Does substrate change flowerhorn color?

[DrUgS]

I had a 2-3 inch baby flower horn in my 20 gallon with red substrate (looked bright pink with the light on) and my flower horn was pretty light colored. I just finished washing 100 pounds of 3M black color quartz T grade last week and I moved him into the 120 gallon tank with a few live plants and 3 little tiger barbs. Its been a week since he has been in there and now he dosent even look like the same fish. He is much much darker and dosent look as nice as he used to IMO.

My question is, does he try to match the color of the substrate or is he just unhappy in his new home? Also, if I rase him in dark color substrate when he is young will this effect the color as an adult permenantly? Or will he eventually look brighter?

Any input would be great, thanks guys!

 

[fishfreak317]

do you have some pictures?

 

[Katevo]

i keep my FH/carpinte hybrid in a tank with black sand. he's completely black except his perals and OMG he looks so beautiful. well con's laid eggs so i put him in the feeder tank wich is all white (they look good next to eachother) he got all pale and looked yukky to me. im betting it does matter. the proof is in the pudding though try putting some white on one side and some black on the other. i also noticed lighting make a big difference on how the colors are displayed

 

[USMCtanker]

for me the darker the gravel the dark the fish color wil be and more colorfull, the lighter the lighter they got, i like to do a mix, a dark background like black with a light gravel, my fish have great color