Black blotches: NOT peppering

[Ricky aiden]

Hey guys, i have black blotches on strains that dont pepper. I highly doubt it is a water quality issue as i have discus breeding in the same system. Im thinking they're marks from being attacked but 1 of the 2 that have them is alot bigger then the others he is with so im unsure

Problem

1. Please explain the problems with your fish. When did you notice the problems and did anything unusual happen that you think started them?

Black blotches on body of turquoise and blue diamond. I separated a pair away from them recently.


2. Symptoms (i.e. turning dark, excess slime, not eating, clamped fins, flashing, darting, clamped gills,*white/yellow/green poop, hiding,*headstanding or tailstanding, white on tips of fins, rotting or fungus,*blisters/white zits on fish, bloated, cloudy eyes, wounds).

Black blotches

3. What medications/ treatments have you already tried and what were the results. Include dosage and duration of treatment.

None


Tank/Water

4. Tank size and ages, numbers and sizes of fish.

System is about 370l (100g) been running over 2 years. There is 7 discus and a peppermint bristlenose but tank is sectioned into 3. I've had all fish between 18 months and 2 years.

5. Water change regime (What percentage and how often).

200L so about 50 percent. Everyday

6. How long has tank been running? Is it bare bottom? If you have substrate, what type and how deep is it?

2+ years bare bottom

7. Do you age your water? If you do for how long and what is the ph swing.

10minutes, had the same routine for 2 years with no issue, ph in tank is the same as out of tap. Everytime ive ever tested there has been no fluctuation

8. What type/brand water conditioner do you use? Do you add it to the tank or aging barrel? How much do you use?

Prime at the recommended dose (5ml per 200l)
Add to waterchange bucket.

9. Parameters and water source;

Note: Water Parameters are important in diagnosing problems within a tank. If you don't own test kits for the following information, you can purchase them, test your parameters and post this info as soon as possible.



- temp ___29°c__

- ph ___7__

- ammonia reading ___0_

- nitrite reading _0___

- nitrate reading __never been higher then 10ppm, les then 5ppm right now__

What type of water or combinations of water sources do you use? If it is an RO/tap/well water mix, please list percentages in the mix.

- well water ____

- municipal water __100%__ almost negligible chlorine in water anyway.

- RO water ____



10. Any new fish, plants or inverts added recently.
Nope

11. Please tell us what you feed your fish and how often. This can be critical information for solving the problem so be as specific as you can.

Homemade beefheart/seafood mix
Freeze dried blackworms as a treat every 3 or 4 days

12. Include any pictures or videos you have which shows the symptoms. If you can't add them to this post, please provide a link to them.

[Ricky aiden]

Pics
https://www.instagram.com/p/CINg74Lp...=13gth501mh0da

[Second Hand Pat]

Hi Ricky, those look like discus peck marks or fighting if you will. When discus fight dark marks or bruising can results. The bruising generally goes away in a few days and clean water can help with this.
Pat

[Ricky aiden]

Hi pat, thats what i was thinking, its just that the other times I've seen them fight it resulted in split fins and missing scales, never bruising. Thats interesting, thankyou for the clarification pat

Ricky