fish color changes... like "mood rings"???

[Magnum Man]

so, my subject fish, for this thread are Denison Barbs... kind of generally I assumed that a lot of a fishes color, was displayed by the health of the fish, and or it's environment, with of course fluctuations at breeding times, but my group of 5 Denison's colors vary a lot, seemingly unrelated to reproduction, or changes in their environment, and their main highlight, the "rose line", can vary, but also more demure colors come and go seeming by mood, there are blues, greens, and gold colors, that are often hidden by a super bright rose line... this morning my gold Denison, has it's rose line on ultra bright... while sometimes the rose line is turned on low, and you worry that maybe the fish doesn't feel well, but an hour later, and it's back to super bright... I notice the same thing, with many Cichlids... thoughts

 

[GaryE]

Colours can be a means of communication between individuals in a group. There's no one language that works across species, but as usual, patterns within species or closely related species.
A lot of fish seems to have control over their chromatophores - their colour cells.

Potential mates or rivals will read those messages.

There's a fish around here, Umbra limi, that for most of the year looks like a soggy cigar butt. But for a couple of weeks in Spring, they are brilliantly coloured creatures. A lot of darters are similar. So it can signal breeding, and be seasonal with temperate fish, and some tropicals.

 

[Back in the fold]

My one lone Angelfish changes quite a bit depending on her mood . Her stripes darken or fade out and a blue color in her ventral fins and dorsal and anal fins intensifies or lightens considerably . Feeding time and water change time bring about these changes and I think I have noticed that she is at her best coloration when completely calm like right after eating or late in the day when lights out is near . Other fish I have don’t do this .

 

[gwand]

My face turns red when I drink too much alcohol or following certain acts in the bedroom. I have not checked my ventral fin.

 

[Rusty_Shackleford]

I have not checked my ventral fin.

No one here is gonna do it either so quit asking.

 

[Back in the fold]

or following certain acts in the bedroom.

Try rubber sheets or else eat more fiber .