Orange Zebra with black spots

[bubblecandy]

When I purchased my zebra she had tiny little black specks peppered through out now they seem larger and appears that there are more black spots. Is that normal or are zebras supposed to be with out dark spots?

 

[Cichlid-Man]

True Red/Orange Zebras should not have black spots. Could it be possible you have an OB Zebra? (OB = Orange Blotch - Hybrid of 2 species that produces that dark blotchy pattern). These can be naturally occuring hybrids, and have been known to happen in the wild.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2316 - OB
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=807 - OB
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1730 - Normal

 

[bubblecandy]

Ok take the last picture the that is normal and imagine someone sprinkled ground black pepper on her. The spots look more like that.

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Hmm, could just be "Pepper" as they call it in the discus world. Here is one of my discus with "pepper". Nothing wrong, sometimes a darker tank will bring it out more. A lighter enviornment will make it not as evident. This all assuming its pepper.

 

[bubblecandy]

My tank is pretty dark...

 

[svetlana]

Do your spots look like in this cichlid forum pic:

http://cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=50756&highlight=spots

 

[bubblecandy]

Update

I lightened the tank a great deal a few days ago so now I am waiting to see if the spots will "shrink" for lack of a better word. But I noticed since doing so my convict has been brutally attacked .


svetlana, I haven't been on in a while but yes they do look very similar.

 

[straitjacket]

I don't recognise any OB's that look to have been "sprinkled with pepper". Very small black markings is either "spirulina spot" or parasites. If you're not feeding anything with spirulina in it then it's parasites.

 

[bubblecandy]

Would these parasites grow or spread to other fish? Because it seems to be stagnant right now.

 

[straitjacket]

Depending on the health of your other fish or the overall quality of the aquarium it could spread. There is a chance that it might spread if any of the other fish's immune systems become stressed and susceptable to the parasite. I would suggest medicating the whole tank. Depending on your current temp you might want to raise it to above 82 degrees F in conjunction with meds to speed up the parasite's life cycle and then medicate a second time to kill anything that might have survived the first treatment. I've had a case of these black parasites after buying an infected fish. I found Jungle's Parasite Clear to be gentle and effective. It's also easy to find and inexpensive.

 

[Fish Friend]

lol when you said 'orange zebra with black spots' i thought you meant orange danios with black spots !!!! lol

 

[bubblecandy]

Thanks for the advice Straitjacket. I've nocticed a black spot on my redfin hap that looks Identical to the ones on the zebra and the spots on the zebra are not going away so, I think you maybe right on the parasite thing.

 

[bubblecandy]

Ok. I have a question. I have some seachem for parasites. I have been treating the tank for three days now and have had the temp. 82 and above and I see now progress... eh it seems that the zebra is less spotty but not really... umm is something wrong?