Apistogramma Cacatuoides color fading

[Karen B.]

Greetings 

I moved my pair of Apistogramma cacatuoides from a 20 gallons high to a 20 long.

They were rather stressed by the move, hid all the times, very quick breathing. They do not seem to like their new setup as much as the other, despite more space and more plants. They are starting to get out of hiding a little bit more, but are still quite skittish. Their aquarium used to be right next to my couch and they would come up to me, which they no longer do either. I plan to add ditter fish in the aquarium in January to maybe help them settle down.

I also noticed that both both fish appears to be paler. I haven’t changed their diet (frozen daphnia, brine shrimp, bloodworm, mysis shrimp, etc.), water parameters are 80f, ph 6.6, kh 60, gh about 150, 0/0/10, planted. I did however change their substrate from black to a more natural river bed look of small gravel.  Could it be the cause of the change in color? 

Right when I moved them :

 

Now

 

Other then changing the substrate, anything I can do for him to revert to his more vibrant color?

[TOtrees]

What kind of timelines? 

Is this the same tank you mentioned in your other post, about changing substrate?

[Colu]

What I would do is give them a couple of days to acclimate to their new surrounding and the colour should start to come back just need to give them more time 

[tolstoy21]

On 12/2/2022 at 5:53 PM, Karen B. said:

I did however change their substrate from black to a more natural river bed look of small gravel.  Could it be the cause of the change in color? 

 

100% correct.

This is what happens to them on a light-colored substrate. I have observed the same thing.

Edited December 3, 2022 by tolstoy21

[Karen B.]

On 12/2/2022 at 6:36 PM, TOtrees said:

What kind of timelines? 

Is this the same tank you mentioned in your other post, about changing substrate?

Yeah. Sorry to be so annoying with this transfer. Never tought it would give me so much problem… or anxiety! 😓

On 12/2/2022 at 7:35 PM, tolstoy21 said:

100% correct.

This is what happens to them on a light-colored substrate. I have observed the same thing.

Thanks! That makes me feel better… even if I think he is much nicer looking when dark!

[AllFishNoBrakes]

My Kribs on a black substrate looked amazing. One of the fish stores I sold them to put them on a white substrate and they looked horrible and washed out. I agree with @tolstoy21 that the change in substrate color washed them out. 

[tolstoy21]

@AllFishNoBrakes 

Yeah, I had Cacatuodies on the same color substrate as @Karen B. (mine was CarribSea Peace River) and they had the exact same coloration. I was totally surprised as I had moved them from a tank with a black bottom. When I moved them back, their darker accents came back. That was when I realized they will change their coloration depending on substrate color.

[The endler guy]

On 12/2/2022 at 5:53 PM, Karen B. said:

Greetings 

I moved my pair of Apistogramma cacatuoides from a 20 gallons high to a 20 long.

They were rather stressed by the move, hid all the times, very quick breathing. They do not seem to like their new setup as much as the other, despite more space and more plants. They are starting to get out of hiding a little bit more, but are still quite skittish. Their aquarium used to be right next to my couch and they would come up to me, which they no longer do either. I plan to add ditter fish in the aquarium in January to maybe help them settle down.

I also noticed that both both fish appears to be paler. I haven’t changed their diet (frozen daphnia, brine shrimp, bloodworm, mysis shrimp, etc.), water parameters are 80f, ph 6.6, kh 60, gh about 150, 0/0/10, planted. I did however change their substrate from black to a more natural river bed look of small gravel.  Could it be the cause of the change in color? 

Right when I moved them :

 

Now

 

Other then changing the substrate, anything I can do for him to revert to his more vibrant color?

From the sounds of it they are stressed from the move, they also may be mad/ scared of you for moving them, they are smart fish after all!!!

[Flumpweesel]

Mine mutes it's colour at times but especially if there is new stuff going on, I assume it's a defence thing once satisfied they have their territory to themselves it will come back.