Loss of Color in Laetacara Dorsigera

[celaeno]

In September, I did a 7-day Maracyn 1/2 treatment of a pair of Laetacara dorsigera for what I believed to be mild popeye. I used a bunch of live plants to control the ammonia levels, as well as an AC 30 filter in the 10 gallon hospital tank for water circulation.

After 5 days of treatment, the female (could be a smaller male, not sure) lost most of the vibrant colors she had and was rather dull. She has been in the 20 gallon planted tank with the rest of the fish with no apparent health issues for a little over a month now. She eats normally and isn't losing weight.

The fish are fed twice a day, with a staple of NLS Thera A pellets and Nutrafin Spirulina flakes, both of which contain garlic. They are fed 3 times a week with frozen brine shrimp and bloodworms. pH is about 6.6, 25% water changes done weekly, ammonia/nitrite 0.

Here's a video showing the dull colors on the female. Click for video

Does anyone know what could be wrong with her if anything and the reason behind what seems to be permanent color loss? What can I do to help her regain the colors?

 

[Mike Wise]

I looked at your video. Both Laetacara look normal to me, just not in courtship/breeding dress. Your feeding/tank maintenance seems ok, but I would use more meaty foods (frozen/live) and less dry food. Raising the water temperature into the upper 70s to 80ºF (24-26ºC) and increasing the number of water changes probably will get the fish interested in breeding and increase their color.

 

[celaeno]

Sorry, but I don't see how you can say the female's colors are normal. Originally, the female's colors were darker and much more intense. That might've been due to stress while she was at the LFS, but for a long time she looked just like the male does now.

However, right after 5 days of dosing with Maracyn, her colors suddenly faded. It wasn't a gradual process, which is why I believe it's unnatural and due to the medication.

 

[Mike Wise]

Like I said, to me the colors are typical for this species in neutral mood. Just take a look at photos in books and on the web. Sure, some will show the fish in heightened colors of courtship or aggression, but in neutral mood most populations of L. dorsigera are relatively bland clay yellow color``.

On another note, I didn't quite understand what you meant by, "I did a 7-day Maracyn 1/2 treatment". Did you do a 7 day treatment using Maracyn 1 and 2, or did you use a half dose of Maracyn 1 for 7 days?

 

[celaeno]

I did a treatment of both Maracyn and Maracyn Two for 7 days. The female used to look just like the male, but now not even the horizontal black stripe is showing. Surely that's not normal?

 

[jose_vogel]

I had tons of L. dorsigera (I can catch them with a short trip) and the one in the video seems normal to me.

 

[celaeno]

I had tons of L. dorsigera (I can catch them with a short trip) and the one in the video seems normal to me.

There are two L. dorsigera in the video. The contrast in their colors should be stunning. If the colors on the male are normal, and the colors on the female are different.. then logically, how can the colors on the female be normal?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

If the colors on the male are normal, and the colors on the female are different.. then logically, how can the colors on the female be normal?

The 2 posters on this post aren't trying to be difficult or pick a fight, they are extremely experienced keepers of dwarf cichlids and they have told you what they think.

Like I said, to me the colors are typical for this species in neutral mood.

Your feeding/tank maintenance seems ok, but I would use more meaty foods (frozen/live) and less dry food. Raising the water temperature into the upper 70s to 80ºF (24-26ºC) and increasing the number of water changes probably will get the fish interested in breeding and increase their color.

I'd agree with this as well. They look fine, and I'm sure she will colour up when she comes into breeding condition. You could try feeding a dried food with a lot of carotenoids in it, she should then show some more colour in even in neutral mood. Cyclops or "cyclopeeze" or any flake conrtaining Astaxathin <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astaxanthin> should do.

cheers Darrel

 

[briztoon]

I can understand where celaeno is coming from. His Dorsigera look exactly like a "wild pair" I used to own. Stephen said they looked very much like a Paraguayan strain.

Niether of my dorsigera ever lost colour or pattern to the extent that celaenos female has.

Male in nuetral mood/colouration.

When I first got them.

Displaying.

Spawning colours.

 

[Mike Wise]

I have no problem whether the original poster believes me (and others) or not. My only question is: If you think that your fish is sick, why do you keep it in with your other fish!

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I have no problem whether the original poster believes me (and others) or not. My only question is: If you think that your fish is sick, why do you keep it in with your other fish!

I don't have anything like the experience of the other posters, but I think she looks in quite good health the only factor is she is a bit pale. Unless the infection, that caused the poster to use Maracyn, has permanently damaged her chromatophores I don't see any reason why she shouldn't colour up again.

cheers Darrel

 

[celaeno]

I have no problem whether the original poster believes me (and others) or not. My only question is: If you think that your fish is sick, why do you keep it in with your other fish!

I don't think the fish is ill, just that the Maracyn might somehow have caused her to lose her usual colors.

Hi all,
I don't have anything like the experience of the other posters, but I think she looks in quite good health the only factor is she is a bit pale. Unless the infection, that caused the poster to use Maracyn, has permanently damaged her chromatophores I don't see any reason why she shouldn't colour up again.

cheers Darrel

So my only course of action now is to introduce food like Cyclops, as a previous poster mentioned? How big is frozen cyclops? Can I use frozen krill instead or would those be too big for the fish? The brand is San Francisco Bay.

 

[swedishchris]

Hey,
I thought I would throw my two cents in to this. I think you might try Blood Worms for any help with color. I have noticed a change in color of my Apistos from longtime feedings of frozen Glass worms. So I changed to the mix of Freshwater Entree from The S.F. Bay Brand which contains Blood Worms and Algaes among other things. I am pretty sure if that doesn't help the Senior members pegged it.:biggrin:

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Bloodworms are red because they contain haemoglobin (the same reason that our blood is red), this may help if the fish is iron deficient, but otherwise shouldn't affect colouration. The carotenoid pigments come from plants (unsuprisingly they cause the orange colour of carrots), so it may well be the algae content of the food. This is where the shrimps etc obtain their carotenoids from, the algae that they eat.

I've fed the fish chunks of mysis shrimp, (similar to krill) and they ate them with relish. Krill certainly contains astaxanthin <http://www.aquafeed.com/article.php?id=365>

I'm sure you must be able to get a pellet food rich in astaxanthin in the states? I think we had a thread a while ago on which Larry (Apistomaster) posted?

cheers Darrel