Why Is My Pleco Changing Colors?

[mea_caroro]

It's weird. I have had him for about 3 months now, and he's been growing, doing fine, but recently he's been changing colors.

He starts off like this: http/www.positiveculturecompany.com/fam-...ut-of-water.jpg

and changes a whole mess of different colors! Most of the time is a rich, orange-brown, but last night he a a pale sandy-tan color with orange on his fins. Very strange! Early this morning he was dark brown with tan, thick stripes all along his sides. a couple of times he'll look like this: http/herefish.com/peter_pleco.jpg or at least that color...

He's real strange. I did water tests and everything is fine. We talked to the pet store people and they did the water test for us. Two things were high on the chart, but she said that that is typical of my city, and all the fish are use to the water since they are bred in it.

We have him in a 10 gallon tank at the moment, and he hasnt gotten too big for it yet, but soon we're going to get a 20-60 gallon tank and some big fish for him to be in when he really does become a "Tank Buster"


Also I'm sorry If i posted this in the wrong area, if I did, but for all i know this could be an emergency!

 

[Maxta]

Lighting. Bit like Tetras i guess, they fade at night. My rams colours fade when the lights are on, and show alot more when the light is off and natural daylight is present. My Clown pleco also seems to fade. Its all about the lighting i guess.

 

[lilfishie]

they try blend in with there surrondings, so if he is sitting in a dark patch he will go dark and vise versa, or it could be stress, as long as he looks healthy should be ok

 

[jackamsparrow16]

i have a leopard plec and he seems to change the brightness of his pattern his pattern is a different colour everyday.

 

[mea_caroro]

they try blend in with there surrondings, so if he is sitting in a dark patch he will go dark and vise versa, or it could be stress, as long as he looks healthy should be ok

I probably have to agree with you on that one! He was under a fake piece of coral all day yesterday, is white with pink on it, finally when he freaked out and moved he was really bright sandy color with orange again, interesting! I suppose when he gets the stripes is when he is near the plants, and when he is leopard-spotted he's on the gravel! it all makes sense!

i have a leopard plec and he seems to change the brightness of his pattern his pattern is a different colour everyday.

Does he look like this?