Morph

Set up my tank a few weeks ago. Started adding some fish. I've got a few tiger barbs 2 that seem to be losing their color, appear like translucent and almost a shiney green seems noticeable. My pleco as well who was inserted into the tank today seems to have gathered a spooch of this fading on him as well. any help?

Harley

i have lots of barbs and i find that they lose there colour acording to the temp and conditions of the tank! I would try a 20% water change every 2 or 3 days, put the temp to 82, and be sure to add chemicals and test the water in your tank. Along with that you should change there diet a bit try some krill or freezdried bloodworms and some peas aswell and in a week or 2 they should have there colour back!

Butterfly

What are your water test readings? ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates.
since its only been set up a few weeks your cycle may not be finished.
carol

Beeboy

I agree with butterfly. Your tank might not be done cycling which may be causing your fish stress. Some fish lose their color when stressed. I wouldn't add any more fish until you are sure your cycle is done.

Beeboy

susitna-flower

Pleco's often get splotches also. For mine it depends on his "mood", if he is resting and not paying attention to anything, he gets splotchy. When he is feeding and moving around his color darkens and the splotches are gone.

Tell us a little more about your tank, and I would be interested in the kind of pleco you have. Is it a common? If so, the size of your tank is going to be very important as they grow huge, and are great waste producers. Even in my 125 gal tank I currently have two bristlenose plecos and they seem to be keeping the algae down, but they only grow to about 5", so don't create much waste.

Enjoy the forum, and post often, let us get to know you!

Fish in the Frozen North

Amnagrla

As almost everyone else has said... fish change color based on water chemistry, food, temperature, stress and light exposure. When I turn my lights on at night or in the morning, when they've been off for a while, I find my otos are paler. When I do water changes, they get stressed and lose color then, too.


My guess would be that your water is having some issues. Can you test it and tell us the results? I would take Harley's suggestion of water changes in case the parameters aren't good... and also to change up their food!

Good luck.

Bryn

as Butterfly and Beeboy said make sure ur tank is cycled. this could be the main cause of the colour loss.

but if u check the levels and they are fine , it will be down to the temp of the tank and the food they are eating.

if you have all those things right ur fish will soon get their strong colours once more.

cheers,
Bryn