Do Pajama Cardinal Fish fade when they sleep?

Steve Jones · May 19, 2016

I've been battling an outbreak of Brooks in my DT and now a Melanurus Wrasse with ammonia "burns" to the gills after a still unexplained ammonia spike overnight in the hospital tank. I have a PJ Cardinalfish in the hospital tank as well - seemed unaffected by the spike which happened 3 days ago. This AM I freaked out as I came in to check on the wrasse and when I turned on the lights, the PJ Cardinalfish had all of it's color washed out and was hovering near the bottom of the tank. The yellow front was completely grey, the dark band was faded grey and the spots were barely visible. Photo attached. I thought what else can go wrong and started researching what this could be while running ammonia, nitrate and nitrate tests. Five minutes later I looked over at him ad his color was normal again and he was swimming around as usual. Levels were ammonia: 0.1, nitrie 0.1 and nitrate 0.

I realized I had never "woke up" the PJ Cardinalfish before - usually the tank lights were one when I got there. But I looked in earlier than usual to check on the wrasse.

The wrasse and PJ were treated with Formalin 3 weeks ago for the Brooks. The wrassse is being treated with Methylene Blue for the "burns". All this in buckets/bowls separate from the Hospital Tank - ie: no medications added to the tank.

He ate well last night, a little mysis and some flakes - his usual stuff. Looked and acted fine as well.

So do PJ Cardinalfish fade at night? Or is there yet another sickness hitting my fish I need to worry about?

(@melypr1985 - Hope you don't mind I tagged you on this as you have been a great help and know the history of what I am dealing with. Thanks!)

tupes · May 19, 2016

I have some and have never witnessed this.

I'm sure @Humblefish can give some good insight on this also.

Humblefish · May 19, 2016

Most fish fade (or sometimes darken) at night and then color up once the lights come on. Unfortunately, faded color can also be an indication of disease (especially velvet & brook). In your pic, I cannot see the cardinal's tail. Am I just not seeing it?

Steve Jones · May 19, 2016

Humblefish said:
Most fish fade (or sometimes darken) at night and then color up once the lights come on. Unfortunately, faded color can also be an indication of disease (especially velvet & brook). In your pic, I cannot see the cardinal's tail. Am I just not seeing it?

I'll have to check when I get off work. It was normally almost clear. It may just not be showing up well after fading in this photo - I snapped a quick pic in a small panic. IF it is "gone" then what could that mean? He's in the HT with a sick wrasse that can hardly swim let alone be aggressive and a Coral Beauty that I've never seen be aggressive to the PJ. All 3 of these survivors have been together in my DT or HT for a total 3 months or so.

jmags080307 · May 19, 2016

My PJ loses his color like that every night and I've had him for close to a year now.

Steve Jones · May 19, 2016

jmags080307 said:
My PJ loses his color like that every night and I've had him for close to a year now.

That's reassuring to hear!

Jahalu · May 19, 2016

Same here. My pj cardinal did this every night. Scared me a few times too being so pale, but always colored up again next day.

Steve Jones · May 19, 2016

Jahalu said:
Same here. My pj cardinal did this every night. Scared me a few times too being so pale, but always colored up again next day.

Even more reassuring. I am beginning to think I am never going to get out from under sick fish!

Humblefish · May 19, 2016

Steve Jones said:
IF it is "gone" then what could that mean? He's in the HT with a sick wrasse that can hardly swim let alone be aggressive and a Coral Beauty that I've never seen be aggressive to the PJ. All 3 of these survivors have been together in my DT or HT for a total 3 months or so.

Could just mean another fish bit it off - I could see both a wrasse or dwarf angel doing this to a cardinal. However it happened, you might need to dose antibiotics next to ward off infection OR it could already be infected (fin rot).

Steve Jones · May 19, 2016

Here he is tonight. Quite the color change from this morning. And yes - his tail is gone. Have no idea when that happened. But no sign of trauma or wound or infection.

ImageUploadedByREEF2REEF1463702421.193045.jpg

Efranco · May 19, 2016

I've seen mine do this a few times when I turn on my lights in the livingroom late at night...I've had them for over 6 months

AllSignsPointToFish · May 19, 2016

My PJ does that every night, and he's been healthy for six months

melypr1985 · May 19, 2016

Sorry! I missed the tag here! Most fish will fade at night or even develop a different pattern at night to camouflage themselves while they sleep. I wouldn't be concerned too much about that, though Humble is right its also a sign of parasites/illness so keep a close watch on him.

That tail is a concern for me for all the reasons already mentioned. If you dont already have an antibiotic on hand then this is a good time to get one for future use.

AllSignsPointToFish · May 19, 2016

melypr1985 said:
Sorry! I missed the tag here! Most fish will fade at night or even develop a different pattern at night to camouflage themselves while they sleep. I wouldn't be concerned too much about that, though Humble is right its also a sign of parasites/illness so keep a close watch on him.

That tail is a concern for me for all the reasons already mentioned. If you dont already have an antibiotic on hand then this is a good time to get one for future use.

I can see his tail in the first picture if you zoom in. He looks fine

melypr1985 · May 19, 2016

Steve Jones said:
. And yes - his tail is gone.

AllSignsPointToFIsh said:
I can see his tail in the first picture if you zoom in. He looks fine

If he says the tail is gone I gotta go with his observations. Ya know? It's easier for him to see the fish than we can.

AllSignsPointToFish · May 19, 2016

melypr1985 said:
If he says the tail is gone I gotta go with his observations. Ya know? It's easier for him to see the fish than we can.

Oh man, I missed that post! My bad

Humblefish · May 19, 2016

melypr1985 said:
If he says the tail is gone I gotta go with his observations. Ya know? It's easier for him to see the fish than we can.

I kept looking at that pic and was thinking, "Is his tail really gone or am I just not seeing it?"

AllSignsPointToFish · May 19, 2016

Hahaha! I SWEAR I see it in the first pic! lol

melypr1985 · May 19, 2016

AllSignsPointToFIsh said:
Hahaha! I SWEAR I see it in the first pic! lol

It's like those pictures of Nessy or Big Foot. lol It might be there, it might not.... it could just be a conspiracy! LOL

fab · May 19, 2016

Steve Jones said:
1. So do PJ Cardinalfish fade at night?
2. Or is there yet another sickness hitting my fish I need to worry about?

1. Yes.
2. Maybe yes, maybe no.

In nature, sleeping fish fade to some degree when sleeping at night. Some fade a lot. Some fade just a little. I have seen brightly colored fish fade to almost total "death" white while sleeping. I mean the kind of almost-white that a dead fish takes on.

Do all fish do this? I don't know. I believe that every sleeping fish I have ever seen during a night dive showed some or a lot of fading. I have made hundreds of night dives in oceans and seas all over the world.

Further, I have had at least a dozen of pajama cardinals before. They did fade, some more than others, when sleeping in total darkness. I have had some, but not all, that lost their bands completely. They always looked normal the next day.

WRT 2 above, monitor for signs of maladies as normal. Don't sweat 1 above.