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View Full Version : Color changing


swill
02-04-2013, 03:50 AM
What are everyone's opinion on why Seahorses change color. I'm on my third pair of Reidi Seahorses which I believe are from a "Net Pen" (I wouldn't have bought them if I knew this but there is nothing I can do now I guess.)


...anyway, they were bright yellow in the fish store who told me they had had them for about 4 months. Within 3 weeks both have now turned black. Every set of Reidi I have ever bought have all turned black after weeks in my home. I have increased the size of my tank and am in the process of trying to lower the temp but I don 't think the temp is the issue as Im sure the fish store had them at around 78 degrees since they were in a tank that was connected to most all their saltwater tanks.

Why don't my seahorses stay the color they were in the fish store???

aferland66
02-05-2013, 12:04 AM
I'm pretty sure your problem is the temp. I had my Reidi at 78F when i first got them, and they started to turn darker. I moved them to my basement and now keep them at 74.5F and they are back to bright yellow. They do go a bit dark when my water starts showing signs of nitrates.

BlueWorldAquatic
02-05-2013, 12:11 AM
Background color makes a difference. Give them a medium blue background, and they should slowly revert back.

Also temp will affect their colors too

swill
02-05-2013, 07:54 PM
If it were a temperature issue than they wouldn't have been yellow at the pet store is my thought. They had them for 4 months or so and they were yellow.

I have however lowered the temp to 76 and painted the back blue today so hopefully that will work

BlueWorldAquatic
02-05-2013, 07:57 PM
It should.

http://www.aqua-marines.com/imgx/cat_marine_Tank-Bred---New-Catergory_White-Seahorse_l.jpg

note the blue? that's a well know Sri-Lanka Breeding Facility

Will take a few weeks for them to change back though

swill
03-20-2013, 08:32 PM
Well I painted the back blue a month and a half ago and the temp is stable at 75 degrees, the pair are still black (until they mate then they're white)

...anything else I can try?

xoticlover
10-04-2013, 02:10 AM
I have read that most species of seahorse are likely to turn dark if the hitching posts are darker colours. Most seahorses are able to change their colours to camouflage themselves. Try adding bright coloured things for them to hang on to