# Rbp's Turning Yellow?



## ScarsandCars (Jul 17, 2011)

I went out of town for a week but my gf continued feeding my baby p's their diet and she told me that they started actin really lazy. When I got home today i noticed the area on the gills that normally start to turn red are yellow. But only the bigger ones. All of my previous piranhas started getting their red bellies about this size. I know i need to do my water change but the ammonia and pH are still looking perfect.

All the threads im reading are saying theyre still pygo natts but theyre "tern" pygo natts. Help! Theyre about two inches TL but look almost exactly like the "ternetzi" on aquascapeonline.com.

Can someone clarify this for me?


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

ScarsandCars said:


> I went out of town for a week but my gf continued feeding my baby p's their diet and she told me that they started actin really lazy. When I got home today i noticed the area on the gills that normally start to turn red are yellow. But only the bigger ones. All of my previous piranhas started getting their red bellies about this size. I know i need to do my water change but the ammonia and pH are still looking perfect.
> 
> All the threads im reading are saying theyre still pygo natts but theyre "tern" pygo natts. Help! Theyre about two inches TL but look almost exactly like the "ternetzi" on aquascapeonline.com.
> 
> Can someone clarify this for me?


What's the question?


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## ScarsandCars (Jul 17, 2011)

Whats the differences between a ternetzi and a yellow variant pygo natt? Are they actually red p natts and im doing something wrong to effect their color? Ill try to post pics.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

ScarsandCars said:


> Whats the differences between a ternetzi and a yellow variant pygo natt? Are they actually red p natts and im doing something wrong to effect their color? Ill try to post pics.


"Ternetzi" is nothing more than a common name applied to mostly P nattereri from Argentina. Fishes from that region are typically yellow. Having said that. Some P nattereri also show somw yellow depending on geography , water chemistry and diet. In a nutshell they are still P nattereri.


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## ScarsandCars (Jul 17, 2011)

Alright, thanks for the help on the ternetzi label.


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## Genesis8 (Sep 11, 2009)

Pics would help?


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## ScarsandCars (Jul 17, 2011)

Im on my iphone. I have pics and ill try to figure a way to post em up


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## Red Sox Fanatic (Jun 13, 2011)

So having been told that "terns" tend to be a bit more aggressive than reds,this just isnt true??


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

What color are the fin's under your fish? If they are a dark red or red color the reason your fish are having a yellowish tint would be due to diet. If you switch it up with more selection you may see the darker red come in.


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## ScarsandCars (Jul 17, 2011)

Theyre diet is pretty varied and healthy. The colors they have are bright. I guess Ill let them grow out alittle more and see what happens.

Thanks for the advice guys


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

Frank will know best, but I think you have a regular P. natt here not a "tern" The fins are red on the bottom an all. Could be the young age an just now getting their colors. Diet and water params play a big role in this also. I do not believe you have a "tern" set of P's though


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Spotting is not proper for "tern".


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## ScarsandCars (Jul 17, 2011)

Is there a water parameter that im missing? I regularly test pH and ammonia levels. Since my ammonia levels are low and I change my water I figure my nitrate and nitrite levels would be okay. The temp is set at 76-78 degrees.

Their diet is raw slices of shrimp (shell and all), slices of tilapia, cichlid gold pellets, brine shimp, bloodworms, and occasional beef heart.

I just want to make sure I provide the healthiest conditions I can. The first piranhas i had (before i knew anything about fish keeping) rarely got water changes, or anywhere near a proper diet and they never had anything like this happen.

Thanks for helping me help my fish!


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

Low ammonia is good, but the cycle proccess produces Nitrates which are not good for young fish or nitrites which is easrlier in the cycle stage. You should check those two with ammonia the most. pH level is not so important as having a steady same pH all the time.


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## ScarsandCars (Jul 17, 2011)

Ill scoop up and nitrate/nitrite test kit. Whats the best ways to regulate those levels?

Also, these are the first piranhas ive ever had in a tank with sand for substrate. Would that effect their colors?


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

Not really, sdand doesn't matter it will be ok. The hue somewhat changes their color. darker hue makes darker fish and lighter hue lighter fish, also tank location in asp[ect of natural light in the tank will change the color. Nitrite is ammonia breaking down, the way to keep this in check is good buio filtration.. nitrates is the final product of your cycle, you keep this in check by water changes.. that's the only way to clear nitrates in a clposed home tank set up.. Good luck bud


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## Wallah Suriel (Jul 17, 2011)

Awesome color!


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## locust (Aug 2, 2005)

"Ternetzi" at roughly the same size














you just know those big spots/big heads are gonna produce a real pygo


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## BRUNER247 (Jun 2, 2010)

Rbp. The yellow/orange will change to red. They're just starting to get color. Its like rhoms eyes. They start out orange n work up to red. I bet within a couple weeks they'll look like any other rbp out there


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## ScarsandCars (Jul 17, 2011)

Thanks much everyone. Their color just concerned me because Ive never had RBPs start off yellow. I'll keep posting pics and reading the forums


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