Black Moor With White On Fins

[FishWishDish]

My Black Moor has had these white bumpy marks on the front of his pectoral fins for weeks now. (See the picture on my profile -- sorry I couldnt figure out how to load a picture straight to the message!)

Are they breeding tubercles? If so, how long do they stay prominent like this? He didn't have them before.

He's in a 55 gallon tank with 3 other fancy goldfish and a common pleco
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrates kept under 40

Thanks!!

 

[aquila]

My Black Moor has had these white bumpy marks on the front of his pectoral fins for weeks now. (See the picture on my profile -- sorry I couldnt figure out how to load a picture straight to the message!)

Are they breeding tubercles? If so, how long do they stay prominent like this? He didn't have them before.

He's in a 55 gallon tank with 3 other fancy goldfish and a common pleco
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrates kept under 40

Thanks!!

It's hard to tell from the picture! If you haven't introduced any new fish recently then it's unlikely to be Ich, so I would go with breeding tubercles. How old is the fish? They generally don't get them until they're a few years old at least.

 

[Colin_T]

If the little white lumps are only on the edge of the pectoral fins and the gill covers then they are breeding spots. Goldfish are generally mature at 12 months and males start to show the white bumps in warm weather. It happens quite often when people bring in goldfish from a pond and put them in a tank in the house. The warmer water brings the fish into breeding condition and the males develop the little white bumps.

 

[FishWishDish]

Yeah we've had him since about last May so he's 10 months plus whatever age he was when we got him...do breeding tubercles stay forever?

 

[Colin_T]

he will only have the breeding lumps while he is in breeding condition, usually 3-4 months max. Sometimes if they are kept in warm water and really well fed they will have them longer, but normally as soon as the temperature starts to decrease the bumps go.

 

[FishWishDish]

he will only have the breeding lumps while he is in breeding condition, usually 3-4 months max. Sometimes if they are kept in warm water and really well fed they will have them longer, but normally as soon as the temperature starts to decrease the bumps go.

Thanks! That helps -- though we'll be heading into warmer weather soon so I wonder if they might last through the summer?

 

[Colin_T]

if the fish is happy and the water in good condition then he probably will keep them thru summer.