Do Texas cichlids fade?

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Rafini

Rafini

Piranha
MFK Member
Jun 28, 2012
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Calgary, Canada
One of my short body texas cichlids is turning black, and not the black and white breeding dress. hes pretty much in charge of my tank so I am sure its not a stress thing.

Does this species fade?
 
i dont know about that breed specificly, but i know all the fish i have including my africans change color all the time. one of my blugill will go from being almost completly black to almost white within a few mins.
 
Well I havent really ever kept Texas, I know its embarassing.

I know red texas fade, and I assumed it was from the amphilophus genes, but thought I would check.
any idea why my short body is turning black?
 
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Two things. First I have males both texas and texas hybrids that at times look just like that in color intensity, makes the spangles stand out and the front of face and top of head are almost white so breeding dress. Remember because of the short body it is compressed up in pattern as well and i believe if it was a normal length fish it would be more visually normal looking breeding colors. Second i believe short body texas are hybrids (thats how they got the short body genes) and blood parrots are one of the best ways of adding that gene. Blood parrots usually fade so yes if so it is possible that your fish could fade.
 
That is in fact normal coloration - and actually looks like breeding dress, which they take on when excited, etc.
 
Awesome, thanks guys. As far as I knew breeding dress is white and black, maybe it only turns fully white and black at the height of courtship.
I have no clue as to how they make them, I guess if they are made with parrots wouldn't that make them low grade Red Texas?
 
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