Antenatta looks very pale

[jasonrusso]

I have an antenatta in QT (technically not qt anymore, but waiting out a fallow). He was in a BB 10G by himself, now he's in a 20G Long by himself with sand and rocks.

He is acting perfectly normal. Swimming alot and perching. He's eating live food and stick training is coming along very well.

His color is really light. In the 10G he was darker. Dark lions is also a sign of nitrates, do it's not always great.

I'm not sure if it's because the sand and rocks are so light and he's blending in?? Either way, I'm not worried, it's just strange. He is acting normal, parameters are fine, and he's hungry.

He will be in the DT in a week or 2 anyway.

 

[Larry isaak]

I have an antenatta in QT (technically not qt anymore, but waiting out a fallow). He was in a BB 10G by himself, now he's in a 20G Long by himself with sand and rocks.

He is acting perfectly normal. Swimming alot and perching. He's eating live food and stick training is coming along very well.

His color is really light. In the 10G he was darker. Dark lions is also a sign of nitrates, do it's not always great.

I'm not sure if it's because the sand and rocks are so light and he's blending in?? Either way, I'm not worried, it's just strange. He is acting normal, parameters are fine, and he's hungry.

He will be in the DT in a week or 2 anyway.

I’d say it’s only blending in as the environment is very white

 

[jasonrusso]

I’d say it’s only blending in as the environment is very white

That's what I'm thinking.

 

[lion king]

He could be preparing to shed, not unusual to do that with a change of tanks or any chemistry change. You mentioned he was eating live food, as long as you are not feeding salt water food or by chance some cross contamination from your fallow tank, he should be fine. A shed can sometimes interfere with their appetite and maybe even present cloudy eyes, so don't freak out. They really shouldn't miss more than one feeding. If he goes off feeding give us an update.

 

[lion king]

Oh I forgot to ask how long you have had him.

 

[jasonrusso]

Oh I forgot to ask how long you have had him.

About 6 weeks

 

[lion king]

Yeah unless something was introduced into his tank or he ate a fish with parasites, it's likely shedding. If he stops eating let me know.

 

[jasonrusso]

He looks a little more normal tonight.

 

[lion king]

He looks a little more normal tonight.

Oh I also forget to mention an ammonia spike can also cause a wash out of color.

 

[jasonrusso]

Oh I also forget to mention an ammonia spike can also cause a wash out of color.

Not the case.

 

[lion king]

Not the case.

Just trying to give you all the options I've seen,

 

[jasonrusso]

Just trying to give you all the options I've seen,

Yes, I know. I'm just saying that ammonia was not the problem in this situation.

 

[jasonrusso]

And now that he is up, he's pale again. I am convinced that he is trying to blend in.

 

[lion king]

And now that he is up, he's pale again. I am convinced that he is trying to blend in.

While color can fluctuate from mood, that color is washed out, which is very different, lions do not seem to camouflage. Best case is a normal shedding. Here's a pic of a few I had in white sand and white rock, I got a bunch more.