interesting behaviour by obesus

I have about 4-5 obesus in a 75 gal tank with some other small sunfish, i leave the tank lites on about a couple of hours a day for observation, Tonite i walked up to the tank and sat down in a chair to watch, The obesus had developed dark splotches in random patterns all over like a kid that had been playing in a coal bucket. I freaked Thought oh no some crazy disease, but the longer i sat there and they swam around normally ocasionally to the front glass begging for food (these sunfish are pigs) the splotches gradually disappeared completely, so im wondering?? was this some sort of panic mode for them then when they became more adjusted to my presence it went away ???

Sounds likely, sunfishes (and many other fishes) have the ability to change colors/patterns on a dime. I have witnessed the same blotches you speak of on my E. gloriosus.

I never knew sunfish could change colors. Well OK, I knew that brightened up for spawning, but never like described here; that's cool.

One favor: would someone tell me what the common names of "obesus" and "E. gloriosus" are? I'm sure one day I'll have some of the more popular ones in my head, but basically none are there now.

All sunfishes; including black basses, crappies, rockbasses, and flier can change coloration beyond that associated with reproduction. The warmouth is in my opinion the most capable in terms of range and speed of color change. Smaller / younger fish usually more capable than adults.




obesus = banded

gloriosus = bluespotted

Edited by centrarchid, 02 November 2008 - 10:03 AM.