Jewels Color ?

[net_shark512]

OK my 2 jewels are very strange with their colors. In the LFS I picked the one because its colors were awesome. I have never seen it come back since I brang it home. The colors do come and go one minute there is some color around the mouth and the next minute its gone? What makes there color come out? I know probably diet but mine eat Tropical Flakes, Spirulina Flakes, Floating Cichlid pellets, shrimp pellets, frozen bloodworms and soemtimes beefheart. I think that is pretty good. Am I missing something I should feed?

 

[optix]

Lighting can have an effect, they may be stressed about something because color plays a part in the fishes "mood" at the time as well. Are there any dithers in the tank up top. This provides security for the cichlids and that could bring some color out. I know in subdued lighting my fish are more comfortable and display their best coloring.

 

[Mystroe_TheMyst]

You know I had the same problem with my jewel, and unfortunatly got killed by a red forest jewel (which i had the same problem with) which then got killed by my con...lol so much for controlled over crowding...anyway...lighting...your background and your surrounding setup (plants, orniments etc) i found with high amounts of light they get lighter...and with my orniments being concrete pipes (light light brown colour) they just added to its adapting...I found that if I just turned the light of for a few..they slowly bring there true colour out...also if you give it some really dark hiding places that sure would help...

But a question, do they have a great colour in the mornings like at first light, or do you leave the light on all night? I saw mine had sweet colours in the morning when I first woke up, of course my 15gal was in my room and these jewels, cons where only about 2" each...

I think try changing around your setup and lowering light levels have fun

 

[optix]

Originally posted by Mystroe_TheMyst
...lol so much for controlled over crowding...

This usually only works with mbuna

 

[Mystroe_TheMyst]

Mbuna.....umm not sure what your talking about......not talking a shot at you...genuwinly lost ?? ??

 

[optix]

Mbuna what most people say when reffering to rock dwellers from lake malawi. Controlled overcrowding can work with other species but most commonly only with mbuna or some other africans. next to never works with new worlds

 

[Mystroe_TheMyst]

oh mmk i'll add that to my new dictionary of words....maybe i should go back the the newbie posts lol not that i've ever been there

 

[optix]

Im not saying you're a newbie, I was just stating that I don't think its a good idea to over crowd new worlds, and I wasn't trying to be fancy saying mbuna. Its pretty commonly used.

 

[Mystroe_TheMyst]

yeah i know what your intensions where...no offence taken..I was a newbie to cichlids back then...and that was b4 i came to this forum..which helped me alot....so don't worry about it all is well

 

[scott]

Different spectrums of lighting certainly have an effect on colors. Also I would recommend taking the beef heart out of their diet, for separate reasons. Anyway the dithers are a good idea too.
I hate to say it but poor water conditions can cause a lack of color (I am not making any accusations I am just introducing it as a hypothesis). One time I noticed my JD had lost color and I did a water test and the ph was 6.0 or lower! I learned about bioacidification the hard way.
The introduction of shrimp, preferably live ghost shrimp as the shell is important, adds _____________ (insert the word for red pigment there as I can't think of it right now, I want to say carotene but thats not it) into the diet which IMO adds color like you wouldn't believe, overnight. You can also use regular shrimp from the seafood section or frozen krill or mysis but the effect is not as pronounced.