Parrot Cichlid Has Black Stuff!

[Snick]

I have a parrot cichlid (my FAVORITE fish) and it seems to have some "blackness" forming over its body and fins... what can this be? How can i treat it?

 

[KimA]

I have a parrot cichlid (my FAVORITE fish) and it seems to have some "blackness" forming over its body and fins... what can this be? How can i treat it?

Parrot's usually develop black marks due to stress caused by something - either water quality, maybe not being happy with tank mates, or even having internal decor played around with too much by us owners.

Best thing to start with is testing the water/probable water change - they are very particular (know mine is).

Kim

 

[vancouver]

Yep it's usually from stress.. mine get it when they're being picked on, or when they're not happy generally.

 

[jayjay]

don't some parrots actually have black markings?? like normaly as i've seen nearly completly blacky browny coloured one's and i've seen ones that are patchy?

 

[KimA]

don't some parrots actually have black markings?? like normaly as i've seen nearly completly blacky browny coloured one's and i've seen ones that are patchy?

You're right, some naturally have black markings.

But if they don't normally have any black patches and they start to appear, then it's down to stress of some sort (my Parrot's had it once and it looked like he'd been rubbing in a muddy puddle ! I'd been fiddling around with the tank decor a fair bit...left it alone for a few days and the black marks disappeared.

 

[Seidge]

ive just noticed black marks on my orange male balloon mollie. they are more like black spots and they are very deep colour black and are well defined, could this be the same thing?

 

[vancouver]

I've never heard of mollies getting it from stress... could just be changing colors.