All my fish are turning orange!

[Princess1982]

Hi All

I have started to notice that all my fish are starting to get patches of orange/gold on them! I know that fish change colour as they get older but even the black moor is starting to get golden tones to his scales.

Is this down to feeding a certain type of food or water treatments? I really like my fish the colours they are. Is there something I can do to stop this from happening?

1 x black moor
1 x panda moor
1 x common goldfish
1 x red cap oranda
1 x leopard plec
1 x white ranchu
1 x calico ryukin

Thanks in advance for you help.

 

[smomus]

What are you feeding them? I noticed my black skirts have a red tone to then after feeding blood worms

 

[Princess1982]

They get a mix of frozen blood worms, blanched green vegetables, "Gold Healthy Home" floating pellets (they get soaked before I feed them to the fish), "Tetra Gold Japan" sinking pellets, and some fish flakes I bought from a discount store so no brand name.

I noticed the Tetra fish food mentions colour enhancers. Do you think this is what causes it? I assumed it would enhance their natural colour not turn them orange!

 

[jlk]

Hi Princess! Just so I am clear, all of your fish are turning orange? This does not sound like a water issue but a dietary issue. I am not familiar with the foods you are feeding but I suspect one of them (likely the color enhancing one) is the culprit. I have never personally experienced this phenomena but I have read about others experiences with white fish aquiring an orange color when fed certain types of food. Type to invest in a different type of food.

The moor turning orange is completely normal and he will eventually turn completely orange- food has nothing to do with this, its all genetics.

 

[Princess1982]

Hi JLK! Yeh I have been doing some reading and a few people have mentioned the same thing. Literally all of the fish (excluding the plec) have started to get the odd patch or gold/orange, The red cap has now gold on his fins, the white ranchu has an orange patch on her belly and all her fins are completely orange now (although I know this could just come with age) and both the moors are getting orange hues to their scales too. The common and calico are also more orange but it's hard to put them in the equation as they were of course orange/gold to start with.
It seems not many people have experienced this but I am positive it has to be down to one of the foods as all the fish are different ages and it has only started recently. I will take your advice and get another food as, believe it or not, the gold colour fish are my least favourite! I love the fact all my fish were different colours and they look so pretty in the tank together. I will be gutted if they all turn orange!

 

[jlk]

Color change is normal! Expect your panda moor to turn completetly white (as well as any others that are a white & color mix except perhaps the calico). The moor will definitely turn orange. If you can switch the 'color enhancing' food to a different food, you should see less orange in the white fish over the upcoming months. Hikari saki or hikari green/purple (very hard to find) would be a good choice as well as Hikari lionhead formula. I have never had an issue with any of these foods changing color negatively. NLS would be another brand to consider. Another option would be to switch them to a homemade gel food. How do you like your new tank?

 

[Princess1982]

My new tank is amazing! The fish seem to really appreciate the extra space too. They seem much happier. My panda moor has managed to slice off a bit of her tail fin though but I am not sure how. The fake plants aren't sharp and neither is the bridge so I suspect she was trying to get a bit of food from under the driftwood as there is a small hole just big enough for her to get under. I assume she got stuck on it on the way in or out. I have added some aquarium salt and have done another massive water change so the water is extra clean to avoid infection. The nitrate is now 10ppm which is how the water comes out of my tap so I think the nitrate rise was definitely due to the overstocking in the other tank.

I will try and get hold of some Hikari food as you have mentioned. I went to my LFS just now and most of the goldfish food has colour enhancers in it. I think I will have to order some from the internet. Is the Hikari food flakes or pellets? My panda moor is blind as a bat and can't see pellets unless they are very large so I tend to feed the flakes more often than the pellets.

Thanks for your help JLK!

 

[jlk]

I am glad they are enjoying the new tank! The Hikari is pellets but it has a strong odor so I think your panda will find it! My cats actually attack the bags of Hikari- they have never ever done this with any other type of fish food except the gel food I make. They make different sized pellets from micro to large, so you will have to see what you have available to you. Im glad the nitrate issue is resolved as well now that they have a new tank! Keep up the good work!!