oto losing colour at night?

[willowthepoet]

i just got an otocinculus (or however you spell it) a couple days ago, and this morning when i turned on my tank light, ALL his colour was gone. the black stripe down the sides was completely gone, and the only colour he had was a little on his face.

i went to work, certain i'd come home to a dead fish, but when i got home he was fine! he was back to his usual colour, with his fat little belly pressed on the glass. i was shocked.

does this happen to anybody else? is it normal? should i worry?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Some fish need light to show their true colors. During the night hours they do not have the light therefore their color lightens up. In the morning after the light has been on for a few hours, they will look normal. I've heard of this will several different fish.

 

[aoplayo]

normal.it happens to some reptiles too.

 

[patagonia]

same thing happens to me with the otos and neons...it freaked me out the first time though...

 

[Tiffi]

I have Otos, but they don't loose their color during the night .

What other fish do you have in the tank, do you maybe add CO2 or something?

 

[Guest]

i have noticed that a lot of fish's colors will fade and brighten when different things are going on... My angelfish's colors always seem brightest when i feed them, and sometimes will fade to a very very pale color if nothing is going on. I don't know why but i have noticed times when my oto's colors have been pale as well... but they have been fat and happy in my tank for about 4 months now, so i don't think it is anything that is a threat to them.

 

[willowthepoet]

i'm not too worried about it now. he's perfectly fine, munching happily on a spinach leaf as i type.

in the tank i have 3 guppies, two 2-week guppy fry and the oto. 3 gal tank (don't scream "overstocked!" at me.. it's fine, i swear)

no CO2 or anything crazy. just the biowheel filter and some plastic plants. the only thing that changes at night is i switch off the light.

i still find it incredibly strange, but hey... *shrug*

 

[aoplayo]

Go out and get some house geckos to see this happen really good. They turn completely white at night and turn to camoflage during the day. It would be a cool this to show little kids.

Oh yea they are easy to keep.

 

[Guest]

ok, i know you don't want to be screamed at for being overstocked.. LOL, but Oto's really like good water quality and you will need to be doing lots of water changes to keep the nitrates down in your tank because they will build up pretty quick.

 

[willowthepoet]

how's 1/3 every other day, ashley?

i'm good. trust me.