The Puffer Forum

before i turn the lights on in my tank, my gsps have dark bellies, and lights "tops" and then when i turn the light on, they swim around excitedly and then change to a healthy looking gsp. is this ok?

Yeah, thats ok. They tend to have "sleeping" colours, which are duller than when they are active.

just camouflage!

I remember doing a report once; it was about the colors of fish. They have white bellies because when a fish is below them, looking up - they blend with the bright surface. The pattern on their sides/back is intended to help them blend in with their natural surroundings, so they are more hidden if directly below something that sees them. When the tank is dark, a white belly would naturally make them a target; hence the need for sleeping colors/duller colors.

Granted, this report was about some kind of fish (who knows HOW many years ago) when I was like, in 4th or 5th grade. I have no source to back it up, but that's what I remember!

I agree with Ohyouknow. I did a report around the same age about fish. Everything she says is true.

Sounds feasible to me!

Yey for doing the same homework as meee!
lol... fun times

THANKS!

lol id that too! mine was on STINGrays

orchidman wrote:before i turn the lights on in my tank, my gsps have dark bellies, and lights "tops" and then when i turn the light on, they swim around excitedly and then change to a healthy looking gsp. is this ok?

Just camo my little fugu does it all the time, scared the crap out of me the first time I saw it though.

I think all GSP owners have probably been scared by seeing their GSP sleeping. I know the first time I seen mine sleeping I thought they were sick. I had 3 of them together, and they would all curl up into a ball almost and get very dark. Then they would "unfold" and swim off as if nothing was wrong -- and of course, nothing was wrong, just sleeping!