Why does my angelfish stripes disappear most of the day?

[Impulse09]

Single silver angelfish in a community tank. 29 gallon planted tank. Tankmates ate 10 rummynose, 8 cardinals, flame red dwarf guorami, pearl guorami, corries, bn pleco, platties

 

[blert]

Just to clarify...
Are you talking about stripes (coloration) disappearing/changing during the daytime or your angelfish, whose name is "Stripes", goes into hiding during the day?

 

[Impulse09]

I am talking about his coloration

 

[blert]

Many fish experience color fading at night when resting. In the day, when they wake and become active, their color comes back. Maybe that is what is happening... Color comes back and makes the stripes less pronounced.
Just a guess. Hopefully an Angel Guru will come along with more insight.

 

[Impulse09]

It is the opposite, his stripes go away with the lights on and the come when it is dark or when he is feeding

 

[Josie]

It is the opposite, his stripes go away with the lights on and the come when it is dark or when he is feeding

Jinkies, a mystery!

How bright are your lights? How great is the color change from stripes to no stripes (are they gone completely, and when they return are they light gray or black)? I know hardly anything about aquarium fish (new) but I want in on this puzzle.

Some animals change color easily --like chameleons, octopus and squid-- but there are other species that can too, to a lesser degree. Maybe angels are one of them, and it's just not commonly noticed?

Here's a thought (indulge me): what if it has to do with bloodflow? You say when he's eating and when the lights go off his stripes darken. Maybe it's a fear/agitation/aggressor response? Maybe while he's eating his stripes darken to break up the shape of his body (like fish in the ocean, who have lighter bellies so that when they're viewed from below they're more difficult to see)? And when the lights go off he darkens his body again, because a large pale body stands out more in the dark than a striped one?

I don't know: I'm guessing. I'm sure I must sound like an idiot and some expert whose owned these for years will go, "(This) is the reason it does that!"

----

How about this? Your fish is a freak.

 

[GodFan]

Mine does the same thing! I want to know the answer!

 

[mikem691]

Angels are cichlids and will do that. My blue is competely blue most of the time but if he is feeding or competing for a females attention or chasing another male his stripes will come in dark black. most cichlids will show more color if they are the dominate male in the tank and the less agressive will have a more faded color. Angels are fairly peacefull but they are cichlids and will do this if they feel threatened or are trying to get a female to mate.

 

[Josie]

Angels are cichlids and will do that. My blue is competely blue most of the time but if he is feeding or competing for a females attention or chasing another male his stripes will come in dark black. most cichlids will show more color if they are the dominate male in the tank and the less agressive will have a more faded color. Angels are fairly peacefull but they are cichlids and will do this if they feel threatened or are trying to get a female to mate.

Nailed it. Though I didn't know angels were cichlids or that cichlids did that. Score 1 for... smart people? @_@