L-25 changing colors?

[2160]

I bought my Scarlet at about 4 inches in March, but looked stressed and had a white head for 2 weeks. First pic. After 2 weeks it turned all dark and he really bulked up for the last six months. Second pic. For the last two weeks the fish has turned light again. Third pic. Water parameters are good in a 100g tank, eating NLS pellets, blood worms, algae wafers and spirolina, with no fish picking on it. He hangs out right in the middle of the tank. Is this fish xanthic or dead fish swimming.?

 

[Dis]

Never seen that before, sorry

Just do a water change and make sure it's always nice and clean

 

[Grinch]

If the colors in the photos are representative of real life, I'd say the pleco is stressed. Those deep colors (red and dark body) are usually indicative of a happy pleco. Sometimes mottling can indicate stress. Sometimes fish, not plecos specifically, can have blotches where pigment expression simply isn't very good, on an individual basis. So, its possible your fish just isn't displaying much pigment in this particular area (on the head). Given that this same fish has displayed pigment in this same location before, I'd suppose it's a stress related issue of some sort.

 

[JasonsPlecosCichlids]

I'd be willing to bed you have a scarlet that has a pigment issue, recumbent had a pleco, forget which but maybe a 427 that he either bought like that or it turned, think it turned on him. I would keep that bad boy under lock and key and see what he turns out to be.

 

[2160]

How funny almost all my plecos came from recumbent except this L25. I saw his L427 but it was dark green at the time. I am hoping i won the lottery and got a xanthic. When i first got the L25. Recumbent suggested it might be stressed from the move. A couple weeks ago he got his tail split by a L177 iriri so the iriri went to the big tank. The other thing i noticed was the explosion of red at the base of the tail and fins at the same time as the bloat h on his head. His eyes have gotten more round and not so cat eye. Its been about 3 weeks. My water is 80 degrees, 7.5ph, 0 nitrite /ammonia, and about 10ppm nitrate. 50% water changes every week. 2 cannisters and low bio load. The light is a beamworks w/ pink leds that light makes all the dennisonis in the tank incredibly red. I'm hoping no stress just a pigment issue. I will keep eveyone posted if he changes back.

 

[phreeflow]

That looks xanthic and looks pretty awesome. Lots of plecos have been reported to do this but some more than others like chubbies. It'll likely turn back to normal. Any update on what it looks like now?

 

[2160]

That looks xanthic and looks pretty awesome. Lots of plecos have been reported to do this but some more than others like chubbies. It'll likely turn back to normal. Any update on what it looks like now?

The Scarlet went back to its dark color around the end of September. Seems to be around 5 mths dark then 2 mths light. If it sticks to its regime, It should go back to light in February. The first new pic is 9/9/17, thefull blown xanthic state is pic two on 9/27/17. And the final pic is from 1/9/18. The fish ha doubled its size in less than a year. The Scarlet is currently about 6 inches without the reys. I will post again if it goes light

 

[JasonsPlecosCichlids]

Let me know if you decide to sell

 

[phreeflow]

Thanks for the update. That's a very nice L25 in both color states. Let us know what happens in February!

 

[thefredpit]

I am very jealous of you this is an awesome fish