hey all,

one of my rummys has turned almost black in the body, but otherwise seems fine, eats and swims round as normal. has anyone else had this and should i be worried?

thanks for any replies and advice.

Changes in colour usually relate to stress but then the fish goes pale, not black. The only reference I can find is a tumour pinching the neural pathways which control skin colouration. If there is also swelling behind the operculum the same book suggests a problem with the thyroid and that adding iodine to the water for several weeks will help.

I've had some fish go black once when I accidentally got some toxic stuff in the tank. It came off a piece of unpainted customwood lying across the top of the tank. Could something have contaminated the water?

hey, thanks for the replies

i havent noticed any swelling caryl the fish pretty much is normal apart from the colour.

warren, i havent done anything out of the ordinary, and my tank is pretty well covered, so dont think anything could have contaminated the water, unless something was in the water itself.

all the other fish seem 100% including discus, rest of the rummys, blue rams, and assorted catfish

im with caryl, either that or perhaps hes taken a mighty big whack and hes bruised? (seen it in discus and other larger fish before)