Sorry, I cant seem to figure out how to make a new thread but this is the closest thread I could find. Some people said how they change colors. However, I have a belly crawler pike cichlid ( I dont know scientific) many call it common pike cichlid. It sometimes has orange crest outlines on its gills on both sides. At first, I thought it was some sort of gill disease or problem, but the color was orange and not some red streak. The orange gills sometimes come and sometimes goes.
Here are my stats just in case it has to do with something...(Fairly new tank, has been running for litte less than 2 months)
Tank: 55 Gallons semi planted with java fern a lot of driftwood
Pike Cichlid: 5 inches
Bichir: 5 inches
PH: 6.0 ish
Temp: 80 Ferinheit
(trates and trites might be inaccuarate cuz i used the strips but idk)
Nitrite: <20ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm
Ammonia: 0.50 ppm