What influences fish color?
- Thread starter Lawlboom
- Start date
I really hate the white sand in my 45 gallon. All the fish in that tank are pretty washed out.
My 125 has black sand with a black background. I want to change it but changing out substrate... 100 pounds of it sounds like a nightmare
LMAO I have a 200 gallon and I have pool filter sand waiting for it. I been meaning to do it for months but seems like a big hassle so I just live with it lol.
I think a black background with white sand is a good combo. My tank the light colored fish like bright orange and red pop in that tank. My thai silks look cool of the shine they get but when I put them in a bare bottom tank they look like different fish. If I were to do it again I would do blue background with white sand.
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e187/dashocker/CIMG6571.jpg
Exactly like this
The color of the background or substrate have nothing to do with the fish's color. It's diet, genetics and the proper water parameters for the species.
It
That is false. Okay fish adapt to their surroundings. A fish will blend to a dark background and or substrate because its instinct is to survive. I promise you a huge factor in color is background and substrate. Explain to me if your black and wear a white shirt one day and then a black shirt the other day will the color of the black person change? Obviously not but It will enhance the features it will blend in the skin tone and then pop out the features with a white shirt. I'm not saying the color will be any different but the color will be less enhanced.
That is false. Okay fish adapt to their surroundings. A fish will blend to a dark background and or substrate because its instinct is to survive. I promise you a huge factor in color is background and substrate. Explain to me if your black and wear a white shirt one day and then a black shirt the other day will the color of the black person change? Obviously not but It will enhance the features it will blend in the skin tone and then pop out the features with a white shirt. I'm not saying the color will be any different but the color will be less enhanced.
The "enhancement" is all visual on the dry side of the glass. Certain colors will be visually more appealing because of color and contrast. I think you are saying the same thing with the shirt example. My point was that the fish won't actually change color because of a background or substrate. That has to be a more direct physical reaction to diet, genetics and water.
I noticed that my Jag is really dark most of the time but when he defends his pot he turns into the normal jag coloration. Which is what prompted me to write this thread. It'll be a project for the future.
I had a geo that would change colour depending on his mood, if I was in front of his tank, he'd display bright greens and blues. If my hubby came near me, Horrace (the geo) would go a dark bluey purpley colour, almost black at times, until the hubby left, then he'd calm down and go back to showing off for me. 
As far as the original question, I believe its a mixture of all three, plus diet, water quality etc. But the fish's mood also has an affect on its colour. Happy fish = bright, vibrant colours while sad/stressed fish = dark and/or washed out.
Just my opinion.
As far as the original question, I believe its a mixture of all three, plus diet, water quality etc. But the fish's mood also has an affect on its colour. Happy fish = bright, vibrant colours while sad/stressed fish = dark and/or washed out.
Just my opinion.
Is it true that dominance plays a role in a community tank? Seems to me like the dominant fish has vivid colors, the weaker fish is drab and washed out. Especially two of the same species and sex.
Obviously, if they are opposite sex, then there's love and they both have vivid colors.
Obviously, if they are opposite sex, then there's love and they both have vivid colors.
