Cichlid Lost Color?

[tails007]

Hi all,2 questions I hope you can help with.

1: what is the name of this cichlid?

2: why has it lost its colour and how can I get it back? I've attached 2 pics, 1 from when I first bought it and the second from a few days ago, as you can see there is a marked loss of colour. I do regular water changes and have even switched over to the same brand of food that the store where I got it from use. Can anyone suggest a reason and or remedy?

Cheers!

 

[Andrew McFadden]

It's probably stress related. Or what happened with mine is that it colored up first and was showing really nice color. I was sooo happy. Then one of my other haps started to show color then my red empress lost almost all his color and only shows it every so often.

I would try to move him to another tank and see if its color comes back. If it does then you know its not going to show full color in the main tank.

BTW its a red empress that you have and color wise looks just like mine.

 

[Douglas4701]

Make sure you are feeding it correctly and have the right ph balance... Watch for a n hour at their most active and see if anyone i constantly chasing him. I've lost some fish lately.

 

[tails007]

Thanks guys!

The water quality is good as I have it tested regularly so it must be something else, maybe stress as Andrew said.

@Andrew I don't have another tank so can't try that unfortunately. No I know its a red emprrss though I've had a Google and it actually looks a lot like a female http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=re...fOuYC4Dw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=360&bih=567#i=27

Would it help if I got more red empresses? Perhaps more of its own kind would help it feel more comfortable? (Or maybe I'm totally off)

Thanks!

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Do you have other haps in the tank?

Adding more isn't going to help any they will do the same. A female will look all silver and show no colors. So he is for sure a male. He is just showing he is non dominate.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

This is my male its color comes and goes a little




This is my female it has a grayish head and all silver body. It does have a strip of pink across his top fin. With most females that's the only color they usually get.

 

[Mogurako]

Your fish is most likely just washed out because of the white in the tank . White substrate, white rocks and white wall behind the tank. Also if your light is brighter than it needs to be that could be compounding the issue.

 

[tails007]

Thanks mogurako. That makes a lot of sense, for months I was using 2 bright daylight bulbs as they cam with the tank. Have now replaced with 1 marine day and 1 marine blue and the colours are much better on all the fish. Awaiting reflectors too. I also have a black and blue reversable background on order so hopefully that will help with colours.

 

[rotorhead22]

The temperature or wavelength of your lighting can also washout as well as enhance certain colors. Check out the link below, it should help explain lighting temperature, etc.

http://ca-en.hagen.com/File/1942b213-6723-484d-9b88-66c9796ca534