color of the fish, but mostly only temporarily. The guy that had his goldline lost its strips never did report back if he was able to get them back.

Just so you know, many of the vivid colors you see on plecos are actually stressed coloration. You may see many white based xingus, but most are just regular xingus that were stressed from shipment. My Teles Pires was very bright when I got it. It was a 36hr+ shipment that usps fudged up. Now that it's settled down, it's a lil darker, but still very pretty. If you look up my posts, you'll see the difference.

If you paint the tank sides and bottom white, it's called WTT, and it will most likely make it look brighter, but for two possible reasons. 1. it's trying to blend in to a brighter surrounding. 2. Plecos like darker environments, you are placing him in a bright environment, so it's consistently stressed. It will be a prettier fish, but not a happy fish.

I never knew people did any color tank treatment. I would never do the WTT that just seems like it would be super bright and could see how that could be stressful on any fish. BTT is what my tank is more closest to except the side walls are not painted as of yet. I saw a few pictures posted here of the Royals in there natural environment and was surprised to see they got white sand and rocky environment. So is why I was debating if I should go with a lighter colored bottom but not white that's to light.

I got the Royal I'm talking over a year ago L27 Tocantins and it had kept most of the colors but now it's dang near all black. The striping is visible but barely.

Teles Pires is the next Royal I wanna obtain just wish there price tag wasn't so high.

 

[Rotaryp04s]

Can you post a recent pic of you Tocantin, also teles pires is worth every penny. The black lines is jet black and the gold line is a nice 24k color. I too and other panaque lover wish the price tag wasn't so heavy. I wish I can find some small ones with small $$ tag.

You won't regret spending the $$$ for a teles pires when it you actually see the beauty of this pleco in your tank swimming around.

 

[GEV83]

So Teles Pires is more showy then both Xingu and Tocantins? I've seen some pictures of them and they do look nice but I know pictures rarely do any fish justice. I'll have to charge my battery for my camera so I can take a picture. I just recently acquired a L27 Xingu, L330, L191 as far as Panaque's go. All from Snookn21. I had gotten a Titan and Papa maybe 2 months ago from Rapps the Papa being the one in my avatar.

 

[Rotaryp04s]

So Teles Pires is more showy then both Xingu and Tocantins? I've seen some pictures of them and they do look nice but I know pictures rarely do any fish justice. I'll have to charge my battery for my camera so I can take a picture. I just recently acquired a L27 Xingu, L330, L191 as far as Panaque's go. All from Snookn21. I had gotten a Titan and Papa maybe 2 months ago from Rapps the Papa being the one in my avatar.

My knowledge the goldline teles pires, goldline araguaia,and goldline tapajos are showy royals.
Papa are pretty cool panaque, I wish I didn't passed on them 6 months ago.