Do Color-Enhancing Foods Reall Work?

[the Julles]

Do you guys think that color-enhancing foods really promote better, brighter colors in goldfish and koi?

If so, does anyone know the science behind it?

[Timgod]

I've never tested the theory.
I usually feed them the Tetra Pond Koi Vibrance throughout the year anyway except for the cold winter months.
So I guess I would have to change their diet to see if their color dulled down........ 
Nope the wife would never allow it....

Tim

[PondmaninAL]

I feed mine three kinds of food. One of those is TetraPond Color. They all have good color, goldfish, shubunkins, and koi.

Happy ponding,
Scott

[Jerry]

I have had 2 Shububkins lose their color. I do nothing.  Is that why?

[the Julles]

I don't even know the difference between "good color," "poor color," and "loosing its color."  I just see FISH and have no clue if they're brightly-colored or not.  That's just the way they came!

Jerry - what do you mean they lost their color?  They've faded?  They are the same color but just more pale?  They turned brown instead?

Just curious.

[PondmaninAL]

Jerry, you would be a good test subject. Go out and buy some color enhancing food and see what happens. Give us weekly reports.

Happy ponding,
Scott

[Rocmon]

My feeder comets have changed color dramatically—well mostly all have lost the cute black accents they used to have. One was almost black and faded to bronze. Another had black fins on an orange body it's just about all orange now. 
I had a sarassa with an orange hat on its head, it faded away and now it's all white.

I never fed them at all until just recently. The foods say they enhance color but I can't say I've seen any difference, other than the algae growing more...

I started with the Tetrafin flakes and now feed them Topfin floating pellets. I saw the Higari brand for twice the price, but the ingredients appeared to be about the same. I recently read that phosphorus content is something to look at for water quality... Whew! I don't even know what fish food to buy...

[LuvMyFish]

Pour genetics are why a lot of fish lose color. It can also be from a number other of things. Stress can mess up the coloring in a fish. Bad water quality's is another.

As for color enhancing foods I take it you're talking about spirulina in foods. Spirulina is a  color enhancer, it can be good and bad for your fish. To much of it will turn your whites yellowish.  I never use foods with spirulina in it more then two months. Anymore then that can yellow them out. Spirulina pulls out the reds, and blacks nice. as long as you don't care if your whites are not real white feed it all the time. For me the white on a koi comes first. if a koi doesn't have good whites to it, it's not worth the other colors in it. I will see if I can find some pictures to show you what I mean.

Here is a koi that was fed a lot of Spirulina over the years. The picture doesn't show how yellow it is, but it is yellow.

Here is a koi that has seen very little Spirulina. I like to feed shrimp to help with the color. Then you get nice clean whites.

[Indiana Karen]

Most of my fish are mutts, so I'm sure my problem is with genetics.
I had one fish that I was especially proud of and named him Handsome.
These pictures were taken two years apart. :'(
Thanks for the info on Spirulina, I need to go check my bag.

Karen

[Dodie]

I had never fed the kids any color enhancing food.
There was a color enhancer food on sale at  a pet food store I wnet into and tried it.

I noticed a big difference. The color became brighter and more vibrant.
So now I feed the Tetra color enhancer.

I was shocked that there would be any difference at all but there was.


Dodie

[lorraine1960]

hi i use it all the time and u can pull pics up on photo album and look at mine they are always very bright and beautiful....lorraine

[aravenschild]

I've noticed the feeding spirulina will yellow any white fish over time, not just koi....

I don't use a food with color enhancer, or spirulina, but I still get great whites (no not sharks ) and redder reds. As for blacks, that is the most unstable color in goldfish (not sure about koi), and genetics have alot to do with weither they stay black or not..........

Vicky

[Jerry]

My apologies I missed this thread.
By faded I mean just a dull white (Gold fish)  Most are bright and look good to my not picky eye

[CT]

They do work. Most have beta carotene in them. Krill is a good food to brighten fish color.
Kay

[OldMarine]

Jerry, I have seven shubunkins and one sarasa and all I feed them is the color enhansing fish pellets. My shubunkins and sarasa all have brilliant colors, and I have never experienced any kind of fading. The sarasa is orange red down it's back with a white belly area and the color pattern down it back just keep getting bigger and brighter as it gets older.

I would have to say that the fish foods do add more color to my pond fish.