WC red chimba (Color)

[twofronts]

greeting all,

just wondering what could I do to lighten up my WC chimbas. They are super dark almost black in color. they are housed in an 180 with large light grey stones but the substrate is natural color, and the background is blue felt (sp) Im debating switching over to sand but whts in there now is so close to the same color im wondering will it even make and difference.


Also the F1's that i have in the same tank have more color to them, I am aware the F1's have an different color variation but they are almost like day and night with there differences.

Also the WC are super huge, sold as 6 inche monsters and they are that so would age be an factor in there variation?

any takers?

thanks

[cichlid1409]

Re: WC red chimba (Color)

only reason i've ever seen fish get darker like that is b/c of stress, which could be any number of factors ...... if that helps at all.

[twofronts]

Re: WC red chimba (Color)

well after very little research this species of WC is somewhat dark all the time. I have heard this from several member and keepers of WC chimbas. I would have to vote out stress becasue i have only 8 adult chimbas in an 180 with 10 other juvie f1 rd chimbas and 20 or so orange bembas. I seriously doubt stress is an factor. Also a nice water change as done yesterday so happiness should be at the top of there list. I am thinking of adding sand this week and see how that goes.


Also i turn on the tank light 15 mins ago and they showed me a little red chimba color, so i am really leaning towards light substrate. Ill know more once i change over, troph seem to love lighter substrate.

[TaTeR ToT]

Re: WC red chimba (Color)

i used to work at ultimate fish, and all of the wc red chimbas that we unpacked, were alsways dark but the f1's were usually alot more red, more of a dark blood red, where as the wc adults were more of a dark purple red, almost  as u say nearly black. but then again, they were always kept over natural substrate. so pfs might help alot. its def worth a try.

[twofronts]

Re: WC red chimba (Color)

i think so too earth, I will know this weekend. Alexx also told me chimbas are dark in color so sand will be good for them. Those monsters can only get better.

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: WC red chimba (Color)

Those are some really dark Chimbas.  Definately ligthening up the substrate and even possibly the background will get them to lighten up.

Those fish are monsters...

[twofronts]

Re: WC red chimba (Color)

Geoff, everyday i come home and look at them i chuckle and say the same to myself, dang they are big. Big mouths for lots of babies. haha,

There scales are even big, first i have seen at that size in an while.

[CichlidFan]

Re: WC red chimba (Color)

Did you happen to get them from Screename twofronts?

CF

[eklikewhoa]

Re: WC red chimba (Color)

Most all sp. Red turn dirt color with age from what I have seen.

Light sand and light background.... also bulb kelvin of 9325k will help too.

[twofronts]

Re: WC red chimba (Color)

CF

im lost, I am twofronts. was that for another member?

[eklikewhoa]

Re: WC red chimba (Color)

I think he is asking you if you bought those from screenname.

I don't think he is selling his though.

[twofronts]

Re: WC red chimba (Color)

ohhhh, i see now thanks EK

No i purchased them from txtrophstrader, or bethesdaboy (sp)

They where some leftovers from an previous colony.

[CichlidFan]

Re: WC red chimba (Color)

Right, I sold my colony to Screename, and was wondering if you had by any chance, purchased them from him.
I ask, because the Chimba's I had where very large too...

CF

[myjohnson]

Re: WC red chimba (Color)

change your grey stones to brown rocks or some redish looking rock would help a lot too.

[twofronts]

Re: WC red chimba (Color)

good idea, MJ, I will do some tank overhauling this weekend. Still havent installed the sand, was debating if i could do sand over the rocks but im going to stop being lazy and remove all the substrate then add the sand followed by and nice water change.

I do however have some reddist/rust color stone that i can add. I may take an look at how it looks with the sand first. The f1's chimba and orange bemba(both fry housed in 180) have actually colored up real good since the WC where added and certains time of the day the larger WC color up nice although there face is still very dark. However i will be adding sand this weekend. Will try and post an pic or two with my results but im sure i wont do upset.


Not sure i updated but my blue rainbows over sand and holey rock looks off the chain. My larger 4 inch males color up like never before. i can truely see every color that is supposed to be in the blue rainbow troph, man they are awesome. Lots of shaking going on might need to crank up the christmas slow jamz...

CF, I wish i could of purchased them, im lookign for more chimba. I favor the red sp very much, I love when they turn that dark red/rust color.

thanks for reading.