yellow lab sick - silver circle on gill?

billswin

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Dec 15, 2009
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I have 3 yellow labs, 1 of them has been acting odd. Hiding behind the filter intakes near the top. I noticed when I bought this one it had small silver circles on each side near the edge of the gills. The guy at the LFS said it was nothing, just the scales. The yellow lab don't look to healthy compared to the others, but now I notice the same silver dot on a few of the fish. Don't remember seeing them before, maybe I never noticed. I just want to make sure there is no disease just in case this fish is sick.

My question is this normal for some fish to have a silver dot near the gills on both sides - same exact spot. A little bigger than a pen tip - small? I can't find anything about it online.
 
The sort of metallic flash on the top/side of the gills...totally normal.

The behaviour you describe (hiding near top) indicates a stressed or sick fish though.

What size tank, how long set up and what's in there ?
 
75 gallon with 12 african's and 2 peacocks - pretty aggressive 3 kenyi, 3 demonisi, 3 yellow labs, 1 red zebra, 2 bumblebee's - the yellow lab (sick looking one) is eating some, but seems almost scared. No one is chasing her, she just hides all the time and don't look right. Maybe she is blind, just a thought? Seems like she breathes real heavy at times fast gill movement. Looks normal when she moves from place to place, but then hides and sits all angled with fins and tale in a closed position. Don't notice anything else will just keep watching I guess.
 
Yes I agree with Blue. I'd probably add some more labs amongst other things - what are your stocking plans ?

How long is the tank set up ?
 
Well the tank has been up for around 7 - 8 weeks, not sure if I should add anymore?

I think I have a hunch, I tried feeding her again today and I noticed that she goes right up to the food and acts like she is eating it but don't. I tried it twice this morning and tonight and both times she swims right up but don't eat. I mean right up to the pellets and touches with the lips and don't eat. Could she be pregnant, I notice that her front area seems bigger and her gills seem to flare alot more than the others.

She keeps hiding, she is not attacking anyone and no one picks on her at all. The fights are usually between the Kenyi and Bumblbees.

Any ideas?
 
How did you cycle it ? If its not cycled no more fish until it is.
 
These type of fish don't get pregnant. Is there a bulge or swelling around her throat? Does it look like she's always chewing on something? If these are the case she may be holding.

There may also be bullying that's going on when you are not around. Male Kenyis and bumblebees are yellow and may not tolerate other yellow fish.
 
the tank was cycled with 4 african cichlids took around 5 weeks to finish (1 died during the cycle) the rest were added a few at a time after then.

she swims around normal when another fish messes with her, but most of the time she just sits almost vertical with her fin almost touching the surface upside down behind the filter intakes. I am lost, its been days and still won't eat and is alive. I don't see any swelling, but she seems to flare her gills alot (where she breathes from - gills?) every so often but normal sometimes.

I have no clue - maybe she is just scared lol - the bully of the tank is a yellow 3 " Kenyi the other 2 kenyi are blue. There are 3 yellow labs currently including her.
 
Always worth checking ammonia, nitrite and nitrate with a liquid drop kit (paper strips are useless). If there's a problem the weaker fish will show it first. If you can post a pic it would help - she may be holding.
 
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