jaguar cichlid is black...

[Devin VandeVelde]

Hi, I have a 1.5-2 inch juvenile jaguar cichlid who hides about 90% of the time.... He's really scared of me but doesn't seem to be bothered by the other fish... Anyway, he always comes out of hiding for food, and when he does he is entirely black. So black that sometimes I can't even see him against my black background. Is black for a small jag normal? Is he stressed? Or is he trying to show dominance?

 

[pops]

pics help, little jags, esp females are very dark banded, stressed they go pale. hiding the norm,. instinks(sp) tells them i am small and fish food if not careful.

 

[pops]

I got 6 grow outs at work from my wild caught pair. they run the gambit of light banded to dark banded. until water change time, then they all go pale. but the little females are very dark as a norm.

 

[ehh]

Sounds stressed to hell.

 

[cich78]

Based on what you are describing it is the same as what I have experienced with my jags in that it is a stress response due to being low in the hierarchy in your tank with your jag Trying to remain inconspicuous and not gain negative attention from tthem...I have a male jag that was Jet black all the time Then as he started growing he became very dark With bands ..As he continued to grow he began to challenge the most dominant fish When I removed the dominant fish he gained his full jag Male color and pattern...It may not seem That your jag is bothered by the other fish but he is also trying to not gain any negative attention from them IMO...What are the other fish that you have in there with him?...Anything bigger or Any other aggressive type fish is going to make him lay low until he feels he could Take the challenge...

 

[pops]

I am not sure I agree with that ehh. tho all little fish like that are stressed. again, when my little jags are real stressed they go pale, and just being little fish they banded dark.

 

[Americancichlids]

Based on what you are describing it is the same as what I have experienced with my jags in that it is a stress response due to being low in the hierarchy in your tank with your jag Trying to remain inconspicuous and not gain negative attention from tthem...I have a male jag that was Jet black all the time Then as he started growing he became very dark With bands ..As he continued to grow he began to challenge the most dominant fish When I removed the dominant fish he gained his full jag Male color and pattern...It may not seem That your jag is bothered by the other fish but he is also trying to not gain any negative attention from them IMO...What are the other fish that you have in there with him?...Anything bigger or Any other aggressive type fish is going to make him lay low until he feels he could Take the challenge...

He hit it on the spot. Same with ehh, low on the totem pole and stressed out, that's how all my jaguars were. But my old female was a puss and was bullied by an Oscar, but one day around 5-6 inches she snapped and went crazy on the Oscar

 

[pops]

I am sitting here watching the 145 drain after vacuuming and looking at my 2 oscar tanks, they both have little 1 to 2" jags in, the little guys are heavy banded and going through the wood eating the dendrites from tank stir up and vacuum and filter cleaning. these not stressed little jags . they just doing what little fish do,, normal coloration.

 

[pops]

make a vid after 145 starts filling.

 

[Americancichlids]

I am sitting here watching the 145 drain after vacuuming and looking at my 2 oscar tanks, they both have little 1 to 2" jags in, the little guys are heavy banded and going through the wood eating the dendrites from tank stir up and vacuum and filter cleaning. these not stressed little jags . they just doing what little fish do,, normal coloration.

Some are naturally dark for awhile, but the dark Jags I have had "lit" up when they were flaring at another fish or chasing another fish. I have had opposite ends too where they turn pale when bullied or being chased