Yellow Lab

[BOD]

Last weekend, i bought 3 yellow labs 2 small females and a larger male, the females are very nicely and bright yellow colored, but the male is a bit pale at the moment, he also is very nervous, even if i just walk past the tank or go over to feed them he flies around and hides, he seems very skittish, at the moment there are only 3 fish in the tank...is this why he feels unsafe, or have a i just got a nervous fish..also in time will he colour up or will he stay pale?

 

[vantgE]

yellow labs are pretty much sexually monomorphic -if thats the word so you can't distinguish a male and female without venting them I doubt you or the store has just to pont that out


The main thing I can think of to get the "male" more comfortable would be reevaluate your decor these fish will enjoy lot's of hideing places, not really that they will hide all the time form you but the need their caves, best of rocks or pots. Plants don't count as hideing places with these guys

Also with the coloration, it is possible it will color up and not. For two main reasons if the fish has bad genes it might not, which is likely due to the excesive inbreeding of the species, and if it is larger or from a different tank, it is likely to be unrelated to your others and just not as strongly colored from heritage. But you also mentioned it is skittish which is a factor too. The dominant fish in the tank will be the most colorful but with labs possibly not noticeably, but the fish will show is's best colors when dominant and happy in the tank. Older fish will also have better colors and fish fed with better foods(containing krill and spirulina).

What tank size and are these the only ocupants, are there agresion problems yet? circleing, chaseing, kissing?

 

[freddyk]

Labs are grouping fish, and they'll be more bold and energetic if you keep them in numbers.

Still, chances are you just need to give him some time to adjust.

I agree about the color, it could go either way, but chances are he'll never be brilliant.

 

[BOD]

yes at the moment its just them in 30G, and there is no agression between them the only thing i would mayb count is the bigger one steals the pellet from the smaller ones but thats it...

 

[BOD]

bought another yellow lab 2day and also 3 of sumthing else if u go in the members pictures forum the story is on there wot happend if ne one can help me out....and my shy lab has come out and is joining in swimming wiv everyone else...i think he probably feels safer now thers a few more fish...just hope they all get along now!

 

[Ferris]

Your other fish look like male Estherae (red zebra's) from the pics. Great fish but very agressive, be warned.

 

[BOD]

ok thanks! a red zebra..ill just have to watch them and see how they get along, they seem fine at the moment....ill keep a close eye on them...stupid shop!!!

btw how do u know its a male or female..i have 3 of them...

 

[BOD]

how do u tell the difference between a colbalt blue zebra and a red zebra if they are both blue???

 

[Ferris]

Red zebra males only can be blue, females are always red (well orange actually).

Cobalt Blue Zebra is actually a different species but look very similar, it is possible that you have Cobalts as they are commonly mis-sold because of their similar appearance. Cobalts do not have the feint vertical bars that Estherae have so this may help you to identify your fish. I couldn't tell clearly from your pics.

Hope this helps

 

[tank212]

I am 98% convinced it is a cobalt zebra atleast the last pic full body shot is here is a pic to verify they look almost identical. It actually looks more like the subadult female.
cobalt

 

[Ferris]

Yeah i agree, i've had another look at the pics and can't make out any vertical bars feint or not so could well be Cobalts.

 

[BOD]

ive had a close look....they dont have any bars on there bodys....(they are only an inch long is this big enough to tell?)

 

[Ferris]

Yep that probably answers it, Estherae generally turn blue as they reach maturity not at 1". Your fish must be Cobalts.

 

[gixer]

all male estherae do not turn blue. long gone are those days.

you might be lucky and get some from good stock but the chance of that are diminishing day by day

in the all red type...males fins tend to get a blue tinge to them. thats about all.

heres my dominant male

 

[BOD]

ohh its yellow..i take it they are cobalts then...cheers people!