Bartlett's Losing Color?

Eienna · Feb 12, 2014

I have a peculiar problem. The male Bartlett's Anthias of my pair is losing his pink...he's starting to look an awful lot like an oversized female.

This now:

Versus when he was added:

Salinity 1.025
Phosphate before I left yesterday read 1 on API Master Kit - reducing with PhosGuard but the problem started before PG was added.
Nitrate was...5 as of last testing, I believe.
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Exact Mag, Alk and Cal unknown, but should be about what IO mixes up to, since I only have 2 small stony frags in a 50g (long.)
Lighting has not changed.

The pair is eating like pigs and are fed 4-6 times daily with a variety of food: Mysis (not PE at the moment - I believe it's SFB), Ocean Nutrition Formula One (they don't care for this much), NLS Small Fish pellets, bloodworms (occasionally only), SeaChem Nutri-Diet flake, and a super-mix frozen I can't recall the name of (I'm gonna look it up soon as I finish writing this post.) I've recently added finely-minced frozen krill and a spirulina flake to try and color him up, but it doesn't seem to be working.

Maybe I should feed brine shrimp? Spirulina brine? Maybe he needs another female - he gets along great with the one he has - should I make it a trio? Maybe a female that makes him work a little harder to maintain dominance will bring his color out?

He appears and acts perfectly healthy otherwise.

Eienna · Feb 12, 2014

Oh yeah, it's Hikari Mega-Marine, also minced. I also feed Hikari Frozen Rotifers.

I usually feed Nutramar Ova as well, but I'm out of it ATM. Getting more ASAP (scooter seems to be doing fine on the pellets and rotifers, so no worries there.)

EDIT: It came on gradually. I only realized the full extent of the change when I was looking at some older photos of him.

Eienna · Feb 13, 2014

May I bump this, please? It's waaaay down the list already and I'm really anxious to find the answer.

stunreefer · Feb 13, 2014

If he's acting and feeding normally I wouldn't worry about it. More than likely working out dominance issues. Keep an eye on them as in my personal experience a 'pair' of Bartlett's doesn't pan out long term as the dominant fish harasses the submissive constantly. Might try a trio, or more, down the line.

Eienna · Feb 13, 2014

stunreefer said:
If he's acting and feeding normally I wouldn't worry about it. More than likely working out dominance issues. Keep an eye on them as in my personal experience a 'pair' of Bartlett's doesn't pan out long term as the dominant fish harasses the submissive constantly. Might try a trio, or more, down the line.

My suspicion is actually that they're getting along TOO well. They're joined at the hip nearly all the time, though the male does make the female stay behind him when food is circulating in the current. XD

If it IS a dominance issue, I hope they work it out soon. I miss his gorgeous colors...he was my favorite shade of pink.

Maybe he's an unusually submissive male? If I removed the female, maybe his color would come back?

I'm actually afraid to add more females if that's the case. I would hate for one to become a second male and kill him. :'(

Though I suppose I would see the aggression developing and remove the offender before that point?

Eienna · Feb 13, 2014

Any other thoughts, guys? I'm happy if they're healthy, but I wanted these guys mostly for their color...which is now not there...

Does it matter that the pair happens to be THE most aggressive fish in the tank (and really laid-back, at that)?

Huh...it just struck me...maybe I should hold up a mirror every now and then and see what happens. Maybe he'll get his color back if he thinks he needs to intimidate an opponent. Whacha think? Worth a shot?

MIKE NY · Feb 13, 2014

I wouldn't worry as long as it's eating colors change sometimes for a number of reasons....BTW looking at your pics I don't think it is a terminal male, but still a sub-male because its lacking the yellow vertical marking and streamers....here are mine...the first is a terminal male with the marking and streamers .. the second is a sub-male.

Eienna · Feb 13, 2014

So he hasn't quite matured yet, then? Hmmm.

Eienna · Feb 14, 2014

Possibly just a transient phase, I suppose.

I've been doing some reading and heard of some anthias fading under too bright of light. What's your take on that? Do you guys think that's even a viable possibility (never mind how bright my tank is)?

Eienna · Feb 17, 2014

You know what just hit me? It's possible that the wholesaler (I picked it up still in the bag) might have been feeding them color-enhancers, and the male just isn't ready to color up for real yet.