# black spot in the eye



## cedricb (Feb 15, 2008)

Hi 
one of my apistogramma borelli had a black coloration at the top of one of its eye. and a bit of rotten fins too (probably do to the stress)

I looked into the litterature and saw that there was two main possibilities.

First : cancer
Second : parasites coming from bird faeces. In this case the parasite should have a two week cycle and die right after if he cannot find an other bird to "live in".

after a week now the black coloration 50% disapered and get "equalysed" if i can say so in between the two eyes. 

any idea if it could be a cancer or the parasite or anything else I haven't thought about yet.

cedric


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## fish_4_all (Nov 13, 2006)

It could be an injury. Bruising it not unheard of in fish and a hard hit might cause something similar to what you described.


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

Cancer is possible but rarely happens. As for the option 2, unless the fish has been kept in an open area where migratory birds have access to it, it is impossible for the parasites to occur since they will need the intermediate host to progress through their lifecycle and eventually infect the fish. How long did you keep the fish? Did you ask your seller his source?

What are your water parameters? Tank size and tankmates? Tank maintenance schedule?


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## cedricb (Feb 15, 2008)

up date on the fish

no more black spot in the eyes. on my 4 other apisto borelli this guy seems to be the weakest but he is still alive and eats and everything for the moment. He has no real sign or at least external sign of any diseases now. 

my tank is a 55 gallons gravel cleaning (10% water change) every week
water parameters:
Ph 6.8 
nitrite nitrate blablabla 0
soft to medium soft water.

tank mates : 
12 glofish.
1 sealfin pleco.
2 swordtails.
2 yellow lab.

and before you say anythings the yellow labs get along very nicely with the apistos. no agression and even the water parameters do not seem to be a problem. they are very active and eat very well.


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## cedricb (Feb 15, 2008)

forget few things there

I didn't ask for the provenance of the fish. I'm prety sure they do not come from the wild and so i think that you are really true Lupin when you say that the hypothesis of the parasite (or at least the one i was thinking about) is not a good one.

I have these fish in the tank for 2 weeks now. Tank was cycled on the 13th of february. It could well be that the fish was already weak when I took it from the shop and I didn't noticed it in the excitement of finding some apistos not so far from where I leave.


and last : thank you for your comments


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