Does Substrate Colour Affect Fish Colour

[minnnt]

Just snapped a picture of 2 spot now he has finally settled into dark surroundings.

Here he is with a rather sparse, light coloured tank:

And here he is with a dark coloured planted tank:

Much better i would say!

 

[Hermithall]

Wow, great example! When I switched from Argos play sand to dark substrates I noticed an unbelievable difference in the colour of my fish, best thing I ever did. Great pics, your tank is beautiful

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Fish will show different colors based on their surroundings as well as their stress levels and health.

 

[Jinty McGinty]

What a big difference!

 

[KittyKat]

In theory it does make a difference, as some fish can change their colour to blend into the substrate more.. but on those photos, the fish is almost the same colour, it's your eyes lying to you about the difference.

 

[Harlequins]

In theory it does make a difference, as some fish can change their colour to blend into the substrate more.. but on those photos, the fish is almost the same colour, it's your eyes lying to you about the difference.

+1 i agree,once you change the colours around it,it makes the fish look alot more colourful.

I've got an ordinary tube in my tank and its got a yellow hue to the tank and its makes the fish look yellow imo!

 

[minnnt]

That would be true except the fish has definately changed colour. Whether it is the lights not reflecting off of the substrate as much or whether the fish feels safer, it is definately more enhanced, no two ways about it really.

 

[Hermithall]

Check out Bing's firemouth on black substrate - and it's a female!

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggOKWmjYHfs

 

[minnnt]

Very interesting indeed mate. Love the flaring.

 

[Delloy12]

Why did I buy white sand -.-'

 

[minnnt]

Silly Billy

 

[Delloy12]

A couple of weeks ago I was in my lfs holding black sand in one hand and white in the other, so I decided to get white.......

 

[minnnt]

I picked the wrong one mate.

 

[KittyKat]

That would be true except the fish has definately changed colour. Whether it is the lights not reflecting off of the substrate as much or whether the fish feels safer, it is definately more enhanced, no two ways about it really.

Actually it's the black background: even with white sand and a black background, the fish would have looked "more enhanced" to you.

The most common reason I can think of for fish to display a lighter colour on white substrate is lack of confidence from them; some plants, caves/wood/rocks and a dark background will very often fix that.

 

[Hermithall]

That would be true except the fish has definately changed colour. Whether it is the lights not reflecting off of the substrate as much or whether the fish feels safer, it is definately more enhanced, no two ways about it really.

Actually it's the black background: even with white sand and a black background, the fish would have looked "more enhanced" to you.

The most common reason I can think of for fish to display a lighter colour on white substrate is lack of confidence from them; some plants, caves/wood/rocks and a dark background will very often fix that.

I would argue that it is the colour of your substrate which affects the colour of the fish and that the colour of your background is irrelevant. Looking at fish, you will notice that they have a lighter underside and are darker on top. This is an evolutionary trait acting as a form of camouflage - predators looking down on the fish see the darker topside against a dark substrate, whilst those looking from below see the lighter underside against the bright sunlit waters surface. If the substrate in a natural environment was an unnaturaly bright colour, like Argos play sand for instance, the fish would be easier to spot by predators and might be quickly eaten. Hence when putting fish in an aquarium with bright substrate it causes them to feel exposed and triggers them to lighten. Fish show their colours way better when swimming over dark or natural coloured substrate, fact!
There's quite a big difference in fish colour in the OP's photos, and I'd wager if he darkened the substrate further still the fish colour would deepen even more. My own fish showed their colours a great deal more when I switched from play sand to black gravel and I have always had the same background and decor.