How do i get my wide bar to show colour?

[henward]

i have two big ones, indo and a wide bar

the indo has brilliant colours
the wide bar initially got stressed and sick ish
i have had him for 4 weeks now
starting to go for food
how can i get him to get lighter
right now he looks really black and dark while the indo looks perfect.

i really want himt o show colour

 

[TCZeli]

if hes just starting to go for food, then he may be just starting to get comfortable. Give it a bit more time.

 

[henward]

yeah, i dont like to wait, im afraid it will never get its colour like it was before.
is this possible?

it is only starting to go for food but not eating as it is a picky SOB.

 

[twk1]

Do you have him with any other fishes bigger than him? That can make him darker too. what is your set up like? do you have a dark background with darker substrate??

 

[vanimate]

yeah, i dont like to wait

Unfortunately its not up to you.
If you become impatient with him and keep changing and moving things, it will just make it worse.

 

[henward]

yeah
i dont move things lol i dont mean i take him out and hug him or xhake him and try to counsel him lol

the background is pitch black, the gravel is black and white

does that make a different in this fish?

hes with a RCK, 2 silver dollars, a spotten metynis, 2 tinfoil barbs and one other indo dat just smaller than him. never seen a fight.
they were raised together since 2 inches. litereally untill now they are still together.

i hvae sene pictures of them together years ago, and the wide bar had goldier and lighter colours

perhaps its the background
but not sure