Blue / Green Phantom

[HarleyK]

Howdy

I’ve read that the blue and green might be the same species just collected from different areas. True?? Which makes me wonder if it’s genetics or water conditions/ diet. Has anyone here seen their phantom change over from one color to the other?

thanks
HarleyK

 

[Fallen_Leaves16]

This has been reported a few times, as far as I am aware; there are pictures of L128 turning a "greenish" tint (or at the very least far less blue; more like an odd olive grey hue), and even some images of L128s being partially green and partially blue. Don't know of any instances of L200 becoming more like L128.
Tank-bred L128 develop and maintain a blueish hue, and tank-bred L200 develop a greenish hue; but other than colour, the two L#s are phenotypically identical. To my knowledge, L200 comes from the lower Orinoco, and L128 is frequently collected from the upper Orinoco; I think it's been theorised that temperature is the primary influence in long-term colour of L128/L200 as a result, but I'm not certain.
In my opinion, both are Hemiancistrus subviridis; but likely just representative of separate locales.
A shift in colour seems to be rather unpredictable and rare; I don't think there have been any successful instances of intentionally altering the colour of L128/L200.

 

[neutrino]

I've had multiples of each of the three, L128, L200 Hemiancistrus, and L200 Baryancistrus. Reportedly the northernmost L128 are the darkest and become somewhat lighter as you move south to where L200 Hemiancistrus take over and then become lighter themselves as you move even further south. In my experience each of the three can darken or lighten with mood and possibly water chemistry. Ime L128 can look less blue and more olive in some moods and both L200s can look darker and more olive in some moods, but I haven't seen L200 look blue like L128. Ime, everything else being equal, they spend more time showing their nicest color with tannins in the water.