# black spots inside fish



## customdrumfinishes (Apr 1, 2008)

I have around 35 ember tetras in a tank and noticed yesterday that 3 fish have black spots like bruises inside them. they are spots inside like someone used a magic marker inside. there not dots or small pecks like ick or something, there big spots. i cant get a pic of them becuase they wont sit still long enough for a clear pic.

they still act healty and swim around fine just know its not right.


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## Complexity (Aug 11, 2008)

I don't know what the spots might be, but I'd move them to a Q/T immediately. If it's bacterial, you don't want it spreading if you can stop it.

How long have you had the tetras? Have you introduced any new fish to the tank recently? Any other fish with signs of illness within the last month or so?


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## customdrumfinishes (Apr 1, 2008)

the tetras have been in for a year. no other fish have been put in the tank in the past 6 months. i have added plants but nothing else. there are alot of shrimp in the tank to 40+ that all seem fine to.


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## Complexity (Aug 11, 2008)

Very odd. Do you treat your plants before putting them in? Where did you get them? Plants can carry pathogens into a tank. I sure hope that's not the case here, but I can't figure out any other way the fish would suddenly develop spots. One, maybe. But not three fish at the same time. Something must have caused those spots.


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## Afyounie (Aug 10, 2007)

Are these single spots like around the stomach area? If so, it could be that they are eating something that is dark in color. Have you changed what you have been feeding them?


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## customdrumfinishes (Apr 1, 2008)

the spots are around head,middle and tail. i just looked at them again and it looks like a bruise people get. im going to try and catch them today but will be very hard lol they are fast as hell.

the food has been the same for around 6 months to. i have only added 2 plants to the tank in the past 2 months. 
i have other tanks to put them in so maybe ill get pics them later


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## Afyounie (Aug 10, 2007)

It could be that they are trying to mate and are beating each other up. I hope that it is something like that rather than a parasite or bacteria.


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## Complexity (Aug 11, 2008)

I've had the best luck in catching fish in my 75g tank by using a large, black net and lots of patience. I think the net is something like 10" x 6", give or take a couple of inches either way.

What I do is rinse off the net so it won't have air pockets when it's first put in the tank. Then I put it in the tank in an area that the fish I want is known to swim. I just leave the net there for a minute so it's not the focus of the fish's attention. When the fish I'm wanting gets into the area, I very slowly move the net towards it. If it swims away, that's fine. I just keep the net where it is. Eventually, I'm able to get the net close enough to get the fish I want. I never chase the fish or jerk the net. It's all very slow motion. It's the size of the net that helps get the fish when it tries to swim away. It can't swim far enough away to get beyond the edges of the net.

I've managed to do this 3 times with my fish, including an apisto, a torpedo barb and a cardinal tetra. Have a second, smaller net with you in case you get more fish than you intended. You can hold the large net at the surface, but in the water, and use the second net to catch the intended fish. Once you have it in the large net, it's not hard to get it in a smaller net since it obviously can't get away.

The main thing is to use a large net and be very slow and patient. I hope it works for you!


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