Color-changing angel!?

[XsquaredequalsX]

Why is my angelfish changing colors?!

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We noticed that his stripes were significantly lighter after we did a 50% water change earlier today. I've been watching him since then and he isn't showing anything else out of the ordinary - he eats normally, swims around normally - his dorsal fin was damaged before we got him and has been looking better every day since we brought him home (about a month ago... ish), but, as you can see, his stripes are significantly lighter than they were even yesterday.

Has anyone ever seen this before? Is it a stress thing, a mood thing, a mating thing, a sick thing?

Is my angel part chameleon?

[XsquaredequalsX]

Now, with images!

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[rookie]

I heard that when a fish looses it's color it is a sign of stress. Check your water parmaters to be safe. I'm sure others will have some good advice. Good luck

[KingFisher]

This is normal. The angels will be paler when you first turn the lights on in the morning, and will get pale when you do a water change. It is due to stress. but its' not a problem unless they stay like that for long periods of time.

[XsquaredequalsX]

This is normal. The angels will be paler when you first turn the lights on in the morning, and will get pale when you do a water change. It is due to stress. but its' not a problem unless they stay like that for long periods of time.

PHEW! Thanks, KingFisher, I'm glad to hear there's nothing wrong with him - as much as I try not to play favorites, I think I would be most upset were something to happen to Kosh! His stripes are almost back to normal this morning - still a little bit pale, but I'm sure they'll darken right up with breakfast :)

[DrNic]

That's normal. The vertical stripes on most angelfish will come and go. Usually this will be the direct result of the temperment of the fish. When they are unhappy they will turn pale and the stripes will disappear. When they are angry or mating the stripes will get more vibrant. The process is not always slow. I've seen angelfish go from pale, with almost no visible stripe, to VIBRANT stripes in less than 1 minute.

[XsquaredequalsX]

As suspected, Kosh's stripes were perfectly black as soon as we came in to give them breakfast!

Interestingly, I was going through pictures of the fish, and I found a set where you can see the color change take place! How cool is that!? I'm stacking the pictures into an animated gif right now - I'll post it in a minute!

[Lady Hobbs]

Maybe I have it wrong with angels because I thought when they were calm and comfortable they faded out and when they were stressed, mating or ticked off their colors showed up more.

[XsquaredequalsX]

Check it out!!

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[Lady Hobbs]

They look pretty happy to me. Nice tank for them, too.

[XsquaredequalsX]

They look pretty happy to me. Nice tank for them, too.

Thanks Lady Hobbs!! I'm having a lot of fun making sure they have the best home I can give them! :ssmile:

[Braccus]

Maybe I have it wrong with angels because I thought when they were calm and comfortable they faded out and when they were stressed, mating or ticked off their colors showed up more.

That is how mine does.

I tried adding some rummynose to his tank and I've never seen his stripes so bold. He had his fins really flared out and the stripes became very black. Lets just say I had to remove the tetras.

[XsquaredequalsX]

His stripes have been dark the whole time I've had him in my tank (at least, this is the first I've noticed them this light - and I do spend a decent amount of time watching them!) and he and Lady (the female angel) have been swimming fin-to-fin, totally inseperable this whole time too...

Baby angels?! :ssuprised: Maybe?! How do I find out?!

[rookie]

i have a koi angel and i have never seen his color change he is always very colorful. do koi's change color too?

[Lady Hobbs]

Here we are all ticked off.

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And here we are alone and content

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