Color change

[Skinnerc06]

Hey, im new to the site so i hope imdoing this correctly. Anyways, i have an auratus that is probably around a year old. Its colors were very well defined, yellow with a black stripe or two. Just recently it has changed colors to a smudgy brown color. Is this normal? I am thinking it may be getiing mature or somethin like that. None of my other fish have doen this before and i just want to make sure it isnt sick or som ething. It is acting normal and everything. Thanks alot.

[Pam Chin]

Hi Skinner,

Melanochromis auratus is sexually dimorphic, this means the juveniles and females are one color, the yellow with black horizonatal stripes, however when the male is mature is coloration nearly turns the opposite. They will turn black with gold horizontal stripes. Now I am not sure if this is what happened to your auratus, or if it has retained its original color and that has gotten muddy. Keep in mind that cichlids change their coloration for a variety of reasons; blending in, happy, sick, fright pattern, feeding pattern, spawning pattern, etc.

As long as it is swimming okay and eating, I wouldn't worry about it. If it appears to be stressed or hanging out up in the corners of the tank, then you may have a problem.