Apisto color-vision

[candidi]

Hi all,

I asked me about the apisto color-vision. What kind of colour do they see?

And is this the same for all the fishes?

I search since a little time why the females guarding fry are yellow... is this because the fishes see the yellow in another colour? Cause I think that yellow is not a colour which hide the fishes. Except perhaps in black water... but not all the Apisto live in dark water...

I hope that someone can help me.

Sébastien

 

[wlagory]

I don't know about apisto's specifically, but I do know that fish have the best color vision out of all vertabrates.

 

[SinisterKisses]

I really have no idea for sure, but I think females might be yellow, especially when guarding fry, because of their natural environment. All the driftwood and such in the water they live in, with all the tanins they release, turns water that yellow-tea colour. I would imagine females in such water could be harder to see...but most of us strive for crystal-clear tanks, so they stick out in our tanks.

As I said, I don't know if there's any actualism to this little theory of mine, but it makes the kind of sense that is, in my little world

 

[candidi]

I agree with you when the Apisto comes from black water... but as you I ask me about Apisto from clear water.

As always, there is a reason... there is always a reason with animals!

 

[nightowl1350]

Fish must see colours as many change when ready to spawn. My blue ram females get pink bellies and both male and female colours brighten up. Apisto Cacatudies (sp?) females go yellow when ready to spawn and when gurading eggs.

Even my silver angels black stripes darken when spawning. Discus go a darker colour when raising fry so the fry can find them (so I've been told)

 

[candidi]

Does anybody know if there are scientist reports about fish (and especially Apisto) color vision?

 

[tjudy]

I suspect that the color change has to do with communication between the breeding female and other adults, or between the mother and her fry. I have noticed with my triple red cacs that the intensty of the yellow is greatest when she has eggs or wigglers, and the intensity diminishes when the fry are free swimming. Using tank strain color forms for this type of study is probably a mistake, however, since eventhe colros of the females are different than wild type.

As far as the color change to yellow being a characteristic of all apistos, it may be an evolutionary link between the species; useful to some and a vestige to others. The yellow may simply be a color that is either advantageous to all Apisto. species or is not a disadvantage. In either case the genes governing the yellow would survive through the process of speciation.

 

[Galactic Doug]

Hello everyone!

I have discussed fish behavior many times with others who work in the behavioral studies of animals and fishes too. The common conclusion is that females who have fry are attempting to cause predatory fish to look at themselves more, paying attention to the larger female instead of the tiny mouth watering fry.

Hence the color change to yellow for apisto females at the fry stage. If the females were to stay a normal color, then the fry will be just as easilly seen by predators and possibly eatin. With the females changing to yellow they are changing the focus to themselves in a more "Threat like" display.

This seems logical when you examine many fish types from around the world including cichlids in the Great Lakes of Africa who (some) also change color during breeding sessions.

Here is a book for those interested in obtaining data on fishes in general. The link is for sales but I imagine the price is cheaper elsewhere. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0801487722/104-1369682-0227164?v=glance&n=283155. There is also a behavioral studies book written with just cichlids in mind it was written by George Barlow http://ib.berkeley.edu/labs/barlow/book.html. This book is excellent for this topic also.

I'm not sure about every Apisto female changing color to suit their young because I have not kept most of them "YET". Anyone with more experiences with most Apistos should have some insight of their own on this matter. Mike?

GD

 

[lab]

There is no doubt that apistos have an excellent ability to distinguish quite subtle differences in color.

Hello everyone!

I have discussed fish behavior many times with others who work in the behavioral studies of animals and fishes too. The common conclusion is that females who have fry are attempting to cause predatory fish to look at themselves more, paying attention to the larger female instead of the tiny mouth watering fry.

Hence the color change to yellow for apisto females at the fry stage. If the females were to stay a normal color, then the fry will be just as easilly seen by predators and possibly eatin. With the females changing to yellow they are changing the focus to themselves in a more "Threat like" display.

I think it is safe to say that the yellow color serves as a signal and not as a camouflage. The signal could be given in many directions though. Towards mature conspecifics and the fry as well as towards predators. In which way the signal should be interpreted is probably a matter of theory. At least I do not know of any scientific studies on this. I think it is probably a combination of the above mentioned, and perhaps more. Who knows?
The conspicuous yellow color of a breeding female tells a great deal about the brave way these fish live their lives. When guarding fry the female will charge most things an succeed in scaring of fish many times their size.

All the best,
Lars

 

[Mike Wise]

The only paper on colors is one that examined fry response to different color patterns of dummies, using fry of A. trifasciata. See: Burchard, J. E. 1965 (yes, 40 years old!). Family structure in the dwarf cichlid Apistogramma trifasciatum Eigenmann and Kennedy. Z. Tierpsychol. 22: 150-162

 

[apistodave]

I know trout see really good-even into the infra red and especially me when I am trying to be sneaky>