How to make the pigeon blood black dots disappear

[wo]

Hi,

Recently I have bought 12 marlboro discus fry from a local pet shop(2CM). I feed them 6 times a day. Within 1 month they grow to 5cm but the black dots grow a lot and that make the fish look dirty. Are there any tips to get rid of those ugly dots. Could anyone help me? Thanks!

[DarkDiscus]

Wo,

Welcome to the board.

This thread should help:

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index.php?board=2;action=display;threadid=2679;sta rt=0

John

[Carol_Roberts]

A white or light background will help, but it may just be genetics. Usually the cleanest ones stay clean and those heavily peppered stay peppered to one degree or another.
Carol :heart1:

[wo]

Today I will put my little Marlboro fish to a brighter background and hope that they won't get any pepper from now on. One of my friend said that large amount WC and unstable water condition could cause those pepper grow.

[Carol_Roberts]

Your friend is partially right. Unstable water conditions will stress your discus.

I heat and agitate my water in a 55 gallon storage barrel. This brings the pH and temperature up so it is the same as the tank water. I can do 90% water changes if needed with no stress to my discus.

Carol :heart1:

[LETHERBARR0W]

Hi Everyone. :santa:

I have read all your advise on pigeon blood black spots and have just replaced my black background with a white one, and now wait with great anticipation. I have attatched a photo taken today and as you can see it is pretty bad.

Thanks for the advice and have a great New Year. ;D

Johnny boy. 8)

Do you have an after pic yet?

[arpanlib]

hi,
a light background will lighter the peppering, but to an extent.

hey johnny boy, do you have any pic after you shifted to a light backgorund??? do share it with us.

arpanlib

[LETHERBARR0W]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your replies. :D

Here is a photo taken just 24hrs after the white background. I think there is an impovement expecially on the top fin area. Generally on the body I think is also lighter. :o

Here is a recent picture, What do you think ?

Johnny Boy 8)

[LETHERBARR0W]

Hi Again,

Below is a photo of another discus in the same tank that is a great colour.

Johnny Boy 8)

[Carol_Roberts]

Nice pictures. Illustrates perfectly how light background will help reduce peppering, but not totally eradicate it.

Genetics determines amount of peppering as shown by third pigeonblood (which I assume is in same background color tank).
Carol :heart1:

[wo]

Hi,

The following are the pictures of my marlboro. They are now 2 inches large and 3 months old. But the black pepper and the bars are still there. I heard someone mention that those dots will decrease when aging. I did not color feed them so the color is kind of pink but never red. Will some of them turn red?

[wo]

This is an very old tank so it got many water marks on them. They can not wash out. So it look kind of dirty but actually I do WC everyday.

[Mike_T]

A surefire way...sell your PBs and buy some Red Melons... ;)

Mike T 8)

[gary1218]

It's not the background color that counts. I believe it's more the bottom color.

Also, water quality will have more of an effect on the peppering, or lack thereof, than the background and/or bottom color.

GARY

[Anna Piranha]

Some questions:
1) When using a lighter background to reduce peppering, is it an optical illusion or does the fish actually change colors?
2) Should the appearance of peppering be understood solely as a stress reaction or a negative reaction to some stimulus (e.g., bad water, aggressive behavior by other fish, illness, etc.)
3) I would also like to know if Marlboro Reds ever change their color to become more red over time. The one I have acquired is straight-up yellow. I try to see red when I look at it, but I am not even convincing myself :)

- Anna

Anna, A Red Marlboro and Yellow Marlboro is the same fish! Yellow and red is the same bloodline. Some fish just have a greater propensity to show red. All red fish need to be fed with color enhaced food or they will fade to and orangish red.

Joe ;)

[sumptnfshy]

here are two pics of my peppered pb the first one was when he was stressed (yes he was lighter when stressed????) the second one is a pic after he settled in.

[sumptnfshy]

Heres the other one.

[sumptnfshy]

Heres a pic of another fish that closely resembles the little one you mentioned. Notice she has peppering as well. I dont mind the peppering at all.

[alex_m]

Cross with clean golden or pure golden.

alex