oscar colour

Question
hi Karen. i have red tiger oscar of 5 inches in 160 ltr. community tank which i brought 3 months back. it was black now it has become grey. is this because of light coloured background or something else. water condition is good with power filter and weekly water change. pl suggest.
arvind

Answer
Dear Arvind,
It's quite common for oscars to change their color..Especially as they get older. As a general rule, young oscars are dark and then turn a lighter color as they get older and larger.

However, color changes can also be related to water conditions and the oscar's mood itself. When oscars are very frightened or if there is something new in or around their aquarium they may turn very light, almost light gray. And other things can make them turn very dark and their orange/red colorations may turn brighter also.

Just make sure all is well with the water quality. Oscars need plenty of frequent large water changes to stay healthy. Also, you might want to consider changing to a dark background and maybe even a darker subtrate. Sometimes fish will try to blend into their surroundings better by keeping their color similar to their environment. So darker gravel or maybe just a darker background can bring out better colors in them. Also make sure you feed the highest quality cichlid pellets and plenty of variety you can to bring out the best colors and good health in your fish.

I really hope this helps!
Best wishes to you and your fish!
Karen~