# Diet And Colouring



## Sylar_92 (Dec 15, 2010)

When I first got my RBP's at the pet store a week ago they were completely silverish gray. Once I moved them into my 35 gallon I started feeding them Hikari carnivour sticks and shrimp. over a time laps of another week their colouration improved substantionally, their almost pale orange cheeks and stomache have turmed flame orange and their cherry red fins have become crimson as well they are developing the red eye. I was wondering is the colouration from the shrimp or is it from the Colour inhancing food sticks. I also can't seem to get them to eat food sticks no more they will only eat the shrimp or white fish, how can I get them back on the food sticks?








I would also like to add that my RBPs are only 2" with the exception of the pack leader who is 2.5" I only have 3 RBPs.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Coloration would be from the foods you're feeding, as well as the fact that they're probably just starting to get to the age/size where they pick up their colors.

I'm assuming by your post that your fish are right around 1.5"-2"?


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## Sylar_92 (Dec 15, 2010)

Piranha_man said:


> Coloration would be from the foods you're feeding, as well as the fact that they're probably just starting to get to the age/size where they pick up their colors.
> 
> I'm assuming by your post that your fish are right around 1.5"-2"?


yeah they are about 1.5-2 inches long,but they are not accepting sticks anymore.How do I make them change their diet back to food sticks: Hikari Carnivour


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

So they were eating the sticks before and not now?
Have you been feeding them live?

It's harder to 'train' yer fish to accept sticks, pellets and flake when they know there will be something 'meaty' coming along shortly afterward.


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## Sylar_92 (Dec 15, 2010)

Piranha_man said:


> So they were eating the sticks before and not now?
> Have you been feeding them live?
> 
> It's harder to 'train' yer fish to accept sticks, pellets and flake when they know there will be something 'meaty' coming along shortly afterward.


When I first got them I feed them sticks all the time and they loved it until recently.I rarely feed them live food maybe only once a month, now i feed them sticks,shrimp, fish fillets and I tried a thin slice of beef but they din't bother with it. It was only 2 days ago that I tried feeding them a gold comet and they devoured it in seconds. They don't enjoy the shrimp as much as before I feed them the comet and have completly stopped eating the sticks. I think feeding them live was a mistake because they seem more aggresive and only want live.


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## Joe.G (Dec 20, 2010)

My last batch of RBP's would only eat live from day one. These guys now are eatting everything but pellets, havent tried live yet and may not.


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## Piranha feeder (Jun 15, 2010)

Sylar_92 said:


> When I first got my RBP's at the pet store a week ago they were completely silverish gray. Once I moved them into my 35 gallon I started feeding them Hikari carnivour sticks and shrimp. over a time laps of another week their colouration improved substantionally, their almost pale orange cheeks and stomache have turmed flame orange and their cherry red fins have become crimson as well they are developing the red eye. I was wondering is the colouration from the shrimp or is it from the Colour inhancing food sticks. I also can't seem to get them to eat food sticks no more they will only eat the shrimp or white fish, how can I get them back on the food sticks?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


No offense but u should read your own words they kinda explain themselves. "COLOR ENHANCING" now I would if I had to take a stab at it would probably guess it's the Color Enhancing Sticks that give ur reds their color! I personally like pellets sinking ones to be exact. Took a while for my Reds to get use to them. First they would let them sink and when I left the room would down them all then slowly got use to eating them mid tank. Now they practically kill each other for those things! They don't even have a chance to sink half tank before my P's devour them!!


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## Sylar_92 (Dec 15, 2010)

Piranha feeder said:


> When I first got my RBP's at the pet store a week ago they were completely silverish gray. Once I moved them into my 35 gallon I started feeding them Hikari carnivour sticks and shrimp. over a time laps of another week their colouration improved substantionally, their almost pale orange cheeks and stomache have turmed flame orange and their cherry red fins have become crimson as well they are developing the red eye. I was wondering is the colouration from the shrimp or is it from the Colour inhancing food sticks. I also can't seem to get them to eat food sticks no more they will only eat the shrimp or white fish, how can I get them back on the food sticks?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


No offense but u should read your own words they kinda explain themselves. "COLOR ENHANCING" now I would if I had to take a stab at it would probably guess it's the Color Enhancing Sticks that give ur reds their color! I personally like pellets sinking ones to be exact. Took a while for my Reds to get use to them. First they would let them sink and when I left the room would down them all then slowly got use to eating them mid tank. Now they practically kill each other for those things! They don't even have a chance to sink half tank before my P's devour them!!
[/quote]

I posted this a while back and i already found out it's from the sticks. I was just asking because I also heard shrimp inhances the red colouring in many fish and shrimp/krill eating birds. No offence.


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## smb (Jun 1, 2003)

ill probably get slammed for this because it seems im the only one who feels this way i think but color enhancing foods are overrated and not need, imo. Wild reds dont get shrimp and color enhancing foods in the wild but wild reds are almost always darker. Ive never noticed any difference in any cichlids or piranhas my .02


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## Piranha feeder (Jun 15, 2010)

Sylar_92 said:


> ill probably get slammed for this because it seems im the only one who feels this way i think but color enhancing foods are overrated and not need, imo. Wild reds dont get shrimp and color enhancing foods in the wild but wild reds are almost always darker. Ive never noticed any difference in any cichlids or piranhas my .02


Your right it's all chemicals. Fresh food is always best


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