pigment loss

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Fred Hapgood - 30 Jul 2004 23:13 GMT

I have two exuberantly healthy comets. Or at least they
look like comets. (I'm no expert.) They were sold to me
as feeder fish several years ago and now are about 7" long
and seem quite lively.

However one has just lost pretty much all his (or her) pigment and is
now close to pure silver. Is this an aging thing? I am
feeding them expensive GF food from Japan that is supposed to
bring out the gold. not diminish it.

What could cause something like this?

http://www.pobox.com/~hapgood

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Tom L. La Bron - 31 Jul 2004 04:43 GMT

Fred,

Probably genetics. Goldfish fish usually are in the
final colors at two years of age and you probably have
common Goldfish not Comets. Comets have tails 3/4 to 2
times the body length of the fish.

Tom L.L.
=======================

> I have two exuberantly healthy comets. Or at least they
> look like comets. (I'm no expert.) They were sold to me
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> http://www.pobox.com/~hapgood

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Fred Hapgood - 31 Jul 2004 15:20 GMT

>Fred,
>
>Probably genetics. Goldfish fish usually are in the
>final colors at two years of age and you probably have
>common Goldfish not Comets. Comets have tails 3/4 to 2
>times the body length of the fish.

They're older than that -- more like four or five years --
but genetics is still as good an explanation as any.
You're probably right about the Comets. The fish losing
its pigment has a gorgeous tail but it sure isn't fifteen
inches long!
http://www.pobox.com/~hapgood

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Pet Forum / Aquaria / Goldfish / July 2004

pigment loss