Discus Colors

[Backdraft Bagel]

I just got my first batch of discus (3, with 2 more coming on payday) and their colors are odd. They fluctuate quite a bit. One is dark a lot. He's the smallest, but also the most aggressive. I think he's a heckel (or mostly a heckel discus). He seems to get dark when he's pissed. The other two just stay their nice turquoise color most of the time. When the dark one eats, he gets much lighter, exept his vertical bars. His fins get orange and blue ... it happens fast too.

Is that normal? Do discus use their color that much?

 

[fishboy]

Yep. My discus for the first coupla days would always be a dark blue. This is usually when the fish is first acclimating itself to the tank. It should clear that up in a few days though. What tankmates are in there besides the other discus? Do u have a background?

 

[Backdraft Bagel]

I have a pair of Rams and 10 rummy nose tetra and some algae shrimp. Yep, I have a background.


http://watergardens.coolnessdojo.com/info_55discus.html

 

[luvfishies]

Yep, discus use their colour to communicate.

The "different" ram in the pics is a Bolivian Ram.

 

[Backdraft Bagel]

Yup, I thought that's what he was. Thanks, luvfishies.