Reds turning Purple

[ballinouttacntrol]

I need your guy's input. I got a message yesterday from another member that his red bellies piranhas were turning purple. He did a water change and the purple became lighter. Upon doing a water test, there was a slight rise in nitrites (i know, indescriptive on my part but that's all i've got). I showed him some pics of a purple sanchezi to see if the fish were actually turning purple or just had a purple hue or sheen. He said the color were similiar to the pic.

Any explaination for that? They're only 3.5 inches or so. Still babies. In the pics i've seen they're normally a beautiful silver (mine were never that light) with red.

 

[jp80911]

i've never seen rbp turn purple before, maybe caused by lighting at that time????
got any pics?

 

[ballinouttacntrol]

i've never seen rbp turn purple before, maybe caused by lighting at that time????
got any pics?

No, i was in a hurry when he was telling me about it. I'll ask him for some the next time I catch them.

 

[Zander_The_RBP]

see what lighting he is using if he is using 420 nm actinics(violet) or hagen powerglo/aquaglo that may make his fish appear purple-ish.

 

[bomber]

Just a thought also that everyone see's color differently. His purple might be my red. Need photos to see.

 

[ballinouttacntrol]

I know i know, i'll try to get pics. I do have pics of the piranhas from a couple of weeks ago but not pics from yesterday when he was telling me about the color change.

By the time I talk to him again, they may be back to their original color but i'll do what i can

 

[mhansen76]

3 out of my nine rbps have a slight purpley silver hue, they had no red belly-ness when first added, but are starting to emulate the others a bit. I was thinking that they just were not being fed properly, but they are still purplish. I have no light. I have dark brown substrate and a blue background soooo?....my nitrites are at 0.

 

[duster1971]

I have had mine look purple at night to me it sounds as if the red has faded enoph that the silver of the body may have made it apear purple.

 

[Otherone]

If it were Sanchezi the over-all appearence would be different ie; shape of body, head, etc.. this would probably be more noticable than color. As Nettereri grow they get much darker in color almost black as adults - your coloration may just be due to age.