[RhomZilla]

Anyone have an idea what this is? My 3 Caribas usually get it here and there, but then disappear. Only the smallest one (11"er) usually keeps this characteristic which hardly goes away. Temp 82, ammonia/nitrate/nitrite 0, PH 6.8, and daily nutrition consists of beefheart, shrimp, catfish fillet, and pumpkin seeds. One other thing... this feature was also present before I picked it up from a local member, so I know it has nothing to do with my tank.

Anyone..???

 

[dutchfrompredator]

he's getting horney. i'm telling you. i saw a photo in a piranhas book with mating color caribes and they were almost black.

 

[Husky_Jim]

he's getting horney. i'm telling you. i saw a photo in a piranhas book with mating color caribes and they were almost black.

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I agree...these are breeding colors!!!!!!!!

 

[Judazzz]

I agree...these are breeding colors!!!!!!!!

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That might be a bit premature to say, although it is a possibility indeed - but a dark coloration can also be a sign of stress or health issues.
I don't know what it is, though.

 

[RhomZilla]

Thats what i was thinking.. it might be an option, but cant cancel out all the other factors which might cause it. I've been reading about the thread regarding Cariba breeding, and the only similar factor that comes close to the infos mentioned is that my Ps are usually in the dark 80% of the day... nothing else.

 

[hastatus]

husky_jim Posted Today, 03:22 PM
QUOTE(dutchfrompredator @ Jan 18 2005, 11:41 PM)
he's getting horney. i'm telling you. i saw a photo in a piranhas book with mating color caribes and they were almost black.

I agree...these are breeding colors!!!!!!!!

I intend to agree on the breeding notion. Other than that maturity coloration since black pigment is common to older species, even cariba.

 

[CraigStables]

to be honest, I was goint o say what frank said even before I saw his post. It is a possibility that it is breeding colours, but also it is highly likely seems he always has this colouring that it is his natural pigmentation.

 

[Atlanta Braves Baby!]

I intend to agree on the breeding notion. Other than that maturity coloration since black pigment is common to older species, even cariba.

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But then again he said "Only the smallest one (11"er) usually keeps this characteristic"? Why wouldnt the bigger ones also keep this characteristic if maturity was the case?

 

[hastatus]

I think this is the photo being referenced to a breeding adult.

 

[hastatus]

Atlanta Braves Baby! Posted Today, 04:31 PM
QUOTE(hastatus @ Jan 18 2005, 03:07 PM)
I intend to agree on the breeding notion. Other than that maturity coloration since black pigment is common to older species, even cariba.

But then again he said "Only the smallest one (11"er) usually keeps this characteristic"? Why wouldnt the bigger ones also keep this characteristic if maturity was the case?

Don't know why Rhomz would write that. Other than that water chemistry and of course parasite/disease can create the same thing.

 

[rbp 4 135]

my bet, is that it is just his natrual collor, it is unlikely that he would show breeding collors all the time

 

[RhomZilla]

But then again he said "Only the smallest one (11"er) usually keeps this characteristic"? Why wouldnt the bigger ones also keep this characteristic if maturity was the case?

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Sorry if I wasn't specific, but the smaller of the 3 Cariba always has this feature (actually got darker and more spread out within a month after I bought it). The bigger one and the biggest usually get these black flames 3 days out of the week, then disappear and appear again sometime later. Sometimes it gets real deep, other times its non visual.

Ill try to get different pics everyday to show the difference in colorations. I have an updated digi cam that I can take pics and immediately post on the comp.

 

[Speedy]

Try doing 50% water change then drain your tank 25%, turn off your filters and powerheads. Then just add a few air stones to keep the oxygen up and then cover up the tank with a sheet or something....Still keeping the same lighting regime.

Do this for a little while (week or two) and some swear it promotes breading in P's...As if the dry season occurred and the rainy season begins.

This apparently promotes breeding behaviour.

Good luck

 

[dutchfrompredator]

that's definitely the photo i was referring to. i've also seen one other of p nots in breeding color and they were black but the sparkles and humeral spot were still really evident unlike the monster in that photo. and that fake dry season breeding mindfu-- trick to get p's to breed is brilliant. i wonder if it works.