Goldsaum Pics and Questions

[elting44]

Hey guys, I have had my GTs for about a week now and wanted to show you some pics and ask a few questions.

Here are my questions:

1. Is a dark lateral pattern normal in juvenile Goldsaums? All of my fish have these patterns in from the gill to about 2/3rds to the tail fin.

2. Are GTs a pretty skittish fish? They seem to be pretty flighty, when i approach the aquarium they all head to the corner in a group. When I watch them they just swim back and for across the back of the tank about 2 inches off the gravel. They will also not readily accept food if i am standing in front of the tank. I am assuming this will get better with time.

3. Also, how long does it take for the orange to develope on the caudal and dorsal fin? I assume this has largely to do woth genetics, but my GTs don't seem to have much color.

Thanks in advance for all the info, enjoy the pics, my pleco snuck into a shot or two....

See the black pattern along the sides of the fish, juvenile pattern or stress or...

See the very light color on the caudal fin, appears to almost look white like a Silversaum, still to young to tell?

Big Yawn Could almost fit a glass shrimp in there

 

[cichlid2006]

nice looking fish there. my GT had lots of colour when i got him but the lfs he was from was quality, using tetra prima and bloodworm on all their fish so they all had good colour. a good food should bring the colours out. my GT's, although good, came out even stronger when i got him and fed him hefty amounts of protein. also algae wafers help my GT loves them. its the spirinula (spelling?) that does the job i think.
their shyness should go in time. my GT was shy when i got him, always running with the slightest movement near the tank. now though he never leaves me alone when im on the computer, he always taps the thermometer off the glass untill i look at him and starts again when i look away.
but then again every fish is different in my experience, so you may have less bright and shy GT's. i very much doubt this though going off my own and what others have wrote.
good luck.

 

[Spiritwind]

Coloring is normal for a little one, they are very 'cautious' and I think you will get color within a month. You could try some dither type fish to help with the shyness, like a school of tiger barbs or something else fast. They will see the fearless barbs going around the tank, more likely for them to feel safer to come out. Worked well with my little GT.

 

[bluegryffin]

with the dithers. My GT is weird. He typically swims back and forth to beg for food, but at least once a day runs and hides behind a tank decoration.

 

[elting44]

Thanks guys. I will wait it out for a while. I hope they get more bold and colorful as time goes on. I did notice that they like algae wafers, I have to wait to throw them in the tank til after I get the gts fed if I want my pleco to get any. If all else fails I will pick up some Tiger Barbs, I just didn't want the tank to be overcrowded. A pair of GTs and a pleco in a 55 is already alot from what i have been told. But I change out about 90% of the water a week (2 45% WCs a week) and test params daily.