Switched To Tahitian Moon Sand

[Bullrock74]

I switched from play sand to tahitian moon sand in one of my tanks and now my green terror and jack dempsey are displaying much darker colors than before. Is this normal, or they just not used to the new substrate? They are so dark, it almost looks like they are unhealthy, but they still have normal cichlid appetites. What gives?

 

[pica_nuttalli]

i'd check the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate stats just in case, but it's pretty common for fish to display darker colors once swapped to a darker substrate.

 

[Bullrock74]

I switched the sand over the course of five days to try to prevent any ammonia/nitrite spikes,

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yeah it's prety normal, have heard of fish changing colours because of a change in the colour background as well.

 

[Gankutsuou]

Did you use white or black?

I personally love the sand. And it could simply be the difference in light reflection/blending in with the atmosphere.

 

[Bullrock74]

Did you use white or black?

I personally love the sand. And it could simply be the difference in light reflection/blending in with the atmosphere.

I switched from whitish play sand to black Tahitian Moon Sand.

 

[jollysue]

My Brochis splendens are in a tank with black sand. I had noticed that they had really gotten dark as they aged and I could never see their green shimmer. Two got sick and I moved them to a qt with sand colored sand. They look much lighter and show their green now. I think with gankutsuou though that light reflection might also play a part.

 

[Betta splendens]

natural camoflauge perhaps? I would think that maybe your fish are just trying 2 conceal themselves better.

 

[Bullrock74]

natural camoflauge perhaps? I would think that maybe your fish are just trying 2 conceal themselves better.

The green terror has lightened significantly, but the dempsey remains very dark. But, the dempsey is displaying awesome blue and green colored spots, so it's not so bad. I am pretty sure they are not sick since they eat anything I drop in the tank. Apparently it is that they are just trying to blend in.

 

[Araxen]

I think some fish actually sift through the sand and it changes their color. I know when I bought my pepper cory's they had a white tint to them but after a couple days they got really dark and look very pretty. I attributed it to them always digging in the sand looking for food and I'm sure some of that sand passes through their body and darkens their color.

 

[Annastasia]

Yep, I switched to Black Sand around a year ago, and my fish definitely got darker. As long as they look okay, and the water stats check out, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Milo]

This is perfectly normal. Theres nothing to worry about. My JD used to look bleached out on white sand and looked stunning after I added black substrate.