neumahrs Posted September 16, 2002 Share Posted September 16, 2002 just curious..what exactly cause perculas to darken in color? temperature, light, heat? or just plain genetics Link to comment
SaltyDog Posted September 17, 2002 Share Posted September 17, 2002 neumahrs, While all these factors probably play a role in the hue/color of fish, I personally think Diet plays the biggest role. I'll try to explain without too much of a history lesson, or seem like I'm talking down to anyone. All fish have Chromatophones. These are special skin cells in the fish that determine its color and hue. Now, each of these cells contain a different amount of Carotenoids. (Carotenoids are the pigments give fish their color, vegtables their color, egg yolks their color, human hair its color etc. etc. ) Now, knowing that carotenoids are what give fish their color, where to they get it from? Well, food. Whether it is the food you feed them, algae, copepods or amphipods, (all excellent natural sources of carotenoids) they get what they need from the food chain in your reef. I know when I got my clowns, they looked a bit drab. Not a problem, they were cheaper that way, and I hoped that I could improve the colors by a nice, varied diet. I used a mix of Formula One, Brine Shrimp Plus and OSI's Spirulina and Marine foods, and they are as bright and attractive as can be. I don't know what kind of crap they were fed before, but they look great now. Seems to work for me, and probably more than you originally asked for. Consider yourself spared.. I could have gone on about canthaxanthin and astaxanthin. :x lol... Ask my wife, I can put anyone to sleep. Link to comment
NaNO ReeFiN Posted September 17, 2002 Share Posted September 17, 2002 zZzZzZzzZZzzZzZzZzzZzzZZ... zzz I'm just kidding, great post salty Link to comment
neumahrs Posted September 17, 2002 Author Share Posted September 17, 2002 hey salty dog..whats your field of study?????? anyways, I know about chromatophores, leucophores and iridophores and pigments and all that jazz (cuttlefish are fun..but man do they make boring class work after a while)...I know diet has a great impact on carotenoids (vivid color flakes has "natural pigment enhancers"..which is bs since any good quality food will give you a similiar result). Back to the food thing...My fish are fed omega one marine flakes, and super veggie flakes, as well as spirulina enriched brine shrimp, omega 3 brine shrimp, as well as mysis shrimp and plankton. I also you selcon, and garlic extract. They are happy fat clowns. The only reason why i was asking was because my latest clown changed colors withn a week after i brought it home...The water in my tank is pristine and everything but compare to its old tank its a bit warmer and much much much brighter. By the way i bet i can bore people pretty well too Yeah we both are bunch of fish geeks:D and i mean that in a good wayB) Link to comment
cal3v Posted September 17, 2002 Share Posted September 17, 2002 Getting a tan maybe? hehe, I have seen on the Discovery channel how sharks will "tan" if kept in the shallower water. Don't know if this applies to other fish though. I've had clowns get darker, and I don't know how to explain it. Link to comment
neumahrs Posted September 17, 2002 Author Share Posted September 17, 2002 thats original...a tan????!?!?!?! : well it doesn't sound that off base...plus its a much more interesting/creative than saltydog's post:P hey salty nothing against ya..just picking on ya Link to comment
SaltyDog Posted September 18, 2002 Share Posted September 18, 2002 Alright, I get it now... I see how we are playing this game. Actually, it isn't that far off. Canthaxanthin is used in Formula One and some other fish foods, and it is the same active ingredient used in those pills you can buy in the store that supposedly give you a tan. Touche. :woot: Link to comment
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