Black clowns faces going orange

[lmsmith]

I have a pair of black percs that were 100% black for the 3 years I've had them. They're probably at least 6 years old at this point.

In the last year, their faces have been discolouring and turning orange. Is this normal? Is it lighting, or their food, or what?

 

[BonsaiNut]

Are you keeping them with an anemone? What kind of lighting are you using?

 

[hypnoj]

following

 

[lmsmith]

They have access to an LTA and a BTA. The LTA hosts them.

They are under T5s, used to be under halides. The lighting they're under at the moment is temporary, only about 100W.

 

[BonsaiNut]

Clowns can change color depending on their host in nature - and I have found that they can change color (lighten) when kept under less intense lighting in captivity. Once a friend of mine and I split a hatch of clowns - I kept about a dozen in a reef tank under metal halides, and he kept some under florescents. After a couple of months we got back together and compared fish and mine were noticeably darker with much more developed black. It's not 100% proof that lighting is the cause, but it is something to consider.

 

[lmsmith]

Clowns can change color depending on their host in nature - and I have found that they can change color (lighten) when kept under less intense lighting in captivity. Once a friend of mine and I split a hatch of clowns - I kept about a dozen in a reef tank under metal halides, and he kept some under florescents. After a couple of months we got back together and compared fish and mine were noticeably darker with much more developed black. It's not 100% proof that lighting is the cause, but it is something to consider.

Ah, great. I was hoping that when I get them back into a heavily lit tank they'll darken up again, and it sounds like that might be the case. Thanks, that makes me feel better about it.

 

[michaelr]

haha my oc did the opposite. for the first 4 months i had her she had an orange face. for 3 months now she has had all black but the white stripe

 

[Postal]

100% black percula?
I thought the B&W clowns were always oscellaris.

 

[lmsmith]

100% black percula?
I thought the B&W clowns were always oscellaris.

Sorry, you're right. I had percs on the brain after reading a bunch of threads on people breeding them.

 

[shred5]

Clowns can change color depending on their host in nature - and I have found that they can change color (lighten) when kept under less intense lighting in captivity. Once a friend of mine and I split a hatch of clowns - I kept about a dozen in a reef tank under metal halides, and he kept some under florescents. After a couple of months we got back together and compared fish and mine were noticeably darker with much more developed black. It's not 100% proof that lighting is the cause, but it is something to consider.

I have observed this too. I have also seen then change with different backgrounds.

 

[Frantz]

The other variable changing in the examples above is food. I'm not discrediting light, but food will also affect color. I don't know what you would want to increase black, but you could do some research and find what does increase orange/red and then make sure you buy food low in that (but still healthy and well balanced)