Hi thanks for letting be join the forums.I think i want to educate myself further on my flowerhorn. She is about 3 years old with a wonderful nuchal hump, especially for a female from what I have seen. She lays eggs regularly and changes her colors during that time.
I love this fish.
I want to begin by saying she was purchased from LiveAquaria at a discounted price because she had a parasite or something that had eaten away part of her gil. I nursed her back to health no problem and she looks perfect and never noticed anything like a parasite ever. She was raised with tap water first year of her life and then last year and a half or so has been pure RODI water with the occasional tap water WC.
Recently, and actually sometimes in the past, I have noticed what looks like her skin peeling just a tiny bit in small areas. I also notice, whether she hurt herself or not, but what looks like a white spot or two that will appear on the pectoral fin kind of like when the fish can break one of the bones in there...but it will eventually go away and sometimes come back again.
I usually do a large water change and try to reduce nitrates as best I can when I notice this. I am aware I need to get a larger tank for her asap.
The most recent phenomenon as I must call it for now is these little white spikes growing out of parts of the nuchal. They look similiar to raised ick spots but look more like a tiny spine from a catcus ( cone shaped).
This is strange to me and at the moment nitrates are almost 0, tank is cycled and no other parameters are out of whack.
I noticed the heater was shot and not heating it to 80 so added a new one today thinking maybe that did not help with the stress and could be contributing to whatever this is however it has been very hot here recently.
Sorry for the long post i respect and appreciate anyone who takes the time to read it and if you can think of anything please let me know.
Thanks all!
