is there something wrong with my cardinals

[smooth_cannibal]

this has been happening for a while (or i just haven't noticed til recentely) and they seem happy and healthy and eat fine so I don't know if this is normal

whenever I first turn on my light they have almost no color (almost clear) and look sick. after the lights been on a while they color right up. I keep forgetting to ask. I've tried looking it up myself and can't find anything.

 

[ppo8820]

Yeah its a pretty common thing with tetras especially. They are relaxed and that means their nervous systems are relaxed, when they start waking up, the color comes back as they get more active. Nothing to worry about.

 

[PNWaquarist]

Yeah, it's normal. Mine did that the one time that I briefly needed to turn on the light at 8 pm (after the light had been out for three hours). If you set your light to come on after sunrise, you probably won't see them without color.

 

[smooth_cannibal]

okay cool. thanks. I usually don't run the light til the evening. I don't get much natural light during the day in my bedroom unless I open the blind. I usually let them sleep mostly during the day and use the lights from my tanks as my bedroom lighting.