Clown Loaches Change Color

[A/C Dood]

I have 4 Clown Loaches 3.5-4" all very healthy and plump. About once or twice a day their colors fade out and go extremely pale, sometimes only one of them and other times all of them. Is this due to a mood change? I had Oscars that would change color too, I was told it was due to a mood/behavior or a reaction to stress, fear or anger.
Water temp has been bumped up to 82* F, all water parameters are normal and in check, very low stress in my tank, i.e., no fighting, chasing, all other tank mates leave the Loaches to themselves.

One other thing, I just picked up a new Clown yesterday, he's blended with the other Loaches perfectly. His color hasn't gone pale at all, he has deep saturated vibrant colors compared to my original Loaches.

I'm guessing it may be the food he was receiving. Mine have been eating blood worms, crunched up Tetra Jumbo Sticks, frozen krill, brine shrimp, New Life Spectrum sinking pellets and Omega flake food. I thought I was doing the right thing to help them produce rich vibrant colors???

Am I doing something wrong?

Regards,

A/C Dood

 

[nolapete]

Add some green to their diet. Mine love the Hikari spirulina wafers.

 

[ewurm]

Could be any of the things you mentioned. Mine are usually pale in the morning and color up after the lights have been on for awhile.

 

[A/C Dood]

Could be any of the things you mentioned. Mine are usually pale in the morning and color up after the lights have been on for awhile.

OK, sounds like the same thing. Mine are pale in the morning as well, sometimes they do it during the day but usually in the morning.

Thank you,

A/C Dood

 

[A/C Dood]

Add some green to their diet. Mine love the Hikari spirulina wafers.

I'll toss some in tonight and see how it goes.

Thanks,

A/C Dood

 

[orinocensis1]

i have about 8 in my tank and i noticed they change color like that when they get aggressive. when they are that color they usually chase eachother around for a little then stop.

 

[le patron]

sounds like pretty normal behavior. mood does affect the color of fish

 

[awault]

i have about 8 in my tank and i noticed they change color like that when they get aggressive. when they are that color they usually chase eachother around for a little then stop.

Same Here... my loaches will fade out whenever there is a skirmish. Clown loaches definitely have a pecking order. I usually see this behavior between my two largest loaches both around 3-4".

 

[Chromobotia]

Sounds like your loaches are getting pissed off at each other 2-3 time a day. Moody little buggers.

My loaches do the same. I like watching one get pissed off and start chasing another. It usually lasts a few minutes and then the loache's color returns.