What causes peppering

[Skitz]

Bought 3 discus from Ron @ Fish Rock a few weekends ago (maybe 3-4 weeks). I bought a Blue Diamond, Red Melon & a Golden.

Have noticed my Red Melon & Golden (especially teh golden) are becoming a lot more peppered than when I first bought them. I have also noticed this of a pigeon that I bougt at the very beginning from my LFS.

What causes peppering ?

[discus lover01]

Hi there are many possibles that cause peppering some think it's the water quality that causes it some sy it's the food you feed some say it's the genes of the fish and some just say it's stress spots like a bared discus when there stress bars come up.
It's impossible to know what causes this but try changing a few things around like water quality first if you get a bit better or less peppering then also try change food and then if this also works you can maybe get the peppering to a minimum but if nothing works maybe it's just in the fishes gene makeup and nothing can be done but i would try to change some things around.
hope this helps
brett

[mcloughlin2]

Peppering can become noticicably worse if the discus are kept on a dark substance (Black or dark brown).

If you want to reduce the peppering you can try using a lighter substance, lighter background. Not to say anything bad about fishrock as i know it would not have been by them, but sometimes the discus breeders in Singapore colour feed their discus to reduce the peppering Once you buy these fish if they are not continuously fed the food they will gradually gain peppering and loose colour.

[Xtreme]

Hi all,

To me there is only 1 answer to the question and that is genetics

No other reason is possible,they all have ways of making the peppering not come out BUT the answer is because of its genetics

HTH
Wayne

[Merrilyn]

I agree with you Wayne.

It's genetic.

There is some discussion that if you keep young juvenile discus in a light coloured tank, with the lights on 24/7 for at least a month, the fish will never pepper.

I'm not sure if that's true. I've never tried it, but I do know that fish kept in a planted tank, over dark substrate will show more peppering than the same fish kept in a light coloured tank over a light or white substrate. The peppering will always be there, but in a light tank, it is less noticeable.

[Xtreme]

Very true Merrilyn,
People always try and prolong it but it eventually rears its ugly head :lol:
But bare is the way to go if u like that look
Didnt mean to be harsh in earlier post but its the truth


Cheers Wayne