goodfish42
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I have two common goldfish. When I got them, both were bright orange. I went away for a couple weeks, and had someone look after the fish while I was gone (fed them, replaced water as it evaporated, but no water changes), and when I returned, one of my goldfish had turned white! The other is still orange.
I read somewhere that goldfish can turn white if they don't get enough light, but the window was open as always while I was gone. The only difference in light would have been that I didn't have the lights on in the room at night at all. And, it strange it would have been just one of the fish.
I have changed the filter (I have an Eclipse 12 tank) and I changed the water a few times since I got back, but there has been no change. I checked the water parameters today and they're about the same as before I left.
The white one (his name is Jean Valjean, by the way) seems healthy -- he's as active as the other, although he occasionally has mild buoyancy issues and he's a lot worse at eating (he eats, but he's bad at it -- he spends more time missing the food than catching it, and he often seems to miss the point of the food concept). I've posted about this fish before. He's not the best model of a functional goldfish but he seems to be doing all right.
Any suggestions? I'm attaching "before" and "after" pictures.
PS -- My fishtank came with a nonfunctioning light, and when I finally got a light that worked, the fish freaked out for a long time when I turned it on. Is it something they'd get used to? I don't mind keeping the light off if they're more comfortable.
I read somewhere that goldfish can turn white if they don't get enough light, but the window was open as always while I was gone. The only difference in light would have been that I didn't have the lights on in the room at night at all. And, it strange it would have been just one of the fish.
I have changed the filter (I have an Eclipse 12 tank) and I changed the water a few times since I got back, but there has been no change. I checked the water parameters today and they're about the same as before I left.
The white one (his name is Jean Valjean, by the way) seems healthy -- he's as active as the other, although he occasionally has mild buoyancy issues and he's a lot worse at eating (he eats, but he's bad at it -- he spends more time missing the food than catching it, and he often seems to miss the point of the food concept). I've posted about this fish before. He's not the best model of a functional goldfish but he seems to be doing all right.
Any suggestions? I'm attaching "before" and "after" pictures.
PS -- My fishtank came with a nonfunctioning light, and when I finally got a light that worked, the fish freaked out for a long time when I turned it on. Is it something they'd get used to? I don't mind keeping the light off if they're more comfortable.