diagnosing sick/discolored severum?

[Sploke]

I've had a pair of gold severums for over a year. They've spawned twice, the male is about 6" long and the female about 4.5". The male has great coloration, and overall is a really good looking fish. The female on the other hand is usually much paler color, with dark markings on her sides. They look almost like bruises, small dark areas on the skin. Other than the coloration, she acts fairly normal. They get along well, and are both very territorial about the whole tank (toward hands, nets, etc, not each other). Is this something should try to diagnose and treat, or is it just a weird coloration thing?

 

[bluefish80]

Do you have a pic of her?
Females generaly dont display the colours a male would but a pale fish usualy means somthings given her a fright. If its only her id probably rule out chemistry in the tank and lean toward agression from the male heros, not only the dominant one but i found with my pair extremely agressive during a spawning. You also said shes laid a few the poor gal may be stressed out after a few spawnings. Id seperate the pair for a week, nurse her back to good health