Rainbow Cichlid

LMOUTHBASS

LMOUTHBASS

My hypocrisy goes only so far
Jun 17, 2003
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Boston , MA
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Mark
I bought a juvenile Rainbow Cichlid today. After doing some research and looking at pics, I liked the fish and thought it would be a good fit for my tank. I got a small one at my LFS and I noticed it is mostly just a grey-ish color. Most of the other one's in the tank, were just a little bigger, but already had some nice yellow coming through.

After getting home and looking at more images, I realized that there were some that just seem to have a bland grey color as adults. I know fish change colors with mood, so maybe this is the case for those pics. But when the guy netted this little one, I knew she wasn't as colorful as the other one's in the tank, but I chalked it up to her being so small that she hasn't begun to color up yet. She's prob about the size of a quarter.

Now I'm wondering if I screwed up and bought a lame duck, when I could've picked one with more yellow. Anyone have experience with these fish? Will she color up as she grows out a bit, or are there some that never exhibit much color? I'm really bummed if thats the case because I've seen some great pics online, but didn't think much of the lack of color when I was looking at her in the store. Thinking back on it I'm totally disappointed that I didn't pick a different one. However, the little fish looks great and healthy in every other way. I'm just wondering about this color thing?

Thanks
 
You have to give it time. Fish in the store are not cared for and fed the way good fishkeepers do. Give him/her a couple of months and see how the fish transform. Keep what you have.
 
I've had them in the past. I never found them to be a super colorful fish(at least compared to many others) except when getting ready to spawn. I'm sure yours will color up some as it gets older. It's possible that you have a female as well and they IME remain a little more subdued in the color department than the males. They are a wonderful fish though. One of the few Central American's that don't need huge tanks or super rugged tank mates.
 
Should I get another one to keep with the original or will they bicker? I had read that they are fine alone. Sounds like this one may color up some, looking at her I can see a yellow tinge on her anal and dorsal fins but not much on the body suggests more color is to come. I'm really kicking myself for not snagging one of the others that had a yellow hue to the body.
 
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