Why Does Gravel Change The Colour Of Your Fish?

[JohnRossDele]

hi all, why does black gravel make your fish a more richer colour and sand or brightly coloured gravel makes the fish pale and light?

thanks

 

[Bobtastic]

Didn't know that it did.... I can only assume it's to do with the amount of light that is reflected back up at them from the lights above.

 

[bagu]

just a guess but

think of putting neon blue on black; its gonna stand out more.
think of putting neon blue of sand; the color difference is mellow so it doesn't stand out as much

just a guess ^^

 

[loachman]

Not entirely sure, but it does seem to hold true for a large number of fish. Especially those that can alter their coloration readily, such as rainbowfish.

I imagine it is a result of the fish blending in better to the higher light levels, and the greater amount of light being reflected off the fish as a result of lighter substrates (the light substrate causes light to be reflected off the top and bottom of fish, rather than just the top with dark substrates).

 

[JSmails]

Would it not depend on what the background is as well. I know when I put a black background on an old tank it brought out the plants much better

 

[dthoffsett]

I think it's more a matter of trying to blend in with their surroundings as to avoid predators, though I'm sure some of it is an optical illusion.

 

[england]

I think it's more a matter of trying to blend in with their surroundings as to avoid predators, though I'm sure some of it is an optical illusion.

agreed it's either to blend in and hide from predator's or it's to sneak up on prey without being detected,cichlid's are the best at colour changing, my chocolate cichlid is litterally changing all the time, like a chamelon, my channa are another good one that change colours..my parachanna obscura will sometimes look like a peice of wood floating though the tank, them in a matter of minutes he will lighten up and look like a pyphon

 

[bagu]

Nelly, thats pretty cool about the obscura!

 

[Spamtastic]

I never thought about the fact that fish change their colours when choosing coloured gravel, I just went for a mix of black and white so that there werent any clashing colours and I also thought it would just make the fish stand out more.

At least, thats what I told myself but my friends have been taking the mickey as my front room is themed exactly the same as the tank

 

[matchstickman47]

i duno but mine go pale at night...
i think its just contrast

 

[freyalouiseb]

ive noticed colour change quite alot in my tank, mainly due to behaviour but i know with many, many species their environment colour affects their temprement... i recon its a combination of the light and the fish. the more natural the lighter the colours as the inhabitants are more at home and in unnatural environments the colours may be richer due to some strain on their coping mechinisms. also take breeding season and communication into consideration such as mentioned above... its a waste of metabolic energy to produce rich colour when its not needed such as at night.

only a guess but i know its common in loads of other animals

 

[vinylman]

i duno but mine go pale at night...
i think its just contrast

There's a school of thought that fish go pale at lights out to protect themselves from attack. Remember, many fish that are predators do their 'work' at night. If a fish can pale at lights out, it'll be less of a target for a predator. My Cardinal Tetras go almost colourless after the tank lights go out.