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camouflage pleco?
Posted: 04 Feb 2006, 09:29
by smiffertins
This may be a rather dumb question, but why does my pleco keep changing colors? I bought him assuming he was a "common plec" L021 or L023 (same, no?) and then all of the sudden he was all splotchy tan and brown camo style... He seems to go back and forth between the all dark brown and the camo-style yellowish-tan and light-brown. I'm used to my clown plec getting light or dark when he's irritated by something or tring to blend in to his surroundings, but havent had a plec go from all one color to 2 different colors or from one pattern of markings to another... What's the deal with my fashonista fishie?
Posted: 04 Feb 2006, 12:51
by pictus_man_77
oh, dont worry, mine used to do it all the time
i think it might be to do with their surroundings, or when they get slightly peeved
no need to worry
Posted: 05 Feb 2006, 01:04
by smiffertins
thanks! so do you know which color is peeved and which is happy?
Posted: 05 Feb 2006, 14:07
by DeepFriedIctalurus
The normal, relaxed patterning should be evenly black/brown reticulated over the entire body & fins, while the "stress pattern" is the light blotches over a very dark background. Like pictus_man said, it's nothing to worry about unless the fish is always blotchy. Additional structure & hiding places will make it feel more at ease if it is.
Posted: 05 Feb 2006, 14:56
by smiffertins
ok so he gets really dark and light contrasting a lot... he has many hiding spots (large snarled driftwood pieces mish-mashed with huge round stones and stuff) to the point where when he doesnt want to be seen he isnt seen. Also, whether the lights are on in my aquarium or not, he comes out every morning around 5:30am to hang out in the open- on the glass, the rocks, the wood- and hes always a really contrasted light tan and dark brown. I thought it might be something wrong with my H2O but I checked it (and have been every couple of days to make sure) and it always reads fine... whats wrong and why is he all stressed and mad? my fishie: 
me: 
Posted: 05 Feb 2006, 16:24
by bronzefry
Sometimes if they move into the lighted areas of the tank, or onto the substrate, their colors will adjust. Some species do it more than others. The color he is when he hides is usually the "relaxed" coloration. Like DeepFried said, the more hiding places, the better. The more secure the fish, the less it will stress. How large a tank for what size fish?
Amanda
Posted: 05 Feb 2006, 19:50
by smiffertins
He's about 4.5" from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail and he lives in a 40 gallon tank...
Posted: 06 Feb 2006, 17:17
by Phathead6669
My Sailfin that I have, 8" or so, will change color when he receives light. It also depends on the color of the substrate. He was in a tank with blue gravel and would be a dark color with the light off and when I turned the light on you could see him get brighter.
He is now in a tank with an off-white colored gravel and his color gets significatly brighty with the lights turned on. His natural pattern shows up alot more with this substrate as well. He is given the choice to hid if he wants but never seems to care about the light.
Also putting him in this tank confirmed that he was a regular Sailfin and not a Chocolate/Rhino version.(Due to being able to see his pattern, the darker substrate did not bring out his pattern enough)
Posted: 07 Feb 2006, 01:48
by smiffertins
Phathead6669~ That makes sense to me... I have medium coarse sand as my substrate; the back of my tank is blacked out. He gets splotchy and contrasted when he's in plain view on the sand, the stones, or the glass and hes darker when hes on the back black glass or the lights are off...
you rock! thanks, I feel better. I don't want to think he's not happy!