# so what's the deal with pink peacocks?



## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

when i first picked up a 55 gal for my son when he wanted a cichlid tank, it came with an assortment of fish that at the time I had nay clue what they were. Unfortuneately, not realizing the O2 requirements for them, the next morning we had lost a few of them, including a large pink one. I have been trying to come up with a similar one ever since. I was told it was a sunburst peacock..then strawberry..then friend of mine who breed cichlids (like 80+ tanks 75 gal or larger so they are my go to cichlid experts) told me it was a dragon blood. So I got a few from them.
But here's what I can't figure out. While the original ones I got are now large and breeding, and the male is a good looking fish, he is more orange than red or pink, and the females while having a slight pink tinge, are more of a very light peach colour. The fry have all been either the same colour or somewhat OB coloured.
Every once in a while at BA 's I'll see a phenomenal more pink dragon blood juvenile but my buddy who works there told me one time "it'll fade as they grow"
Last night I go in and they have a tank full of "assorted peacocks" the majority of which are brilliant pink both solid and with dragon blood colouring Another guy had mentioned they were both male and female. I bought 1 male but here's where i get a little confused..
the pale females and juveniles I have I figured maybe just neede time to colour up. But yet here are the juveniles at BA's already bright pink. I wondered if I bought one of the females, even if it fades, does that mean she has that colour genes and hence more likely to have pink fry? Also, how you you end up with such deeply coloured juveniles? Or is it purely luck of the draw?
I understand Dragon Bloods are a hybrid and therefore its not a matter of finding a "pure strain" to breed with, and from some reading I did it seems the trick is breeding out the yellow gene, but still working on breeding the elusive "pink peacock"


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

Fyi this is the the original male I have. the first pic is a while ago, the second is more recent, the third is the male i recently bought and the last pic is the tank at Ba's last night, although the pink doesn't really capture how brilliant to colouring is


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## Y2KGT (Jul 20, 2009)

The fish you see at some stores are hormoned or "juiced" to look like that. That's why their fish are fully coloured up even at a young age compared to the ones you're breeding. Also why your buddy told you they'll fade because eventually the hormones wear off.

You picked up a nice fish but if you bread him who knows what the fry will look like. 
--
Paul


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

Y2KGT said:


> The fish you see at some stores are hormoned or "juiced" to look like that. That's why their fish are fully coloured up even at a young age compared to the ones you're breeding. Also why your buddy told you they'll fade because eventually the hormones wear off.
> 
> You picked up a nice fish but if you bread him who knows what the fry will look like.
> --
> Paul


Thanks, but please say you meant breed, please say you meant breed..lol


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

I took a pic today after I started the thread this morning. This is what je currently looks like, and the colouring of the females I have


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## mistersprinkles (Nov 4, 2013)

That looks like a "Strawberry peacock".


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## tchoke (Mar 15, 2009)

2nd pic looks like a female strawberry


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## Sam66 (Jul 24, 2012)

Newobsession said:


> Fyi this is the the original male I have. the first pic is a while ago, the second is more recent, the third is the male i recently bought and the last pic is the tank at Ba's last night, although the pink doesn't really capture how brilliant to colouring is


Which BA's did you take the last picture at? Also was it in a show tank or for sale tank?

Scott...


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

BA's in Barrie. in a sale tank.


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