# Red Belly Changed Colors



## Piranhas_FTW (Jun 7, 2011)

So this morning one of my red bellies was looking normal (red stomach and grey/silver body) and a few hours later it was almost completely white or light silver-ish. What does this color change mean?


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## bob351 (Oct 23, 2005)

1) stress
2) poor water quality 
3) when you first turn the lights on they are washed out but soon colour up

what are your water parameters?


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## Piranhas_FTW (Jun 7, 2011)

bob351 said:


> 1) stress
> 2) poor water quality
> 3) when you first turn the lights on they are washed out but soon colour up
> 
> what are your water parameters?


My parameters are perfect, it was like 5 hours after I turned the light on, and there's is nothing that I know of that could have stressed it out.


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## bob351 (Oct 23, 2005)

pics?


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

How long have you had the P, How long was the tank set up before the P was put in it, how many are in it and what size? This happened to me with my first RBP. Problem was my filters were putting poisons in my water that the test kit doesn't catch. The poisons were not deadly but added much stress, hard breathing, color loss, and the top part of the fishes head above the eye was almost clearish looking.


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## Piranhas_FTW (Jun 7, 2011)

RedBelly11 said:


> pics?


No pics sorry. Posting this from my iPod. Also it changed back to the regular color. If it happens again I will get pics though (if I can lol) they hate the camera.


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## Zeushalives (Dec 30, 2010)

I have had the same thing, I was freaked out too. Went away the following morning have no clue what caused it. But did not appear to have any longterm effects other than the quick scare and color change. Keep me posted I definately would like to know. And I can 2nd that my water params were perfect too, i checked as soon as I noticed it.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Piranhas_FTW said:


> So this morning one of my red bellies was looking normal (red stomach and grey/silver body) and a few hours later it was almost completely white or light silver-ish. What does this color change mean?


Perfectly normal for captive piranha to show loss of color (water quality sensitivity) or darken due to stress, illness or breeding color. If the fish are captive bred not uncommon to lose color altogether simply because the diet is not full of natural ingredients of nutritious values.

Could also mean your fish was sleeping.


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## Piranhas_FTW (Jun 7, 2011)

hastatus said:


> So this morning one of my red bellies was looking normal (red stomach and grey/silver body) and a few hours later it was almost completely white or light silver-ish. What does this color change mean?


Perfectly normal for captive piranha to show loss of color (water quality sensitivity) or darken due to stress, illness or breeding color. If the fish are captive bred not uncommon to lose color altogether simply because the diet is not full of natural ingredients of nutritious values.

Could also mean your fish was sleeping.
[/quote]
Well ive been feeding them shrimp and rosy reds. I'm also sure it wasn't sleeping. I don't know, I'm clueless lol.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Piranhas_FTW said:


> So this morning one of my red bellies was looking normal (red stomach and grey/silver body) and a few hours later it was almost completely white or light silver-ish. What does this color change mean?


Perfectly normal for captive piranha to show loss of color (water quality sensitivity) or darken due to stress, illness or breeding color. If the fish are captive bred not uncommon to lose color altogether simply because the diet is not full of natural ingredients of nutritious values.

Could also mean your fish was sleeping.
[/quote]
Well ive been feeding them shrimp and rosy reds. I'm also sure it wasn't sleeping. I don't know, I'm clueless lol.
[/quote]
Well, they not appear sleeping to you (piranhas have no eyelids) but they do sleep. In that mode they go colorless especially if the lights are out.


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## bob351 (Oct 23, 2005)

pirannhas have no eye lids

i could have sworn when my pygos sleep they shut there eyes


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

If your light coming on and off is not on a normal cycle it will cause your piranha to nap at weird times, which all color will be gone it will be ghost white. The best way to find out is to shut the light out then right back on an swish some water around. When the fish moves a considerable amount then wait maybe 5 minutes. If color came back he was just asleep. Also Rosey Red's have little to no nutrition in them and often have parasite or disease. Feeding a primary diet of rosey's will certainly wash out your fishes color, same with slightly cooked shrimp that has sodium in it. Just a suggestion, color will be dull with this diet after any amount of time.


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## Piranhas_FTW (Jun 7, 2011)

hastatus said:


> If your light coming on and off is not on a normal cycle it will cause your piranha to nap at weird times, which all color will be gone it will be ghost white. The best way to find out is to shut the light out then right back on an swish some water around. When the fish moves a considerable amount then wait maybe 5 minutes. If color came back he was just asleep. Also Rosey Red's have little to no nutrition in them and often have parasite or disease. Feeding a primary diet of rosey's will certainly wash out your fishes color, same with slightly cooked shrimp that has sodium in it. Just a suggestion, color will be dull with this diet after any amount of time.


Alright thanks for the tips!


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