Can fish color be enhanced ?

[Eddie7144]

Hey all, was skimming thr forums and it occured to me, can we enhance the color of fish through special diet ? Besides water quality and lights can fish color be enhanced ?

 

[jaxredsoxfan]

I've never tried but I have heard garlic helps with taste and color.

 

[Aardvark1134]

There are some fish color enhancers that do work...but the ones that do work are very hard on your fish. I would not use them. Good food, good lighting, and time will have the right fish looking great without making them sick. I believe the most effective one were called Super G or Super R but it is hormone based and is NOT good for the fish.

 

[rushbattle]

Astaxanthan. It’s a natural antioxidant that many algae make. Its a normal part of fish diets. But you can get fish feed with higher levels. This is just one of them:

TDO CHROMA BOOST™

Reef Nutrition’s TDO Chroma Boost™ pellets create healthy animals and eye-popping color in many animals. Terrific Betta fish food, tetra fish food, clownfish food and more! “Top-dressed” with Haematococcus pluvialis – excellent source of astaxanthin for nutrition and growth too. Professional...

reefnutrition.com

 

[albano]

Camera and photoshop seem to work well for many ‘sellers’

 

[Aardvark1134]

Side Effects & Safety
Astaxanthin is LIKELY SAFE when it is consumed in amounts found in food.

Astaxanthin is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth as a supplement. Astaxanthin has been used safely by itself in doses of 4 to 40 mg daily for up to 12 weeks, or 12 mg daily for 6 months. It has been used safely in combination with other carotenoids, vitamins, and minerals at 4 mg daily for up to 12 months. Side effects of astaxanthin may include increased bowel movements and red stool color. High doses of astaxanthin may cause stomach pain.

So probably ok for fish

 

[Eddie7144]

Camera and photoshop seem to work well for many ‘sellers’

Lol so true

 

[Mastiffsrule]

100% yes in my opinion.

Colors can be enhanced thru diet. My yellow tang was pale and had hlle for the longest time. I switched from frozen mysis, flake and pellets to nori, black worms, fresh frozen clams and other frozen algae. I also add Selcon and Zoecon vitamins.

It took about 6 months, difference in color, size, behavior and hlle all turned for the better.

 

[JonoB]

I was wondering about this myself. I got to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium a few days ago and some of the fairy wrasses they have in their tanks are so bright. I have the same types and they are not near the same brightness of colors.

 

[4FordFamily]

A varied and nutritious diet (not flakes or pellets generally) mixed with nori and vitamins such as selcon, Zoe or zoecon, and vita chem will help.

Lighting as mentioned is another important way to showcase fish color.

 

[Aardvark1134]

Just stay away from the hormone supplements

 

[rkpetersen]

Astaxanthin-enhanced products, like Chroma Boost and Rod's Food, can really have a marked effect on clownfish coloration. Instead of some shade of orange, your clowns can develop a deep red coloration that's quite striking. However you have to pretty much feed them this and nothing else.

 

[Hemmdog]

I was wondering about this myself. I got to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium a few days ago and some of the fairy wrasses they have in their tanks are so bright. I have the same types and they are not near the same brightness of colors.

They are most likely super males. Show quality fish. Just like some people are born more visually striking than others, so are fish. You can be born ugly and eat all the kale in the world but you won’t turn into a model. Same with fish. They have a premium price tag to go along with being so awesome looking.

 

[JonoB]

They are most likely super males. Show quality fish. Just like some people are born more visually striking than others, so are fish. You can be born ugly and eat all the kale in the world but you won’t turn into a model. Same with fish. They have a premium price tag to go along with being so awesome looking.

Guess I'll stop eating all that kale....


but yeah good point!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Diet and lighting plays the largest impact on coloration of fish and in a sense, coral

 

[OrionN]

Good diet, great water and healthy fish is what we need to bring out the color of our fish

 

[wiktor]

Hey all, was skimming thr forums and it occured to me, can we enhance the color of fish through special diet ? Besides water quality and lights can fish color be enhanced ?

I’ll show you how my firefish coloured up over 6 months time. Crazyy difference, it’s timid so i only have 1 real photo of it but found one on google slightly less developed in colour.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I’ll show you how my firefish coloured up over 6 months time. Crazyy difference, it’s timid so i only have 1 real photo of it but found one on google slightly less developed in colour.

Diet often impact fish coloration from fats and aminos offered which contributes to pigmentation

 

[OrionN]

Heath and maturity is all you need. The flowing pictures are of the same two fish after they grew up in my tank.

 

[albano]

Heath and maturity is all you need. The flowing pictures are of the same two fish after they grew up in my tank.

Was the blue throat good with other fairy wrasses?