I would expect a emperor to show this color by the time it reaches 3 yrs of age ~ 4 yrs

MP shells have alot of axanthaxin...but this can be shown in the color of the red's flesh too...

I have tried feeding triple dose axathaxin direct with beefheart...the effect is not bad but not very impressive either...it just enhances the base color alittle

kage bro,

again very elaborate post but good for those who want to learn. There is one thing you left out, don''t mind me pointing it out. When to start tanning or at what size?

Wish my emperor will take to MP again. I believe coloraration has faded after I switched to enrich pellets in bf & sw when it start rejecting MP.
MP probably best diet for reds.

its still on top!!

should come from side right?

http://arofanatics.com/members/kagem...che=1127461111

as long as water condition is good, how long you tan plus power feeding, the water will not turn green. My t5 20,000k have been tanning for sometime liao, plus feed BF and MP, I don't see any problem. In fact the appetite increase like hell. Next round you come and see, all will be bui bui 1. Not forgetting to say, sai only droplets hor cos it's being scoop up

In today context, enhanced merely mean bringing out the best. As we gain more knowledge, think we will be doing enhancement to water, lighting, & feeding of course. Who know, hormone injection is next? :p

Have I mentioned liao...in terms of when to start:

Size doesnt matter --> my primary motive for tanning is to reform my lousy reds...so they are around 16 - 18" when I was playing with this experiment

I have also done it on a trio of 6" reds (but cannot use as a good gauge cos they are of gd parentage)...almost every part of the red achieve orange (meaning to say lower jaw, belly except the 6th level where the shine have not crossed)

I would say start point for tanning is when they start displaying sporadic dots or coloration along the rims

this is the best time to start

but Bro T28 red is of a bad condition before tanning, hence I recon it and tan accordingly, managed to restore back to coloration ;)

I really don't see a need to tan at 6"

tio lor...u are one other person I know is very proud of their water condition:p

I trust ur bioload is not high enuff...with the 20k light algae also difficult to come lah

Bro kage, as you had mention easiler, why should we avoid the 6th level? Even it is not cross?