eureka jake strange (black spots)

[gannmann101]

I noticed about 4 days ago that one of my jakes had a strang black spot near his tale. I thought about it and I had just cleaned the tank and thought maybe it was just somthing stuck to him. Well today I. Look to see if it was gone and now there is atleast 6 of these spots.  They are not raised not like a xyste or ick. They look like ink marks its only on the one. Jake. Seems happy/healthy.  Any ideas what this could be and how to fix it would be greatly appreaciated.   My tanks are clean all levels. Are perfect. Does not seem to be on any other fish in the tank I have 3 more that I got at the same time. All seem fine only thang I've changed in along time was I picked up a jar of (extreme) cichlid p ellets. I've been feeding thatand NLS thera +A.  I also mix it up with blood worms. Brine shrimp and green food.  I'm thinking it could be too much spuirla.  Has anyone else used this food. I havet fed any dry food other than NLS for years. I hope it isn't somthing to do with this food.I will tr to get a picture in the morning. Oh I also thought maybe just a junk fish but highly doubt. That is the case.  I looked on google and seems to be some wha common but noone has given a valid cause and cure.

[Ron]

I've seen/experienced something similar to this before and it was a pigment issue. The fish grow into it, then eventually grew out of it, but some took years to do so. I've read about it being linked to spirulina and like to feed that myself, but I'm not convinced it's the single reason. At the same time it's been a long time and I can't recall more about it.

[gannmann101]

I seen it somewhere along time ago too. It wasn't a problem that realy concerned so didn't give a second thought.  The pigment. Was. My first thought . When I seen it had spread. It may just not be a high quality jake. With all  the hybreeds and line breeding. It would make sence that its has bad genus. It just looks so good I will be shocked if the answerw comes to this conclusion. Picture wil be posted soon. I'm still not going to feed this food any longer if anyone anyone wants it have basically a whole jar.

[Steve]

Does it look anything like this? This is my Red Shoulder Peacock and he had these odd black marks on his one side when I got him last October, looked like dots of black ink like you said. They stayed with him from Oct till just about 3 weeks ago when they started going away and now they are completely gone. No idea what they were but didn't see to be anything harmful at all and now are gone.

[gannmann101]

Yup that is exactly what mine looks like. But get this. Looked at it and they were gone except one that is on the tail. Strange strange strange. I didn't feed them any thang for a day. Well almost two. Days. So am going back to NLS. And see if any thang. Comes back

[Maize-N-Blue-D]

Just a thought - could it be a rub mark that came from the paint on your background ?

[gannmann101]

I don't think it could be paint. I only paint the outside bottoms of my tanks but it looks a lot like paint splater.

[Steve]

Mine had the spot when I bought him so it definitely wasn't from anything in the tank. I think it was probably something to do with what Ron said and something with the food/pigment. Glad yours spot went away,  that is weird it went away so fast like that Mine took a few weeks for it to disappear.

[gannmann101]

Yeah it was interesting how it all went away except the one on its tail fin. I spoke to soon. this after noon I looked and they were back  It is all on the same exact spots so I'm thinking it has to be a pigment problem.  Maybe a combination of the food stress and possible bad genitics. Starting today I took the jake out and put him in his own hospital tank and am only feeding green frozen food. I will up date this thread daily. Till we can come up with a answer to this. Problem. It seems. To be a very common problem from what I have read in the last few days. But haven't found. Anythang that gives a answer. As to why this happens. It is not just the hybread or line bread cichlids. Any help or thoughts will be. Greatly appreicated

[gannmann101]

The jake has been in isolation for about 3 days. Only being fed frozen green food. I haven't noticed any changes. Except for the day when all except one spot disappeared. Then all came back later that day.  All the previous black spots are still the same. Does not seem to be spreading.  I'm going to keep feeding the green food for 14 days total and see if there is any change . Then try a different food or combo of foods. 

[Ron]

FWIW, here are some photos of a fish I had with a pigment issue:

Look at the tail and a bit along where the body meets the dorsal (along the lateral line is normal - he's not quite as fired up in this shot as he is in the next):


Then on his other side, it was mainly on the tail (highlighted with red circling in this shot):

[gannmann101]

I've still got the jake in a tank by himself. The black spots are same as when I noticed them I'm going to ut it back in the maiin tank tomorrow.   The picture. That is a hawk correct?  Good looking fish

[Maize-N-Blue-D]

All seem fine only thang I've changed in along time was I picked up a jar of (extreme) cichlid p ellets. I've been feeding thatand NLS thera +A.  I also mix it up with blood worms. Brine shrimp and green food.  I'm thinking it could be too much spuirla.  Has anyone else used this food. I havet fed any dry food other than NLS for years. I hope it isn't something to do with this food.I will tr to get a picture in the morning. .

Just an FYI - I was told by more than one source that you should NOT feed your Peacocks any Blood worms nor brine shrimp,  something that has to do with their digestive track being very long and this type of food could "clog" up in their intestine possibly causing BLOAT and to only feed them Spirulina and the Xtreme pee wee to start, then move on to the next size Xtreme sized pellet

[Ron]

I've still got the jake in a tank by himself. The black spots are same as when I noticed them I'm going to ut it back in the maiin tank tomorrow.   The picture. That is a hawk correct?  Good looking fish

The only "hawk" I know of is Aristochromis chrysti, which I also have, but the body shape, especially the face, is different from the fish pictured above. The fish above is a Protomelas sp. I bought him as "Ndwie Blue Fire" IIRC and it was within my first couple years of keeping cichlids. I'm still not 100% certain on what the scientific name should be. I've seen a lot of references to it being a variant of P. taeniolatus (the more common variant of this species has the household name "Red Empress").

[gannmann101]

I didn't. Have my contacts. In when I read your post. Was guessing by color that it was a hawk. Non the less its a very good looking fish.