Harlequin Rasbora Red Fins

[NiaCas]

I know that generally, harlequin rasboras are supposed to have red fins, but mine never really did. A few of them had sort of orangey tinted fins, and then a couple, including the one fish I'm talking about had pretty clear fins. I started out with 6 and he is the last standing after about 3 years. Just recently, I've noticed that his fins have become bright red. I have two theories:

1) The fins get brighter with age maybe?

2) Harlequin rasboras are big shoaling fish and he's been alone too long. I recently got a whole bunch of bloodfin tetras. He's been trying to shoal with them and now all of a sudden his fins look just like theirs! This would be very cool...although kinda sad too :/

What do you guys think or do you know why his fins got brighter?

 

[Delapool]

Not sure, I had them for about 2 years and always orange fins from memory.

 

[NiaCas]

Oh yeah, I should also mention that he seems quite healthy because my first thought when I noticed his fins was that there was something wrong with him. But he moves just fine, the rest of his coloring is normal, and he eats well.

Not sure, I had them for about 2 years and always orange fins from memory.

Yeah, I've never seen a harlequin rasbora with fins this red before. I like my theory involving the bloodfin tetras though lol. I think it would be a really interesting discovery if it happened to be true, suggesting maybe that fish can feel lonely. I've been afraid to get more rasboras though. I feel like the day they get here, he'll die - he's pretty old now. He was an adult when I got him 3 years ago. Think I might do it anyway though and see what happens. Wonder if the red will go away!

 

[trennamw]

6 Harlequin Rasboras were my first fish purchase. They weren't orange at all in the store, but got brighter after being home awhile.

Then I changed to a really good food, and they got especially colorful. (New life spectrum).

I notice the ones at pet smart look very pale in the store, but the ones at our good LFS are very bright. So I got 4 more from the good LFS. They're all exactly the same color in the tank at home.

The females do get paler when they are gravid (having been pregnant myself I can't blame them). I have one that's redder than the rest. They're pale when the lights get turned on abruptly, or when I terrorize ... I mean clean ... The tank.

Your one probably is feeling happier with fish it identifies as friends. Mine school with tetras too.




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