I noticed that several bichir keepers put their bichirs in blue tank with red bottoms or red gravel and I'm wondering why. Does doing so brings out the colors and contrasts of bichirs? I noticed the lapradei in 2010 Bichir Update displays high-contrast and it's resides in a blue tank as well. If a wild-caught lapradei is placed in such a tank, it should display high-contrast as well?
Blue Tank + Red bottom/gravel
- Thread starter Tendou Souji
- Start date
If the bichir is already showing high contrast patterns especially wild caught it will barely fade away even on white substrates. However captive breed seems to bleach out more. I notice this with my bichirs. I have nigerian and guinea endli that will not get bleach out even on white substrates but all my captive breed does. However the base color is not really well toned. Keeping them on black substrates will bring out more green and also darken up the base color to a very high level. Dark brown substrates have the same results as well but with more yellow instead of green. As for the blue substrates it got the same effects as the white substrates made my captive breed bichir bleach out. Tan substrates have the same result of red but doesn't have a fast result compare to red substrates. Red substrates is overall the best substrates to bring out higher contrast on patterns and balance base color. The only down side not many people like them as it look unnatural. Tan substrates is the best replacement for red but as I said it takes long time to give the results.
As for the tank background blue, black, red, green, yellow and light brown seems to help with toning up the base color. Doesn't effect the patterns though IMO.
So here are some combo that you can try.
-Red bottom can go with any color with fast result but look unnatural.
-Tan bottom can go with any color slow result but look natural.
-Black bottom with blue, red, yellow, light brown or green background to help out to balance the blending of base color and patterns. If overall black it will look like it's been rolled over charcoal.
-Brown bottom with blue, red, yellow, light brown or green background.
As for the tank background blue, black, red, green, yellow and light brown seems to help with toning up the base color. Doesn't effect the patterns though IMO.
So here are some combo that you can try.
-Red bottom can go with any color with fast result but look unnatural.
-Tan bottom can go with any color slow result but look natural.
-Black bottom with blue, red, yellow, light brown or green background to help out to balance the blending of base color and patterns. If overall black it will look like it's been rolled over charcoal.
-Brown bottom with blue, red, yellow, light brown or green background.
I'm planning to use black tank + red gravel. Does this combo brings out contrast in bichirs, or should I use transparent tank + red gravel?
I did, but black, as you've said, make them look like they've rolled over charcoal. So rolled over charcoal + high contrast = ? BTW, tan gravel is like the one you showed in your post: Bichir pile and video ? Thanks in advance.
Tendou Souji;3808985; said:
Yep I have tan but the progress seems slow than what I expected. I'm planning to mix red again to my substrates to give it a fast result. You can go with balck background if you want it won't make a bichir pattern like roll over charcoal. It's the black bottom that makes them to look like that.
I heard tan and red are the best substrate to use for bichirs. As far blue back, I don't know if it helps bichirs but flowerhorn guys will tell you it bring out the best colors. So far every fish that went into the blue tank color up brighter. Also keep in mind that a fish must have nice colors to begin with in order to get the vibrant bright colors. In addition the type of food you feed your fish can also change their colors.
I'm feeding them feeders, hikari sinking pellets and mealworms. After placing my ornate, senegal and 2 lapradeis in my 4-sided black tank, my ornate's color stays as nice as usual, my cb lapradei showed lots of green and my senegal went from almost pure white to gray. However, my WC lapradei which used to show high contrast lost it's appetite and showed light green and it's contrast disappeared almost totally. What should I do? I plan to get some red gravel, hoping that it'll show it's high-contrast again. Is this gravel red or tan: http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/gyjd_2008/aquarium%20stuff/024.jpg?