Pale Tiger Barbs

[Maliboo]

Lately, I've been noticing that my tiger barbs and green barb are pale. When I bought them, their colors were bright and vivid. The greens and oranges on their bodies were prominent and beautiful. However, their color started to fade. I did some research and found out that this color change is multifactorial. Like, the food they eat and even the substrate affect their colors.

I feed them with three types of foods: PO1, PO2, and Sakura black pellets with spirulina. My substrate is sand. My fish tank is next to a window, so they receive natural, bright lighting throughout the day. However, we turn the lights off at 11 PM, so it really gets dark in their tank from that time until sunrise. I also do a weekly 20-30% water change.

I did a water change earlier and I noticed that it only made a little difference. Anything else that I can do?

Edit: They seem healthy and happy as they're swimming in a school of 8.

 

[Anders247]

Hmm....... It does have to do with the substrate, and at night they naturally lose color, but I think that the natural sunlight may have something to do with it. I think that the light is making them lighter......

 

[junebug]

If a water change affected them, it is probably a stress thing. What are the water parameters in your tank?

 

[Maliboo]

Their colors are back now! Yay! I covered the side of the tank that directly faces the window. The water parameters are normal.

 

[Anders247]

Ah, that's good to hear!