Spots on my fish

[Lisa Cain]

There are spots on my fish. Can someone tell me what is wrong and what I need to do?

 

[blaxsun]

#fishmedic

 

[vetteguy53081]

There are spots on my fish. Can someone tell me what is wrong and what I need to do?

Looks like skin irritation or mucus plugs from poor water quality, previous ich or nfection
Treatment in separate quarantine tank is best with coppersafe at 2.25-2.5 monitored with reliable test kit for copper and maintaining good water quality

 

[Lisa Cain]

Looks like skin irritation or mucus plugs from poor water quality, previous ich or nfection
Treatment in separate quarantine tank is best with coppersafe at 2.25-2.5 monitored with reliable test kit for copper and maintaining good water quality

Thank you for your advice!!. He was fine. I just noticed them today. The water parameters were okay. Do they look like flukes?

 

[vetteguy53081]

O

Thank you for your advice!!. He was fine. I just noticed them today. The water parameters were okay. Do they look like flukes?

Often flukes are not visible and often found around gill area and body opposed to being congregated in one area as in your pics

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

There are spots on my fish. Can someone tell me what is wrong and what I need to do?

Tough to see - the photos seem distorted. I can see the spots, but it also looks like the trigger's eyes are cloudy. There also seems to be something growing off of its dorsal fin.

How long have you had the fish?
What other fish are in with it?

Jay

 

[Lisa Cain]

Tough to see - the photos seem distorted. I can see the spots, but it also looks like the trigger's eyes are cloudy. There also seems to be something growing off of its dorsal fin.

How long have you had the fish?
What other fish are in with it?

Jay

I have had the fish about 1 month. Included is a Lunar Wrasse, tomatoe clown fish, blenney , coral beauty, dasmel, and I had a beautiful anthias but it disappeared about 2 days ago

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I have had the fish about 1 month. Included is a Lunar Wrasse, tomatoe clown fish, blenney , coral beauty, dasmel, and I had a beautiful anthias but it disappeared about 2 days ago

Having another fish disappear so recently could be related. However, no way to tell exactly. Anthias are not the sturdiest of fish, and it could have died from that.

Flukes typically do not create spots on a fish, the symptoms are rapid breathing and fins and skin that look sort of "worn". However, I can't rule that out due to the trigger's cloudy eyes.

If you think you can catch the trigger without harming it, you could try a five minute freshwater dip. Then, look in the bottom of the dip container to see if you can see tiny flukes and then, see if the fish improves the next day.

Here is some more info about doing a dip:


“Freshwater dips” are commonly used to dislodge parasites from the skin of marine fishes. To perform these dips, the fish is captured and placed in a dimly lit container of clean freshwater at the same temperature as the aquarium system it came from. Do not use reverse osmosis or deionized water, as there is no buffer capacity, and the pH can drop too low. Dechlorinated tap water is suitable unless it is very acidic. The dip container should be covered with a clear material so that the fish is kept from jumping out, yet can still be observed for overt signs of stress. Hold the fish in the freshwater for five minutes to seven minutes. If acute stress is seen, the dip may need to be terminated early. The idea is to dislodge the parasites, without unduly harming the fish. Many aquarists opt to use reverse osmosis water, and adjust the pH to match the aquarium, but this is simply not necessary if the pH of the freshwater is between 7.5 and 8.5. Some advocate not to aerate the water during the dip, but this is incorrect. The water motion from air bubbles can help keep the fish active so that they can be better assessed for stress. Additionally, the air bubbles help dislodge some parasites during the dip process.
Some caveats:
1) Some fish will give extreme reactions to being dipped (hepatus tangs for example), as long as they were swimming well before the dip, it is best to ignore that behavior and continue for a full five minutes.
2) Moribund fish can be dipped but understand that the acute stress from the dip may prove fatal. The dip water should still be checked for parasites in order to possibly help any remaining fish. Moribund would include any fish that was easy to capture or a fish with a respiration rate of 200+ BPM.
3) Choose the type of net wisely, some fish have spines that will become caught in the netting. Have a pair of scissors handy to cut the net if this happens.
4) Dropping a fish while moving it to and from the dip is common, take care. Some fish have venomous spines, so know that before trying to handle any fish.
5) Fish shaking their heads violently after capture is one cause of mechanical exophthalmos (popeye), so try to gently restrain them in the net while moving them.

Jay

 

[Lisa Cain]

Having another fish disappear so recently could be related. However, no way to tell exactly. Anthias are not the sturdiest of fish, and it could have died from that.

Flukes typically do not create spots on a fish, the symptoms are rapid breathing and fins and skin that look sort of "worn". However, I can't rule that out due to the trigger's cloudy eyes.

If you think you can catch the trigger without harming it, you could try a five minute freshwater dip. Then, look in the bottom of the dip container to see if you can see tiny flukes and then, see if the fish improves the next day.

Here is some more info about doing a dip:


“Freshwater dips” are commonly used to dislodge parasites from the skin of marine fishes. To perform these dips, the fish is captured and placed in a dimly lit container of clean freshwater at the same temperature as the aquarium system it came from. Do not use reverse osmosis or deionized water, as there is no buffer capacity, and the pH can drop too low. Dechlorinated tap water is suitable unless it is very acidic. The dip container should be covered with a clear material so that the fish is kept from jumping out, yet can still be observed for overt signs of stress. Hold the fish in the freshwater for five minutes to seven minutes. If acute stress is seen, the dip may need to be terminated early. The idea is to dislodge the parasites, without unduly harming the fish. Many aquarists opt to use reverse osmosis water, and adjust the pH to match the aquarium, but this is simply not necessary if the pH of the freshwater is between 7.5 and 8.5. Some advocate not to aerate the water during the dip, but this is incorrect. The water motion from air bubbles can help keep the fish active so that they can be better assessed for stress. Additionally, the air bubbles help dislodge some parasites during the dip process.
Some caveats:
1) Some fish will give extreme reactions to being dipped (hepatus tangs for example), as long as they were swimming well before the dip, it is best to ignore that behavior and continue for a full five minutes.
2) Moribund fish can be dipped but understand that the acute stress from the dip may prove fatal. The dip water should still be checked for parasites in order to possibly help any remaining fish. Moribund would include any fish that was easy to capture or a fish with a respiration rate of 200+ BPM.
3) Choose the type of net wisely, some fish have spines that will become caught in the netting. Have a pair of scissors handy to cut the net if this happens.
4) Dropping a fish while moving it to and from the dip is common, take care. Some fish have venomous spines, so know that before trying to handle any fish.
5) Fish shaking their heads violently after capture is one cause of mechanical exophthalmos (popeye), so try to gently restrain them in the net while moving them.

Jay

Thank you so much for your advice. I took a picture a few minutes ago. Look at the eye. He has a wonderful apatite but the eye looks like abubble.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thank you so much for your advice. I took a picture a few minutes ago. Look at the eye. He has a wonderful apatite but the eye looks like abubble.

Fish often get injuries to their eye and that looks like it. As long as the other eye is clear, it won’t be much of an issue, but can take a month or so to heal. There is also the chance of secondary bacterial infection.
Jay