<10sec complete color change?

[cswank]

Been noticing this more and more recently as Troll (undecided GSP/Saba) has been sleeping in the daytime more frequently (or at least when I've been around). When he sleeps, he turns into a little piece of charcoal (black belly, unpatterned black/green back), but if I go up to his tank, after a bit he wakes up and is back to his super bright self (white belly, vivid pattern, even the extra bright spot between/behind his eyes) within ten seconds. The same happens when he's awake but I'm just across the room for a while (like on the computer). He'll do whatever he'll be doing and have a black belly and his back will be just a tad less bright, and as soon as I walk towards the tank he starts swimming really fast (his fins go into what Sarah and I call 'hover mode', always does it when he spots food) and he brightens right back up (belly and back both). I don't know if this is just how these puffers usually act or not because I haven't seen it/read it. Thought it would be interesting to see how common this behavior is.

Pics (sorry for the bad quality, iphone pics aren't the best and I don't have a camera):

Troll asleep:


Just woke up and noticed me (4-5 sec):


Back to his normal self (8-10 sec):

[Nick]

I only see one picture there, but they color change a LOT when they sleep.

[Ajepalmer]

haha sounds pretty adorible. at least you know your puffer loves you

[sao870]

hmmm one of my gsp's does this as well but i just belive it is because he is bored.( i need to remodel the tank, cant wait till the end of the semester)

[Ajepalmer]

hmmm one of my gsp's does this as well but i just belive it is because he is bored.( i need to remodel the tank, cant wait till the end of the semester)

I've heard of people just reorganizing everything, maybe taking one thing out and putting it back in 2 weeks later. Could help for a little while

[jus85411]

my GSP does this too! but his sleep cycle is opposite of mine almost. i come down in the morning to get ready for work and hes up out and about, swimming the glass, looking at me as i walk into the kitchen. i usually come over, turn on the lights for a minute or two to say good morning. pet him and turn off the lights to go to work. i come home from work, or roommates come home from work if i have my second job, and whenever the lights get turned on hes nowhere to be found(his bed is behind this fake coral decor i have). i spot him, completely dark green back with lighter patches, belly dark. but by the time he gets up and starts swimming around hes back to normal coloring. i asked about that a long time ago when i first got him and thought something was wrong when he did this. turns out they basically have "sleeping colors" and "hunting colors"

[cswank]

hmmm one of my gsp's does this as well but i just belive it is because he is bored.( i need to remodel the tank, cant wait till the end of the semester)

I've heard of people just reorganizing everything, maybe taking one thing out and putting it back in 2 weeks later. Could help for a little while

I do this every week when I do water changes, take everything out and reorganize. I also keep a bucket full of rocks/decorations to switch out weekly as well so he's always exploring something relatively new.

[briguy44]

Maybe he is in too small of a tank and just needs a little more room to explore.......how big is your tank?