# weird looking yellow lab



## Kimmah (Dec 26, 2011)

I put 6 yellow labs in a new tank 3 days ago. All the fish seem to be doing fine, swimming around, eating etc. One of them however has turned a funny yellow/orangy colour, it's eyes are dark around the eyeballs and it has a black spot on either side on the gills. The fish doesn't appear to be sick but I don't know why it has turned a strange colour.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Yellow labs eyes are dark around the eyeballs...if you mean the iris. Or do you mean the skin around the eyes?

Dark colors on the face/gills of a yellow lab is called bearding and can be due to extreme moods like stress, fear, excitement.

Orangey color could be just the shade of yellow, or do you think the fish might be a mix with estherae? Does the fish have a black dorsal stripe?


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## AfricanLove (Jan 2, 2012)

Does it have like a blackish or brown mask?


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## repeter (Dec 11, 2011)

The black mask is not desirable from most keepers but its common. The black around the eye are you referring to black streak running across the eye?


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

Unless you are trying to become a breeder I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just enjoy the fish.


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## Kimmah (Dec 26, 2011)

Thanks for your responses. It does have a black stripe along its dorsal fin. It kinda looks like its dirty down the back. Around the eyes is dark. My husband doesn't think the fish looked like this when we first got it so maybe it is stressed being in a new tank but all the other fish are fine and he is friendly enough. As long as he is not sick!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Dark coloration on the yellow body of a lab CAN be from stress. If a fish is stressed he is more susceptible to illness. Keep an eye out for fin or scale damage, or if the fish lurks under the surface, behind heaters or filter intakes. Those are signs of harassment.


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## repeter (Dec 11, 2011)

DJRansome said:


> Dark coloration on the yellow body of a lab CAN be from stress. If a fish is stressed he is more susceptible to illness. Keep an eye out for fin or scale damage, or if the fish lurks under the surface, behind heaters or filter intakes. Those are signs of harassment.


Thanks for the tip DJ!! Just learnt something new


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## Fishingback (Feb 9, 2012)

Before I sold my subdominant males, they would tend to get the "racoon" look, and some of them had light bars.

The dominant male was always bright yellow.


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## AfricanLove (Jan 2, 2012)

The dominant male is always "Raccoon" looking from what I've read on this forum.


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## repeter (Dec 11, 2011)

I just saw a lab of mine with that black scale on the gills. He also seemed a bit darker not brighter. I moved him to my smaller tank and that scale disappeared and he turns brighter. He sill has a black mask on his nose area though. But I think the scale on the gills is a stress scale. Maybe just an indicator that they are stressed?

Hope this helps or reassures you.


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## PBrods (Jan 6, 2012)

DJRansome said:


> Dark coloration on the yellow body of a lab CAN be from stress. If a fish is stressed he is more susceptible to illness. Keep an eye out for fin or scale damage, or if the fish lurks under the surface, behind heaters or filter intakes. Those are signs of harassment.


I have 6 small yellow labs and 6 small Danos in my tank. What can be done about the harassing? One lurks by the heater and filter, another in the corner by the plant


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Check your tank dimensions and stocking to see if they need to change.

If they are fine, remove and rehome the stressed fish. Or the aggressive fish. Sometimes it is just the individual.


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