Trouble getting my JD dark, Need some advice.

[matthew112687]

Here's the run down

I've had my Jack Dempsey for about 10 months now, and never have really seen her get dark and show her colors like some of the Jack Dempseys I see on the internet. She is only about 4 inches. She first started in a 30 gallon by herself, and within the past 2 months is in a 90 gallon with a oscar (2-3 inches) and some Buenos Aires Tetras. The only time she shows her colors is when the lights are off, or after she eats and that is only briefly. I feed a mixture of spirulina pellets, freeze dried krill, freeze dried brine shrimp, Hikari Cichlid Gold Pellets, with an occasional ghost shrimp. There are 130 watts of 10K lighting on the 90 gallon. (If this makes a diffrence)

The water chemistry is..

Temp, 77 F
pH, 7.4-7.6
Ammo and Nitrite, 0
Nitrate, <10
gH, 17.9 ppm
kH, 89.5 ppm

Regular water changes are done weekly, usually 40 gallons.

I have a water softener on the house and I believe that is why the gH is so low. Any ideas on raising it? Should I even raise it?

Here is a picture from when she was in the 30 gallon, this was months ago. This is probably the most color I have ever seen from her.

Now this is about as much color as I see.

Any ideas guys? I tried to give as much information as possible, if I missed something let me know.

 

[REDKID!!!]

just give her some time

 

[carolinafishkeeper]

one of my jacks have a "lighter" base tone, it's 5inches long, not all jacks get as dark as "normal", but my jacks blue does show vividly

 

[nomadofthehills]

Its probably the extra lighting coupled with light colored sand, and light background. If she were to be dark, she might as well have a neon sign on her that says "EAT ME!" lol

 

[Tango374]

Its probably the extra lighting coupled with light colored sand, and light background. If she were to be dark, she might as well have a neon sign on her that says "EAT ME!" lol

+1

 

[siklid1066]

Maybe she is stressed do to the surrounding conditions.I have a male and his colors change all the time but if hes stressed his colors fade.JDs have issues some get stressed so easily,but when they get older this changes.And so do there colors and shades.

 

[Headrush]

My female got a lot darker in my tank with black gravel. Time will tell. Just keep feeding her the good stuff and you'll be ok

Also Very cool red marking on top of its head. Never seen that before. Anyone else seen this marking on a JD??

 

[dave1982]

its the light backround and sand

 

[matthew112687]

Thanks for all the replies guys. The tank she is in now has a black background, but it could be the white sand and bright lights thats keeping her white. Ooo man its going to be a PITA to switch to a darker substrate.

Heres a pic of the tank. Some of the time she is just in that little flowerpot with her head sticking out, checking everything out in the tank.

Maybe she is stressed do to the surrounding conditions.I have a male and his colors change all the time but if hes stressed his colors fade.JDs have issues some get stressed so easily,but when they get older this changes.And so do there colors and shades.

You might be right, I am pretty sure there is nothing wrong with the water chemistry but maybe I dont have enough hiding spots.

 

[siklid1066]

Alot of times they get stressed out from whats going on out side the tank.I dont have any caves for my jack.He was super skittish when he had a cave.When he was younger every thing stressed him(light changes,a door opening,any outside movement,even the TV)Which caused poor colors.But he slowly grew out of it and I mean slowly.(great colors today)