Rummy nose tetra w/ little color?

[ack.z06]

Rummy nose tetra w/ little color…

In a previous thread I had asked opinions for why my rummy nose tetra had very little color. There where several good suggestions and I’m reporting back to let you guys know what I did and how frustrated I still am Check out the before and after pictures at the end of the post.

Things I did:
1) Added more plants to the tank, to give more hiding places and shade

2) Put a filter over the light to darken up the tank a bit. The filter is a dark piece of construction paper with slits cut into it.

3) Put the lights on a timer so there will be a consistent schedule. The lights come on at 5pm and go off at midnight. Of course there is some ambient light illuminating the tank between sunrise and 5, but the tank is in a basement so its not full daylight.

4) Bought a heater and have the tank at 80 F.
5) Changed to weekly 20% water changes instead of biweekly.

It’s been about 2 weeks now since I updated the tank and still no change in the rummy nose. According to the dip strips I have for testing the water quality is acceptable. My test scripts have been reading…

Nitrate: 20
Nitrite: 0
Hardness (GH): 75 ppm
Alkalinity (KH): 40 ppm
pH: 6.8

These readings haven’t been fluctuating at all. The only thing that looks a little low to me (based off of my limited reading up on the subject) is the KH. But my understanding is this is a measure of the “buffer” in the water and really has to do with pH stability. I wouldn’t think it would affect the fish in any way.

I’m stumped right now and might just try doing water changes twice a week… I figure it couldn’t hurt. What do you guys think?

Original tank setup

New tank setup, no flash used. It doesn’t seem this dark in person

New tank setup, with the flash

 

[TKOS]

Well if the water quailty is good then I would just give them a little time. Rummy's are funny fish and it is usually stress or water quality that make them loose colour. Once they get good and accustomed to the tank they will probably settle down.

 

[ack.z06]

TKOS, I heard that about rummy nose also, but I was thinking a month would be enough time for them. What is the longest its taken anyone's rummy nose to adjust?

 

[TKOS]

Well mine do often fade after water changes (stress I guess) but they did seem to adjust pretty quick after I added them, probably a few days. My tank is pretty heavily planted and very understocked so that may help them keep the stress levels down.

 

[carttman]

Why don't you try feeding them a variety of foods. (Flakes, Live, Frozen, Vegetables) I noticed that my Rummy Nose Tetras show a lot of color after I have been feeding them blood worms. This could also be my imagination, but I don't think so.

 

[ack.z06]

Carttman, I tried lettuce and they weren't interested in it at all. What vegetables do you use? Do you chop the vegetables up really fine?

 

[knashash]

Carttman, I tried lettuce and they weren't interested in it at all. What vegetables do you use? Do you chop the vegetables up really fine?

Feed them frozen blood worms, brine shrimp and flake food or live black worms if you can find them. Any of these will be fine. My rummy nose did no take long at all to get very bright and they even get more color after water changes.

Never heard about covering up your light and I would probobly take that off. My light is VERY bright to grow live plants and if anything they are more colorful under brighter light.

I think your problem is your substrate.....you have a very bright colored substarte and its got to be affecting the color of your fish......just my thoughts though.

 

[TKOS]

My rummy's are in with a white substrate and they still show colour int he face. So a light substrate shouldn't be too much of a problem.

 

[carttman]

My fish would not eat regular lettuce, but they do eat Romain lettuce. I also feed them zucchini, potatoes, and cucumbers. I have also heard of people feeding their fish peas, string beans, squash, and broccoli.

The way I prepare mine is by cutting up a zucchini or cucumber and freezing it. Then whenever I need some I go to the freezer and get a piece. Some people even put theirs in the microwave for 10 seconds to soften it and make it heavy enough to sink. I myself use a vegetable clip that you can get your LFS.

 

[CatLover]

Were they really bright in the store before you bought them? There are some variations: Brilliant Rummy Nose, False Rummy Nose, Rummy Nose. I have 5 Rummy Nose in a 29 gallon. They are as bright as can be. I actually tried foods with plant matter in them. I have had the best success with plain tropical flake (make sure it is a high quality brand and rotate brands for some for variety) I use very bright light and dark substrate. My fish were very bright in the store, brought them home, were almost white by the time I got them home, about 5 days later, as bright as can be. Some variations are not as bright as others. In a good fish store, the fish should display the kind of redness you can expect when you get them acclimated at home. At one time I had Rummy Nose with light colored substrate and that worked well, too. I just find the dark substrate more pleasing. They are in a tank with a small school of neon tetra and 4 cory cats. Strangely enough they actually school with the neons sometimes!

Good Luck!