Black spots, grow with light

[JohnnyOnTheSpot]

My tiny butterfly goldfish is bright orange with half black fins. She has always had a few tiny specs of black on her head, right above and between the eyes. But a few days ago I noticed too big black spots. They weren't raised, they seem to be under the transparent level of her skin on the head. The weird thing is they fade every night with the light off and get stronger during the day with them on. I know this isn't an ammonia burn, because I don't have ammonia. I also have no snails so they didn't get that disease I forget the name of.

Could this just be a change in her pattern or could this be something more? She's still a young fish so I'm assuming it could be normal. Also, absolutely no difference aside from that, she still acts the same (albeit annoying) way.

[Strider199]

Being she has black in her and you say the black spots fade at times and come back, I would say the black spots are just another pattern your gold fish can display when the mood strikes her. :goldfish:

If the spots were raised and didn't fad and reappear, I would agree with a disease.

[JohnnyOnTheSpot]

I hope you're right. What disease could it even be? Here's the best picture I could get, but it is a bit darker in person:

http://i999.photobucket.com/albums/af117/JohnnyOnTheSpot_album/Fish/HPIM2402.jpg

[Strider199]

Found this on the net, give it a read. You know your fish and conditions better than I.

http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/Melanophore%20Migration.html

The point I like if your tank is cycled and stable.
"Check water quality. Make sure fish appear active and bright. Fins should be clear and dorsals raised. If all these areas are acceptable, then you just have to wait for the black spots to fade as the fish heals".

[JohnnyOnTheSpot]

Ah, interesting, thanks. I'm not sure if she's healing from anything nor do I blame ammonia...again my water quality is right where it should be in a fully cycled tank. I did treat for parasites a few weeks ago, and a week or so before that a bacterial infection, but I'm not sure they would show up now due to that.

Her condition hasn't changed. She's a really strange fish and loves laying on the gravel at night. Her dorsal fin is completely upright and she looks fine...she just seems to enjoy sleeping there, which still bugs me to be honest since it looks so bad.

[JohnnyOnTheSpot]

I FINALLY got a decent picture of it, the first one shows the color the best, the second and third, the shape. It's been getting bigger.

http://i999.photobucket.com/albums/af117/JohnnyOnTheSpot_album/Fish/DSCN0821.jpg

http://i999.photobucket.com/albums/af117/JohnnyOnTheSpot_album/Fish/DSCN0553.jpg

http://i999.photobucket.com/albums/af117/JohnnyOnTheSpot_album/Fish/DSCN0651.jpg

[JohnnyOnTheSpot]

I can rule out ammonia burn, by the way, as my tank is fully cycled and I just checked and it's at 0. It's definitely getting bigger, and it's only under the gel-like part of the front of her face, in between her eyes.

[Lady Hobbs]

You've mentioned 3 times your tank is cycled but didn't mention your water changing schedule. Are you changing water regularly and doing large water changes or changing just a bit of it?

Doesn't look like disease to me because the fins aren't ragged like would happen in fin rot. Looks to me as she is simply changing color in area's.

[JohnnyOnTheSpot]

You've mentioned 3 times your tank is cycled but didn't mention your water changing schedule. Are you changing water regularly and doing large water changes or changing just a bit of it?

Doesn't look like disease to me because the fins aren't ragged like would happen in fin rot. Looks to me as she is simply changing color in area's.

I do 20% bi-weekly. They don't muck up the tank too fast and I don't let it get past 10 nitrates.

[MCools]

I think her coloration is just changing. Most fish change color as they grow, sometimes quite drastically.

[Cermet]

Your water change rate is excellent, the tank looks ultra clean so I really do not think illness is an issue - I aggree with the other posters. :hmm3grin2orange: