I just purchased 7 Cardinal Tetras yesterday and their red and blue colors were very vivid. This morning when I turned the light on in the tank to check on the "new" guys I noticed that the red stripe was completely gone and the blue was very vibrant. Is this normal? Does the red stripe fade when the lights are off? I had to leave for work and turned the light off but when I get home and turn the light back on will the red stripe return? The only other fish in the tank are 6 panda corys and 2 otos so I can't imagine they are experiencing stress due to other fish. I have a 20g and all the parameters check out fine. Thanks for the help.
Cardinal Tetras Color?
- Thread starter bowie777
- Start date
irishspy
There is a stargate in my aquarium.
That's the usual behavior with cardinals and neons. You'll also often see it happen when they come hime in a bag from the store. The first time I bought some, I thought a few had died! 
They were back to normal a couple of minutes later, however. 
They were back to normal a couple of minutes later, however. Didn't see this earlier, but I'd like to remind you that turning on the light in the morning without warming them up to some lighting is pretty stressful...that could have something to do with the lack of red striping, too...if you notice that each time you turn the light on, you may want to turn on a room light first and then the tank light, or use a series of dim tank lights until the ultimate one comes on.
What proof do you have that this is stressful? Is it something that you have observed, or read? Do you just believe that it is stressful because it makes sense to you? Has anyone used the scientific method to determine this?
I'm skeptical of such statements.
I'm trying to remember in which of my tomes I have that, but I've read that one should turn on room lights prior to tank lights so as to give the fish a chance to have light gradually fading in rather than coming in all at once and abruptly. It's not natural to go from dark to intense light in mere seconds!
I have also observed that my Cories and Ottos used to go nuts when I turned on the tank light prior to having had the room light on for a short period of time...if I lit them up first, they went nuts. If I did the room, and waited a bit, they were okay with it.
I have also experienced the 'color loss at night issue' with several tetra varieties - and wouldn't be particularly alarmed.
I would, however have to agree with the statement made by Childawg about the lighting issue.
I have myself read (in more than one book) that it's best to turn on a room light directly before or after turing the tank light on or off (respectivley).
But even if I had never read that, I would still 'ease' my fish into the light because on the few occassions I've just flicked the light on, my fish literally scatter. How personally stressful this is to each individual fish, I cannot attest to (they haven't mentioned anything to me on this matter), but from their reaction I'd have to say they appreciate the warming up period.
I would, however have to agree with the statement made by Childawg about the lighting issue.
I have myself read (in more than one book) that it's best to turn on a room light directly before or after turing the tank light on or off (respectivley).
But even if I had never read that, I would still 'ease' my fish into the light because on the few occassions I've just flicked the light on, my fish literally scatter. How personally stressful this is to each individual fish, I cannot attest to (they haven't mentioned anything to me on this matter), but from their reaction I'd have to say they appreciate the warming up period.