Improve Flame Angelfish Color

[Chee-tomorpha]

I've had this flame angelfish for at least 8 months now and its color has faded a lot. It is a washed out orange now. My last one was with me for 4 years and went through the same thing.

It also has been getting what I can only describe as "peppering" - a term used in the fresh water side with Discus fish. It's forehead and front of the dorsal fin has been peppered dark similar to what happens with Discus.

I feed pellets 4x a day through an auto feeder. A blend of 2x hikari carnivore and 1x herbivore pellets. I also supplement frozen mysis, brine shrimp, and nori through out the week.

I'll have to grab a picture later.

 

[Dave1993]

maybe add some sponge to its diet? i get frozen cubes with sponge in not sure if they sell it in america but its called Ocean Nutrition Angel Formula

 

[Nate Chalk]

I've had this flame angelfish for at least 8 months now and its color has faded a lot. It is a washed out orange now. My last one was with me for 4 years and went through the same thing.

It also has been getting what I can only describe as "peppering" - a term used in the fresh water side with Discus fish. It's forehead and front of the dorsal fin has been peppered dark similar to what happens with Discus.

I feed pellets 4x a day through an auto feeder. A blend of 2x hikari carnivore and 1x herbivore pellets. I also supplement frozen mysis, brine shrimp, and nori through out the week.

I'll have to grab a picture later.

I feed mine similar but mix in some red bacteria powder brs sells and many of the other powders and selcon. Let it all soak together for 15 mins and then drop the slop in the tank.

 

[Chee-tomorpha]

maybe add some sponge to its diet? i get frozen cubes with sponge in not sure if they sell it in america but its called Ocean Nutrition Angel Formula

It looks like it's available here in the US. I'll give it a shot.

 

[Chee-tomorpha]

I feed mine similar but mix in some red bacteria powder brs sells and many of the other powders and selcon. Let it all soak together for 15 mins and then drop the slop in the tank.

I'll have to look into that red bacteria powder.

 

[Chee-tomorpha]

Would you know what could be causing the "peppering"?

 

[Nate Chalk]

Paracoccus Powder - Bulk Reef Supply

A Natural Source of Astaxanthin and Other Carotenoids! Bulk Reef Supply's Paracoccus Powder (astaxanthin powder) is derived from a bacteria that is grown in a controlled environment and converted into inactive dried bacterial cells as an additive for many prepared foods to help increase fish...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[nereefpat]

That diet should be good enough. I'm interested in seeing a picture, under white light if possible.

Can you tell us more about the tank? Tank size, parameters, tankmates, etc?

 

[Chee-tomorpha]

Paracoccus Powder - Bulk Reef Supply

A Natural Source of Astaxanthin and Other Carotenoids! Bulk Reef Supply's Paracoccus Powder (astaxanthin powder) is derived from a bacteria that is grown in a controlled environment and converted into inactive dried bacterial cells as an additive for many prepared foods to help increase fish...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

astaxanthin - I remember that is used in freshwater koi angelfish. Excited to give it a go. Thanks!

 

[Chee-tomorpha]

That diet should be good enough. I'm interested in seeing a picture, under white light if possible.

Can you tell us more about the tank? Tank size, parameters, tankmates, etc?

Tank is a recent new build. A reefer peninsula 500. The tank is at least 3 months old, the fish were relocated to it about two months back.

Established tank mates:
2x multibar angelfish
Coral Beauty
Kole Tang
Tomini Tang
Scopus Tang
Powder Brown Tang
Fire Fish
Melanurus Wrasse
Leopard Wrasse
Ornate Wrasse

It's been running mainly as a FOWLR until it matures more but an acan colony I recently got didn't look so good this morning. I'm away at the moment, so I'll get parameters later tonight or tomorrow.

 

[Nate Chalk]

astaxanthin - I remember that is used in freshwater koi angelfish. Excited to give it a go. Thanks!

O ya throw a bunch of foods into a cup let it sit and mix together. Can't go wrong. Lol

 

[OrionN]

Nutrition, good clean water and social stimulation is everything in keeping fish colorful. The bulk of the food feed to my tank is Otohine pellets. This is a really good all-around food for fish. I also add a variety of flakes and frozen, plus fish roe whenever I can get them. Flame angel are easy fish to get to eat. IMO, the color of my fish, especially my Flame angels are second to none. This is my male Flame Angel. Last picture is coloration of the fish during nuptial when the light catches him just right.

 

[Nate Chalk]

Agree^ my photography is way worse but fish are on point

 

[Chee-tomorpha]

O ya throw a bunch of foods into a cup let it sit and mix together. Can't go wrong. Lol

Is there something for other colors like blues, purples, and yellows?

 

[OrionN]

Is there something for other colors like blues, purples, and yellows?

I don't color feed my fish, but good general nutrition will go a long way. Normally frozen food does not have good nutrition interm of a variety of vitamins and other essential micro-nutrients.

 

[nereefpat]

That's a good sized tank, but 4 angels and 4 tangs is also a lot. Anything picking on the flame?

 

[Chee-tomorpha]

That's a good sized tank, but 4 angels and 4 tangs is also a lot. Anything picking on the flame?

No, they don't nip or attack one another. They have established their pecking order and have not had any aggression towards one another aside from occasional defense of sleeping quarters when lights out/on.

I feed heavy too, to help reduce any. When feeding they all swarm and everyone gets whatever they can grab. There's no aggression that I've noticed when feeding either.

I have introduced new fish this week and they are pretty well behaved for the most part. A new Orange Peel Angelfish, along with 3 other fishes, went through the pecking order and have since been able to swim around no problem. The purple fire fish is still TBD as the current fire fish is showing dominance.

 

[homer1475]

TDO chromoboost.

Has astaxanthin(sp I'm sure is wrong) that is supposed to bring out the reds in fish.

My fish have never been brighter in color since I stared with TDO.

 

[Midrats]

View the fish exclusively under ATI Coral Plus bulbs

 

[Feartheturtle!22]

I don't color feed my fish, but good general nutrition will go a long way. Normally frozen food does not have good nutrition interm of a variety of vitamins and other essential micro-nutrients.

Hi, Yes your fish have gorgeous color. One thing I've read is that fast freezing especially vegetables as for human consumption, helps to maintain more vitamins, nutrients over even fresh picked. Maybe this message was started by our local power company? Anyway, my #1 color food for bringing out the red-yellow pigments is Tetra's Freeze-Dried Krill. Works on my fish and my turtles and they love it. You can see the heavy caratinoid build up in the krill's tissues.