Angels with very light stripes...

Freezekougra

AC Members
May 17, 2009
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Brooklyn NY
I have a group of angels(philippine blue x peruvian scalare). Their vertical stripes have gotten much lighter lately...light gray that's hard to see unless you're in front of the tank. No changes in the tank, doing 40% water changes twice a week. I've had this group of fish since march and their colors are not usually like this.
 
Stripes on Angelfish and Discus often change intensity like this, whether it be from stress, the overall background color of the tank, or even a simple change in lighting. It's normally not something to worry about unless you are seeing other signs of illness. It's also theorized that the stripes can change intensity as a form of communication between fish.

My thought on this is that when you first introduced your fish they had nice dark stripes as a camoflauge response, as they got used to their surroundings they became less stressed and there for lightened in color.
 
A lot of my really settled angels seemed to have become lighter. I often take it as a sign they are happy. Never show stress colors unless excited by food dropping in.
 
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