Member

Posts: 38
From:toronto
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 07-26-2003 10:10 PM            

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Hey I had this kind kind of ciclid 3 of them and they are yellow with this black stripe but one day I looked in my tank and one of them was this dark blue blackish colour can someone please tell me what's up with that?

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Posts: 12
From:indy
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 07-27-2003 02:00 PM            

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What kind of cichlids do you have?

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Member

Posts: 38
From:toronto
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 07-27-2003 03:34 PM            

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im not shure what kind of siclids they are

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Posts: 64
From: Indy
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 07-27-2003 04:35 PM            

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Well there are so many different types of cichlids from all parts of the world so it's hard to tell if this is normal although I've heard of and seen fish change color I've never heard of such a drastic change. You need to try to find out what you have though since different species require different water conditions. Maybe you could go back to where you got them from and ask.

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James (The Grateful One)

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Posts: 101
From:canada
Registered: May 2003

posted 07-27-2003 04:46 PM            

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my brother has various african and kenyi and south american cichlids they all went through colour changes he just let them go and they are all still alive he had a bumblebee cichlid turn pink and is still alive and well.

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Member

Posts: 38
From:toronto
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 07-27-2003 06:22 PM            

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thanks for all of your replies

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Posts: 7
From:wayoverhere
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 07-27-2003 06:53 PM         

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I have had cichlids for a long time and it might just be that I have never had the type you have but Ive never seen any of mine change colors although some fish DO change colors when their mood changes or I have even heard of some changin colors when you change their diet but as far as a cichlid goes I am sorry to say Ive never encountered that.

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Posts: 38
From:toronto
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 07-27-2003 08:13 PM            

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I think I found out that it's name is Auratus or something like that

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Posts: 251
From:
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 07-28-2003 12:45 AM         

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I'm sorry I can't answer your question directly. Fish change color for several different reasons. Although a fish doesn't close his eyes he still sleeps. This is usually noted by sitting on the bottom of the tank and his colors will pale out. Fish often turn dark or black when they are under stress. Just because their colors turn dark doesn't necessarily mean that they are under stress. Look for other signs such as rapid breathing or jerking swimming motion. Some fish change color from their juvenile state to adult state. Sometimes fish of the same Genus may be misclassified as to species, such that you may have three fish of the same Genus that have the same basic coloration in the juvenile state but are actually 3 different species within that Genus and as they get older the specific colors for that species develop.
More than likely the last case is probably what you have. All three are of the same Genus but they were misclassified as to species. In any case, as long as they appear to be healthy, just enjoy the color variation.

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Posts: 56
From:austin,tx, usa
Registered: Dec 2002

posted 07-28-2003 04:43 PM         

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well the female auratus are yellow and the males a dark color like you described. I've heard that sometimes you can't tell with juvenile cichlids what color they might end up as.. are they young fish? maybe the male came into his color? here are pics: http://www.fishaholics.org/gallery/melanochromis_auratus6.shtml http://www.fishaholics.org/gallery/melanochromis_auratus_femaur3.shtml

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Member

Posts: 38
From:toronto
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 07-29-2003 01:44 AM            

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thanks so much for all of your help the website helped alot with the pictures

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