Anyone able to identify black spots?

[AndiPants]

i'm not doubting you on the black spot, but when i researched it and looked at the pictures the fish seem to be 'sprinkled' with spots, almost like pepper...but none of my fish are like that, the 'spots' are more big blotches.
and the other weird thing is that none of the 3 fish who showed these signs were alive at the same time. when one fish died, another would develop the blotches approximately a month or so afterwards. but i guess if this is a parasite they could just moving? i duno, i'm perplexed.

what is the connecting of the water temp with the black spot disease?

 

[AndiPants]

oh, and about quarentine: none of the fish in my tank have the spots presently, the ones who showed have already died. is there something i should be doing, or just cross my fingers?

 

[Lupin]

I suspected this seems to happen mostly with characins especially silver dollars.

This is what I compiled a few months back. I don't think I ever read any possible treatments at all. Other than that, I can't explain anything else about it.

Black Spot Disease (Uvulifer ambloplitis)
Symptoms:
Clinically the fish have numerous black to brown spots up to 1 mm (dia) over the skin, gills and eyes. The spots contain a metacercaria surrounded by heavily pigmented fibrous connective tissue.

Causes:
Introduction of herons and kingfishers which are the definitive host, snails are the first intermediate host. Fish are the second intermediate host.

Black Spot Disease is more common in ponds compared to the aquaria.

Life cycle:
• Adults found in intestine of kingfishers.
• Unembryonated eggs are shed in water -->> hatch in 3 weeks -->> miracidium emerges.
• Miracidium penetrates snail Helisoma trivolvis (ramshorn snail) -->> mother sporocyst -->> daughter sporocyst -->> furcocercous cercaria are released.
• Cercaria penetrates skin of host and transforms into neascus metacercaria, where there is a strong tissue reaction -->> black spot
• Fish then eaten by bird -->> metacercariae excysts -->> adult in intestine.


Pathology
1. Strong tissue reaction due to mobilization of fibrocytes and melanocytes to create black spot.

2. If reaction is strong enough, total body fat of fish will be driven below 5%.

3. If fish enters winter in this condition, it will not survive because fish does not feed in winter and does not have enough fat reserves to over winter.

4. At least 50 cysts are necessary to cause mortality.

5. At least 10-20% of fish will die each winter.

6. Because of parasite overdispersion, 70-80% of the parasites the pond will also be eliminated in winter.

 

[hughitt1]

I also have Columbian Tetras who are also starting to show the same affliction. One of them had the disease several months ago and passed away. I had hoped the incident was isolated, but now others are showing the same initial symptoms. I posted some pictures and a description at the PlantedTank.net forums.

As the disease progresses the black spots tend to spread, and eventually will start to bulge and push out scales, especially near the tail fin. Does anyone have any suggestions? I really hope this is treatable :\

 

[msjinkzd]

I can't view those pictures, hugh, without signing in to that forum....could you post them again please?

 

[hughitt1]

Oops. I didn't realize the forums required registration to view the pictures. Here you go!

 

[msjinkzd]

I am really interested to see if anyone has any input on this as I have some swordtail tetras "of doom" that seem to have a similar affliction. So far I have treated with antibacterial meds (maracyn combo), antiparasitic (food and dips), salt dip and bath (for 1 month) and although the lesions they initially presented with are gone, they now have black spots very similar to these. Are yours acting normally? Mine have been voracious eaters and very normal in behaviour throughout this entire "illness" which has lasted months now. I have lost three of six so far.

 

[AndiPants]

mine had always acted normally while they had the spots, and they would have them for months before they died. when they died it happened really quickly: i looked in the tank and saw the fish was swimming sideways and about 15 minutes later he had died. it happened this way with all of my columbians, except for the one tough guy i have left who shows no signs.

 

[KarlTh]

Raising this thread from the dead - I'm losing Columbians now quite quickly with exactly the same symptoms. None of the other species of fish in the tank are in any way bothered. After having the spots for ages (it's not black spot; the patches are too large and too diffuse) the fish start swimming at a rakish angle, then start swimming erratically and soon after that they die.

They used to be so happy; very colourful and even bred in their community aquarium (most of the ones I've got are actually offspring of the original five or six I had) but I'm almost half wishing that if they're all going to go this way that they'd hurry up and do it and I'll get something else.

 

[kwiibby]

I am also having this issue with 3 of my 6 Columbians. Has anyone had any success with finding more information and/or treating this?