Black spots

[Zimmanski]

So this is the first issue with any actual illness in my tank and its got me worried. A couple of my fish, most obvious on my clown loach, have black spots on them. So I did my normal google, Internet and forum search and found next to nothing on freshwater black spot disease and the small amount of info I found conflicted. All my parameters are great, 0-0-<10, my tank has a ton of plants so the nitrates shouldn't be any issue and I change my water religiously no matter what the nitrates are every 5 days(every Sunday at the very least) using a siphon and an aqueon water changer. I have super naturals Tahitian moon substrate and I keep it very clean. Anyway back to the black spot, my searches say anything from buy a parasite medication to dont do anything and it will go away on its own. Anyone have experience with this or suggestions? What do I do?

 

[Katherine1119]

Do all the fish have it? What's you ph? Are there any other symptoms? How long has the tank been set up? How many fish?

 

[Zimmanski]

Do all the fish have it? What's you ph? Are there any other symptoms? How long has the tank been set up? How many fish?

Thanks for responding

There's two angels and a clown loach that has these spots, the clown has more and bigger. I would think that it's just a fish changing colors except that its several fish. I haven't checked my ph yet since its been so stable for so long, I'll check it when I get home from work though. Everything from inside the tank has been set up for about 7 months, but I upgraded to a 55g 2 months ago (using everything from the old tank). I'm extremely stocked when you hear what my list is, but they are all juvenile, very small, and another upgrade is coming soon.
4 angels
1 clown loach 3.5 in
1 botia striata 1.5"
1 Angelicus botia 1.5"
2 bamboo shrimp
2 Amano shrimp
2 swordtails
1 platy
4 kuhli loaches 3"
1 electric blue ram 1.5"
6 neon tetras


I used RidIch+ at a half dose last night because all the stores were closed and this morning the spots seemed to be smaller on the clown so I may continue with that but I don't want to treat them with anything if it will just go away on its own or if RidIch won't help. There aren't any other symptoms, everyone is eating great and doing what they're supposed to do.

 

[jlk]

Can you post pics? When was the last time you added new fish? Have you noticed any other symptoms than the spots such as heavy or rapid breathing, gulping at the surface, flashing, excess slime coat, yawning/opening mouth wide, etc?

 

[tamtam]

Some pix would be helpful. What to the spots look like? Are they raised up or swollen looking. Do they look like part of the fish or like they are on the fish?

 

[Zimmanski]

Can you post pics? When was the last time you added new fish? Have you noticed any other symptoms than the spots such as heavy or rapid breathing, gulping at the surface, flashing, excess slime coat, yawning/opening mouth wide, etc?

I'll try to get a pic when I get home today. I added the tetras a little over a week ago so I assume they brought something in since my qt tank got taken over by a unfriendly betta
There's no other signs of anything like I said they're all acting completely normal. No heavy breathing, no gasping at surface, no yawning and no extra slime coat.
It looks as if they rolled around in the dirt, it could be slightly raised but its hard to recall and I know they're not burned like from the heater or anything.

 

[tamtam]

Are they large spots or more like a speckled look?

I had black spots show up on my gourami. They hand been hanging around for a while. Good 2 months and just expanded a little bit. I still have no idea what it was, he did end up dieing. Not sure if it's spot related as I've been having a lot of issues with the fish in my tank dieing that I can't pin point. He's the only one that had spots.

this is a pic of him a week before he died.

The black in his anal fin was new and some of the black on his "cheek" was also newish.

 

[Zimmanski]

Spots and speckles sound the same to me, but if your asking if the whole fish is speckled or just has a couple spots then I'd say spots, it looks like what the yellow gourami had by its cheeks, sort of anyway. My black spots are spread out more than the picture above but as far as color and looks, that may be it

From everything I've seen online it looks like black spot disease, or "black ich" but the pictures online show fish that look like they were in bad health beforehand. Everywhere says that it's much easier to treat than most infections but never go into detail about what the treatments are and some say it will just go away on its own.

 

[tamtam]

Spots and speckles sound the same to me, but if your asking if the whole fish is speckled or just has a couple spots then I'd say spots, it looks like what the yellow gourami had by its cheeks, sort of anyway. My black spots are spread out more than the picture above but as far as color and looks, that may be it

From everything I've seen online it looks like black spot disease, or "black ich" but the pictures online show fish that look like they were in bad health beforehand. Everywhere says that it's much easier to treat than most infections but never go into detail about what the treatments are and some say it will just go away on its own.

I meant are they larger bigger patches or more broken up like the pic of the gourami.

I thought perhaps black spot disease with my gourami but those spots were not raised in any way, they looked like part of his skin and my understanding was that the black spot disease is raised up some.

Sorry I have no advice. I hope you are able to come to some conclusion. I'm sitll unsure if this had something to do with my guys death or not.

 

[Zimmanski]

Well honestly it's hard to recall, I had my lights in "sunset" mode so fine details like being raised or not are hard to remember. I'm almost home though so I will post pictures, ph, and give an update soon. Thank you all for your help, so thankful for this site and its users

 

[Zimmanski]

Okay so heres an update
I dosed rid ich again at a half dose last night because I couldnt get to the store, stared at my fish a while and saw that the spots on my angels are gone and and my clown is clearing up. Woke up this morning and checked on them and after I fed them I saw my clown loach digging hard in my sand trying to get a sinking pellet that was between a decoration and the sand so now Im second guessing what I saw, now Im thinking that Tahitian Moon sand looks an awful lot like raised black spots when stuck to the side of a fish I feel sort of dumb for freaking out but I hand feed my loach and angels and they've been around the longest. I will probably dose the rid ich tonight again just to be sure. Thanks for everyones help