Black moor with spot

[blackomen]

One of my black moors has a spot on it, it looks like one of the scales is bent out a bit and kinda like it was bleached or something. She's in a tank with another black moor, a common pleco, a couple ghost shrimp and 3 mystery snails. Parameters are Ammonia= 0, Nitrite = 0, Nitrate = 10 with pwc once a week at about 50% change and gravel vac. Feeding just tetra goldfish flakes and algae discs daily.

Is this something to worry about, or will it just take care of itself?

 

[jsoong]

That looks like a body ulcer ... the white spot is indented with a chunk of skin missing.

Treatment is:
1. maintain very clean water - ulcers often happens with high organic debris content in the water. In spite of your good nitrogenous waste level, an extra water change or 2 won't hurt.
2. Clean ulcer with either 3% H2O2 or betadine ointment. <One application with a q-tip. You will need to lift the fish slightly out of water. Put a clean (wet) towel sling under the fish & gently lift up so the ulcer is out of the water, clean quickly.>
3. Check for parasites- this is ofter the cause of an ulcer - look closely at the wound .. anything hanging out? <It almost look like there is a forked worm - anchor worm - in the wound.> Remove anchor worm with tweezers if there. If you find nothing, you might consider treating empirically with a salt dip or with Prazi. If you find something, the treatment depends on what you find.
4. Watch the wound for bacterial infection - redness, lethargy, etc. A low level of salt (0.1%) may be used to decrease infection till the ulcer heals.

 

[blackomen]

I pulled her out and checked out the spot. I couldn't see anything. Really hard to tell with it being all black. Put the hydrogen peroxide on and accidentally brushed the discolored scale off with the Qtip. Put her back in the tank and thought wow it turned her white where I applied the peroxide! Upon closer inspection it was just the bubbles from the peroxide clinging on for the ride. I must tell you this moor didn't appreciate this doctor's business one bit. Probably thinks I'm from the dark side or something.