# Hormoned fish -- Consequences?



## matt1321 (Jun 27, 2008)

Hi I bought 3 protomelas spilinotos mara rocks from the LFS over the past year thinking I had at least one male as I saw some hints of a blaze on the top of their heads and hints of blue on their bodies -- Well I was dissapointed to find out they were all females as they all ended up holding. So I went back to what I thought was a respectable LFS this weekend and they had one that was 1 1/2" with the most glowing red neon blaze on its head and tons of color on the back fin and body so I bought him -- I pretty much am guessing he had to be hormoned because I believe that blaze should take years to show but I figured I knew I at least had the male I wanted -- So my question is if I want him strictly for an all male tank is there any harm here? Or will he suffer any serious negative affects or not color up later from the hormoning?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Hormoning can do long term damage to the internal organs of the fish. Their life span may be shortened by it.

You may also find that once the hormones start to dissipate, he will be very dull in colouration and will never colour up properly - this is very common.

The best policy is to NOT do business with LFS who sell fish who are hormoned in this manner. If you don't encourage them by buying from them, perhaps one day they will stop.


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## houstonhimself (Oct 20, 2006)

I wish that I had pictures of the before and after of the Eureka reds that I bought from one of my LFS. They were juvenile sized with show male quality colors, I knew that they were given hormones but I figured what the heck I'll give them a chance. I had one for almost 8 months and not only did it lose all of its color it showed no signs of coloring up even in the presence of females. Avoid fish that look to good to be true, they usually are.


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## rsuarez1982 (Sep 2, 2006)

I too took a chance on a hormoned fish. I bought a 3" D. Comp that had abnormaly long fins and "was really bright and colored up last week when we got him" -lfs owner. Now he was dull and faded. I knew he was a victim. When I got him home, I did something that many would not agree with and now 2 months later, he is close to 6" and a stunner. I don't do major business with this lfs anymore. I just go for necessities and occasional juvi's. They've slowly gone down hill.

I say stay away, though. I took a chance and got lucky. That may not be the case with all fish.

BTW, they still have 3 from the same batch and they look like trash...


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## matt1321 (Jun 27, 2008)

Interesting ! Well I could have imagined that damage would have been done possibly to organs and the such -- But I am surprised that this would affect them maturing (Coloring up) later when they did actually mature -- Is there any idea why that happens? -- I always have noticed that alot of juveniles that I bought at literally every pet store around me (Petsmart, Petco, LFS) have had at least a little color that would often disappear later -- I used to think that this was just due to bigger fish intimidating them until they didn't show color so they wouldn't be picked on -- This was the first time that I really said ok that has to be hormoned and I must admit the biggest reason I think I bought him was that I was curious to see how this hormone thing would play out -- Sort of a science project if you will -- So do most petstores get hormoned fish? Maybe some LFS have no choice but to get hormoned fish due to the breeders available to them hormoning the fish? How long until my fish should be hormone free and no longer showing color? I must say that fish from this LFS have matured fine in the past and I am now assuming all the fish there are most likely hormoned -- So do these negative affects result from somewhat long term use of hormones or could one treatment right before going to the LFS be harmless?


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

I know most replies have been about the affects on the males. Hormoning very often makes females infertile as well as the physical damage of the hormones.

Unfortunately it is never just one dose before shipping. That would not juice up the colors very much and those longer fins need time to grow. The hormones are added to the feed. These fish get it from close to day one and thats why it does physical damage. The young bodies are not supposed to be spending energy and bodily resources on color. It should be going toward growth and immune system building.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

MalawiLover said:


> I know most replies have been about the affects on the males. Hormoning very often makes females infertile as well as the physical damage of the hormones.


Excellent point...Hormones can also cause a female to take on male colouration...


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

cichlidaholic said:


> Excellent point...Hormones can also cause a female to take on male colouration...


Which is why you really need to know your species and know what size they should be starting to color. A 1.5in fully colored male should be a huge stop sign.


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## Hoosier Tank (May 8, 2007)

matt1321 said:


> "Snip" How long until my fish should be hormone free and no longer showing color?


Anyone have an answer to this? If one buys a fish that was "juiced" how long under normal conditions does it take to wear off?


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## jennye0 (May 27, 2008)

I got 2 hormoned fish a couple months ago from an lfs. They were obviously hormoned because they were both extremely colorful for being 1.5" - 2", unfortunately I didnt know about fish being hormoned at the time. They started going back to their normal colors on the second week after I bought them and it happened fairly fast. This first pic is of the OB peacock.









This what "she" looked like a couple months later. Turned out being a female and her pointed dorsal and anal fin went back to being rounded.









This is the male Aulonocara rubescens when I first got him.









What he looks like now. Very drab.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

I don't know if anybody has done any real research. Obviously some of the hormoned fish are female and will lose all color no matter what, and males that are sub-dominant will be more drab, this is normal. The more serious hobbyists don't want to mess with these hormoned fish, I can't blame them.

I doubt it is good for the fish, it seems like some hormoned fish end up sort of "neuter", but actual research would have to be done. 
The real question is if a hormoned young male could still have good normal adult color a year later if the fish is dominant? Because often a hormoned fish may be the only available way for a hobbyist to get the fish.


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## pkut (Feb 3, 2005)

What do they use in the way of hormones on these fish to cause such damage to them? Will good care and food reverse the damage in most cases? 
Most of the fish that I keep, I raise myself or get from private parties. I think that there was one time that I bought a Peacock in a LFS that may have been hormoned because he had a lot of color for such a small male specimen. After a few weeks, he seemed to tone down in color for a while but turned out to be a nice male when he hit about 4 inches long.


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

The most common hormone is testosterone. There are feeds (mostly commercial) available outside the US that have it as a main color enhancer.

If the fish is male, then it is possible to for him to end up a nice looking fish, but the damage to internal organs ios very hard to repair. Especially if the fish was fed hormone containing food its whole life. They will often be stunted and have weak immune systems.

If the fish is female, it pretty much sterilizes her. Not to mention the same stunting and weakened immune system.

And of course for either sex, the longer they are exposed, the more damage is done. Also since aquarium fish essential swimm in each others wastes, adding a hormoned fish to your tank, will expose all your fish to some hightened levels of the hormone as the new fish excretes it


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

I once unwittingly purchased what turned out to be a hormoned female ruby red. I thought he was just an exceptionally poor specimen until one day "he" was holding. Since I have an all male tank that is a big problem. Fortunately I was able to catch her quickly and get her out of there and returned her to the LFS for a full refund. Unfortunately, I now have another peacock, from a different LFS, that I'm started to suspect might also be a hormoned female. "He" is supposed to be a red shoulder and he looks very "muddy." I'm going to be pissed off if "he" starts holding at some point . . . Do hormoned females ever lose all their color or do they stay sort of colored up?


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## matt1321 (Jun 27, 2008)

So aside from the organ damage and sterility why would a male not color up when they actually matured? Is the sterility sorta like neutering a dog or cat? They become calm and not as interested in mating -- So as a result of not agressively having the desire to attract a female or defend a territory for mating as a driving force they would just not feel the need to color up?


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

It more along the lines of the level of hormone they are supplimenting may be higher than he would produce naturally. Also if his energy reserves went to coloring instead of growth and developement while young, he just won't be as healthy an adult as a non-hormoned guy who can put the resources to color as a healthy adult.


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