Hi from a day to the other my red devil is showing this black spots. Is it something to worry about it is just a normal teenager "beard"
Red Devil, is this an issue
- Thread starter AlexCR
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Black spot disease or commonly known as fluke disease. It is a freshwater fish disease caused by flatworm larvae of the genus Neascus. It appears as tiny black spots on the skin, fins and flesh of the fish. My bristle nose pleco died of this disease. usually comes from food or a new fish.
Hard to tell from your photos, but quite possibly just a shift in melanin, which can be part of the fading process in this species of Amphilophus.
I do not believe that this is what is refereed to as black spot disease. I have posted the following several times over the years;
Black Spot disease is spread by birds, and carried by snails. In freshwater fish there is no real treatment, you have to simply wait it out & make sure that the cycle cannot repeat itself. (do not keep snails with infected fish)
The "Noga" mentioned in the excerpt below would be Dr. Edward J. Noga, MS, DVM, a highly respected professor of aquatic medicine and immunology, that has been published approx 150 times in related papers/journals. His lab at NC State University specializes in the study of infectious diseases of finfish and shellfish.
According to Noga, if the fish has "black spot disease" there is no OTC treatment for the metacercaria (which are not in themselves lethal). They will simply "come out" of the cysts.
If there are no snails or copepods around, that is the end of the line. However, while the metacercaria are there, they can cause an immune reaction, which can be hard on the fish. If/when the metacercaria come out, they leave behind a hole that can get infected with bacteria and/or bleed. That is a danger to the fish. Salt in the water helps healing and increases production of the slime coat. Frequent water changes dilute out any possible infectious bacteria and supports the immune system. The key for fish survival (if they do not bleed to death from the holes) is a good immune system.
Black Spot is due to the metacercarian stage of a parasite with a complex life cycle called a "digenean" trematode . The "black spot" is caused by the metacercaria encysted under the skin which irritates the melanocytes of the fish tissue, causing the dark spot.
As long as it is under the skin, it is impervious from outside.
I do not believe that this is what is refereed to as black spot disease. I have posted the following several times over the years;
Black Spot disease is spread by birds, and carried by snails. In freshwater fish there is no real treatment, you have to simply wait it out & make sure that the cycle cannot repeat itself. (do not keep snails with infected fish)
The "Noga" mentioned in the excerpt below would be Dr. Edward J. Noga, MS, DVM, a highly respected professor of aquatic medicine and immunology, that has been published approx 150 times in related papers/journals. His lab at NC State University specializes in the study of infectious diseases of finfish and shellfish.
According to Noga, if the fish has "black spot disease" there is no OTC treatment for the metacercaria (which are not in themselves lethal). They will simply "come out" of the cysts.
If there are no snails or copepods around, that is the end of the line. However, while the metacercaria are there, they can cause an immune reaction, which can be hard on the fish. If/when the metacercaria come out, they leave behind a hole that can get infected with bacteria and/or bleed. That is a danger to the fish. Salt in the water helps healing and increases production of the slime coat. Frequent water changes dilute out any possible infectious bacteria and supports the immune system. The key for fish survival (if they do not bleed to death from the holes) is a good immune system.
Black Spot is due to the metacercarian stage of a parasite with a complex life cycle called a "digenean" trematode . The "black spot" is caused by the metacercaria encysted under the skin which irritates the melanocytes of the fish tissue, causing the dark spot.
As long as it is under the skin, it is impervious from outside.
since I am not a doctor I cant say anything against this. all I know is that my plecostomus caught this disease(or showed sighns of it) and died a few days later. do you have any suggestions of what it could have died of? the pleco was only 7 months old, i had just bought it from my local pet shop, and the same black spots appeared. the fish acted normally. the fish died in the night and naturally, the next morning the other fish ate part of him. a week later a massive amount of deaths happened in the 80 litre tank.
PS. nothing said here is mean to offend anything RD. said. I have only been in this hobby for 4 years, and still new.
PS. nothing said here is mean to offend anything RD. said. I have only been in this hobby for 4 years, and still new.
Black spot disease does not typically kill most fish, and certainly not within a few days. I have no idea what the issue with your pleco was.
But with the OP's fish, shifts in melanin production is quite common, especially with younger fish, such as theirs. I wrote the following several yrs ago to help explain the process, in this example for flowerhorn faders that carry this Amphilophus gene.
www.monsterfishkeepers.com
But with the OP's fish, shifts in melanin production is quite common, especially with younger fish, such as theirs. I wrote the following several yrs ago to help explain the process, in this example for flowerhorn faders that carry this Amphilophus gene.
Faders - explained
I thought that I would compile some info in regards to FH faders, where the fader gene originates from, and why it only surfaces in some fish. Amelanism is a pigmentation abnormality characterized by the lack of pigments called melanins (black pigment) and can affect reptiles, fish...
www.monsterfishkeepers.com
It might be as
RD.
Mentioned just the natural process of the fish. I have an Amphilophus Sagittae, a cousin of Red Devil's, and when ever he gets a growth spurt, or gets hurt, the new growth first comes in black in color then peels later on to his current color.
RD.
Mentioned just the natural process of the fish. I have an Amphilophus Sagittae, a cousin of Red Devil's, and when ever he gets a growth spurt, or gets hurt, the new growth first comes in black in color then peels later on to his current color.
Agree with others that its most likely hormonal change in pigment. My devil went through several phases of black blotching and color changes while maturing, usually noticeable around the fins and head. They should eventually wash out to a uniform color.