Gar loses color without light?

[Biskatti]

Hello! I'm new here. This board seems like the right place to ask for help.
My fish is either a shortnose or flodida spotted gar. He's about four inches and while he's growing to a decent size he's living in a small tank with my senegal bichir. He's been eating guppies and goldfish.
The past two mornings I woke up and turn the tank light on and his black spots are nearly gone! I pour in a bit of aquarium salt and leave the light on for a while and he's back to full color. What's going on here? Am I doing something wrong? Please enlighten me.
Also, basic care advice? Food recommendations (for him or the bichir) would be nice.

http://i45.tinypic.com/15r1vgx.jpg

 

[Spatula]

From my experience the coloring has to do with the color of the substrate (sand or gravel bottom). The darker the substrate the dark the Gar will be.
Your gar appears to be a Florida species.

 

[E_americanus]

don't pour in salt "to bring back the color". just about all gars lose their pattern/color at night and go very pale (even their eye stripe goes away). this is normal, and the coloration comes back once they are back in regular daylight.--
--solomon

 

[Biskatti]

don't pour in salt "to bring back the color". just about all gars lose their pattern/color at night and go very pale (even their eye stripe goes away). this is normal, and the coloration comes back once they are back in regular daylight.--
--solomon

thank you SO much! i'm glad i asked for help.

 

[Lepisosteus platyrhincus]

yep what sololmon said!

 

[Biskatti]

Bump.
I need more information. What size tank do you keep your gars in?
What do you feed them?

 

[E_americanus]

Bump.
I need more information. What size tank do you keep your gars in?
What do you feed them?

these questions are where we highly recommend you do a search through the forum...they have been answered/discussed many many times. if you have further specific questions after reviewing the previous threads, feel free to post them--
--solomon