Do Goldfish Turn White in the Dark?

My kids were making dinner the other night and asked me about a fun fact they read on the side of a box of fish filets. The 'fact' said goldfish kept in the dark will turn white. Both the chemistry and biology of fish color are pretty complex. Fish color can change in response to their environment (including lighting), heredity, diet, age, and other factors. The color changes range from temporary to permanent. The fun fact was an oversimplification. Your goldfish would become pale from lack of light, but unless you either starve it or feed it foods lacking pigments, it won't turn white.


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