Lemon tetra color loss.

This morning I went to feed and noticed the 4 biggest have lost the yellow and are now grey except the analfin it is still yellow. The other 5 are less yellow than normal but not by much. They are all eating and swim like normal, also still have red eyes like normal.

Water tests were all great. Just did water change and gravel vacuum 2 days ago. Tempature might be 1 degree lower than it has been lately. Usually I keep 76 might be 75 now.

I did go away over christmas holidays so they didn't get regular feedings.
They went three days without food but two weeks with out a water change. Normally every sunday or monday I do a water change.

Any thoughts?

 

Perhaps they are taking abuse from tank-mates?

3 days without food and 2 weeks without water change shouldnt affect them greatly. Neither should one degree...

How old are they? Do they still seem active or more lazy?

 

Tetras fade out when stressed. See what happens as they get feed and have water changed.

 

Exactly my thoughts...

Just find the source of it, that's why I suggested abuse, but it really could be anything

 

Still just as active. Water change was 2 days ago another one tomorrow to get me back on sunday changes.

 

Before you fed them, did you just turn on the lights? Most tetras will dI'm their colors at night or when lights out.

 

Yea I run timers for my lights... I feed usually 20- 30 mins after lights on.
Days off it can be a couple hours after lights on.
I noticed the color loss in the evening though couple hours before lights off.

 

In my experiences with Tetras of all kinds they seem to display their best colors in the morning hours. I think this is why most spawning is done around first light. As the day wares on the stress level varies due to more activity so I think they automatically dI'm their colors so not to attract so much attention to themselves. Now this is just my own observations and opinions so I could be totally wrong so you are advised to take it with a grain of salt so they say.

I have all my tank lights on timers and I feed around 30 minutes or so after the lights have come on. When I do night time feedings I do it around 2 hours before lights outs so that they have plenty of time to clean it all up before the lights go out. I do this because most fish have a hard time seeing in the dark so they will be less actively looking for food after the lights go out. I do feed an algae chip or two after lights out for my Pleco.

 

Good point bow crazy...
I just fed again but I couldn't see color as my contacts aren't in

 

LOL - without my glasses I wouldn't be able to even see the fish let alone if they had good color or not.

 

LOL - without my glasses I wouldn't be able to even see the fish let alone if they had good color or not.

Yep me too love my magnifying glass LOL


Sounds like your getting some good advice. Please keep us updated on how their doing.
Carol

 

Color is almost all back