are pond fry typically different colors than fry raised in aquariums?

[Criscar]

Goldfish spawning is over, but now my danios (mostly leopards with a couple zebra) are having at it. I have fry of varying ages that I am near certain are danios (the only other option would be golden white cloud mountain minnows), but they are extremely jet black, with a tiny iridiscent spot on the tops of their heads. And the oldest of the bunch are still keeping this color even at 1/2-3/4" in length (and they are very torpedo shaped, not goldfish shaped). All the images I can find online of danio or WCMM fry suggest that they should be tan or white at these ages. Does the sun exposure cause fry to be a different color than they would be indoors? I'm still assuming they will end up looking like their parents eventually, but who knows, maybe they bred a weird color morph.

 

[Stephen Noble]

Fish raised outdoors are almost always more beautiful. They enjoy all sorts of live foods not available in an an aquarium. Depending on species, the gorgeous iridescence tends to fade over time after they are moved indoors.

 

[GBBUDD]

I placed 50 neon cardinals in my Pond this year and the colors that shimmer off them is incredible .

 

[brokensword]

I placed 50 neon cardinals in my Pond this year and the colors that shimmer off them is incredible .

pics or it didn't happen...

 

[GBBUDD]

Your funny take a pic of 1/2" fish threw water / i might as well sprinkle water droplets on the camera lens and look at the sun. Take my word for it it's pretty cool they school but they do like to hide. its only now and then that you'll see them swim by . Which was the point just a flash of color and movement now and then.

 

[brokensword]

Your funny take a pic of 1/2" fish threw water / i might as well sprinkle water droplets on the camera lens and look at the sun. Take my word for it it's pretty cool they school but they do like to hide. its only now and then that you'll see them swim by . Which was the point just a flash of color and movement now and then.

tsk tsk tsk; didcha lose your video camera, then? My oh my, how the mighty have fallen!!

 

[Stephen Noble]

tsk tsk tsk; didcha lose your video camera, then? My oh my, how the mighty have fallen!!

Wow, we are a tough crowd. No mercy here!

I placed 50 neon cardinals in my Pond this year and the colors that shimmer off them is incredible .

I never tried neon or cardinals but can imagine a school of 50 must be spectacular. I had a school of American-Flag Fish for a couple of years in a small pond and their coloration was so beautiful. Never could get that vivid coloration when raising them in aquariums. They breed like rabbits though so capturing them before winter was a chore.

 

[brokensword]

Wow, we are a tough crowd. No mercy here!

I never tried neon or cardinals but can imagine a school of 50 must be spectacular. I had a school of American-Flag Fish for a couple of years in a small pond and their coloration was so beautiful. Never could get that vivid coloration when raising them in aquariums. They breed like rabbits though so capturing them before winter was a chore.

c'mon, Stephen; I KNOW you want to see the pics/vids! A life-long aquarist enthusiast entreprenuer like you? Just gotta get the big man GB to realize the gold he has in such a vid, hey?

 

[GBBUDD]

capturing them before winter was a chore.

Well that is one reason i used an aquarium fish as in new england they will not survive the winter . when the temps drop they go to sleep and never awake .. no breeding issues and 50 cardinals in a aquarium 45 will probably live 3 months anyway and 5 might live a year.

 

[Mr. Green Frog]

Goldfish spawning is over, but now my danios (mostly leopards with a couple zebra) are having at it. I have fry of varying ages that I am near certain are danios (the only other option would be golden white cloud mountain minnows), but they are extremely jet black, with a tiny iridiscent spot on the tops of their heads. And the oldest of the bunch are still keeping this color even at 1/2-3/4" in length (and they are very torpedo shaped, not goldfish shaped). All the images I can find online of danio or WCMM fry suggest that they should be tan or white at these ages. Does the sun exposure cause fry to be a different color than they would be indoors? I'm still assuming they will end up looking like their parents eventually, but who knows, maybe they bred a weird color morph.

Can you post a pic?

 

[Criscar]

Can you post a pic?

It’s pretty challenging to take photos of fish less than an inch long under moving water, but these guys behave like the danios they are and hang out at the surface, at least. The photos are not all clear but it gives you the idea

 

[Criscar]

It’s pretty challenging to take photos of fish less than an inch long under moving water, but these guys behave like the danios they are and hang out at the surface, at least. The photos are not all clear but it gives you the idea

although, to cause a little confusion, I was just noticing how my golden WCMM do have an iridescent stripe on their back so who knows?

 

[Mr. Green Frog]

Hard to tell from those. Hopefully they'll grow a bit and be easier to tell.

 

[Criscar]

Just to update, they turned out to be leopard danios and lost the iridescent stripe once they were near adult size