Originally Posted by AbsoluteRanchu

PYKoh answered very well. The best way to give colour is to keep the fish in real excellent water and give them plenty of vegetable. Vegetable will add colour, and sheen to the scales. But nothing beat fish with excellent condition. One thing to add, if a fish grows too fast the pigment of the scales will generally not be as good as fish that grows gradually. Fish will develop more pigments on the scales as they age. But ranchu also change all through out their lives and there are no set thing.

Nowadays, we live in the age where there are many natural additives that will improve the colours and scales conditions of the fish too. As long as keepers stay on top of the technology trends, the fish will benefit as well.