Siamese Algae Eater Changing Colour And Chasing

[three-fingers]

Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this with their SAE's, every now and then - usually after a water change - two or all three of my SAE's change thier colour to silver and start chasing each other loads round the tank. Was thinking maybe spawning behaviour, but I haven't actually seen them spawn.
It only lasts 10-15 mins.

Here's some pics, I only just managed to catch them when they were beginning to calm down and change back to their normal colour, they are a little more silver than this at the start.

Normal:

After change:

 

[three-fingers]

Do I just have weird fish?

Nobodies heard about this before, maybe on another forum, in a book, from a friend, etc. ?

I've searched the web using google and such, but I cant find anything .

 

[three-fingers]

One last bump for good luck, if anyone in the future is reading this and knows what it is, has seen it themselves, or has a link to somewhere where it is mentioned, do PM me .

 

[trojannemo]

hi. don't know what it is, but i'm experiencing the same thing with my flying foxes. i have 3, and usually two of them will do it at a time. i've noticed it now twice that's happened. both times the tank light has been off. today i turned on the light and noticed it was going on. in less than 5 minutes they stopped, got their color back and went back to hunting for good together

i'm going to do some research and see what i come up with...

 

[SharonCC]

Are you sure those are SAEs?

 

[three-fingers]

hi. don't know what it is, but i'm experiencing the same thing with my flying foxes. i have 3, and usually two of them will do it at a time. i've noticed it now twice that's happened. both times the tank light has been off. today i turned on the light and noticed it was going on. in less than 5 minutes they stopped, got their color back and went back to hunting for good together

i'm going to do some research and see what i come up with...

Thanks for sharing . Do you know which species your flying foxes are? Interesting that they do it with the light off, is this during the day or at night?

Are you sure those are SAEs?

Me, or trojannemo?

I'm fairly sure mine are SAE's .

 

[drobbyb]

hi. don't know what it is, but i'm experiencing the same thing with my flying foxes. i have 3, and usually two of them will do it at a time. i've noticed it now twice that's happened. both times the tank light has been off. today i turned on the light and noticed it was going on. in less than 5 minutes they stopped, got their color back and went back to hunting for good together

i'm going to do some research and see what i come up with...

Thanks for sharing . Do you know which species your flying foxes are? Interesting that they do it with the light off, is this during the day or at night?

Are you sure those are SAEs?

Me, or trojannemo?

I'm fairly sure mine are SAE's .

Looks like true SAE to me. The CAE have a jagged line whereas the SAE's line is smooth.

 

[SharonCC]

I know they are not CAEs...I used to have a true SAE(the line went to the end of the tail)...maybe it's just the picture, but your's looks different.

 

[pinkdolphin_113]

those are SAEs you have there.
the only thing that comes to mind is some kind of stress.
colour changes occur in some fish due to maturity etc but not SAEs. and this doesn't look like a colour chnage due to growing up or anything and i dont think these fish change colour as they grow.
ive never looked into these fish before. are they competitive towards one another?

 

[three-fingers]

I wouldn't say competitive...I'd say they appear 'playful'. Kinda like how barbs like being in groups but will chase each other.

So there's no confusion, they are only like this for 10-15 mins at a time, then they change back.

It usually does happen after water changes, but don't think it's just stress, as I've never heard of it before with other SAE's under stress

 

[squeakytoy]

My YoYo's would do that, only they would bleach out to where they were all gray! I was sure that it was a symptom of something, but as I watched, the banding returned. They seemed to do it whenever there was a conflict over a prized cave, and it was non violent, and lasted only a few minutes. But they are a sickly pale grey while it lasts.

 

[quachthebuilder]

I believe the symptom means the fish is stressed.

My SAE also changed color to white/silver when I move him to a new tank. He was very aggressive at the original tank so I had to move him, only to see him get worse. Now I don't know what to do to help; I can't move him back as the catching part only get him worse but I don't think I should keep him at the new tank.