Blood parrot turns pale when lights are on

Hi,

I have 3 juvenile BP and one of them turns really pale (almost sickly looking) whenever I have the tank lights on. He turns back to orange once the lights are off. Is this harmful to the fish?

 

Hello,
Parrots change color and it can vary on their mood and conditions. Once they get adjusted to the lights, they should return to their orange color. I have 3 and for them I imagine its like waking up in pitch black then a bright flourescent light just shines in your face. But even sometimes when they are stressed too, they can get black spots. Oh and how long have you had them for?

 

Good morning,

As mentioned above, Bloody Parrots (as do many species) change colors according to their moods. Look at my girl Lovely (now deceased) in the photo below, she was in full spawning mode and almost solid white. Normally, she is/was just as orange as the rest of my stock:

https://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/parrot-cichlid/96707-bloody-parrot-color-changes.html

https://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/fish-memorials/164293-lovely.html

Ken

 

Thanks for the replies guys!

Eds48 - I have them for about 2 months now. The first few weeks his color was okay even with the lights on. I just noticed the changes the last couple weeks. I guess moods change just like human.

Ken - Yes, his color looks like Lovely's color. I'm just a little worried that he's sick but he's still eating. Oh, by the way I'm a fan of your tank. Your fish are beautiful!!

I love BP's personalities, they are a lot of fun to watch. Mine are a little less shy now they know when I'm about to feed them.
Oh, I was wondering about how to make them eat peas? They would eat some but always spit them out. Is there any other laxatives that are good to prevent swim bladder?

 

Good morning and thanks for the kind words.

As long as the fish is swimming upright, has clear eyes, no visible signs of disease or parasites, the fish is eating and having regular bowel movements, I wouldn't worry too much about the color change. These fish can be very moody at times.

When I feed thawed frozen peas, I warm them in tank water to thaw, slice them in half and remove the skin, then cut them into pieces the fish can easily swallow. It may take several tries before the fish realize the pea is actually food. Keep trying.

I use frozen peas due the fact canned peas may contain salt and other ingredients that the fish do not need. Too, frozen peas have already been blanched so there is no need to boil or nuke them in the microwave. Just thaw them.

Daphnia is said to be a good laxative for fish but I haven't tried it personally. Link below:
 

Over time, your fish will not hide at all but it can take a good while for them to feel comfortable in their environment.

Best wishes for your fish and please keep us posted with their progress.

Ken