Perculas getting worse? Picture here.

[Elmo18]

Okay, my perculas are definitely getting worse. I don't know what they are down with. I posted earlier, and people here have actually not done anythign and they disappeared.

Please help!! I don't want my pair of true perculas to perish. It has now spread to the female percula.

Here is a pic of the male taken this morning: 9:31 AM PST

Regards,
Ilham

[SomeHairyOldGuy]

I cant really tell. But is he being taken over with black spots or stuff? Do they both look like that? How are the other fish doing?
SHOG

[Elmo18]

The only other fish right now is a Kole Tang in my 80 gallon. Everything else was moved to the 25 gallon with my now cured Vanisi. The Kole Tang is fine, and has no marks whatsoever on the fish's body.

What is this stuff??? Both my perculas have this.

I'm getting reaalllly worried, because I think I should be doing something about it.

Regards,
Ilham

[Aragorn]

Elmo18,

How are they behaving? Are they scratching? Listless? Breathing rapidly? The reason I ask is because my perc's developed dark spots and eventually turned a darker color. They're still doing fine though. It was just a change in coloration. Their behavior always remained stable. Can you give me some more info? Thanks.

[Elmo18]

They both seem hungry. I fed them twice already today since this morning, feeding brine shrimp and formula 1. They gulp them down like there was no tomorrow.

The two always hang out with eachother. They are staying away from the goniopora and swimming more towards the upper half of the tank.

I don't notice heavy breathing.

Water params:
Temp is 81 deg. F.
Calcium 450
pH 8.2
Nitrate 0.5
Ammonia undetectable

I have no idea what is wrong here.

In addition to this problem, my Kole Tang will not eat any food i give him. He will only eat algae off the aquarium glass by using this bristletooth. I tried Seaweed Selects green, lettuce, Formula 1, brine, peas, anything green........he won't touch.....

Only thing I haven't tried is Formula 2 and Brown Seaweed Selects.

I hope my perculas are ok.

Regards,
Ilham

[Aragorn]

Elmo,

Well a voracious appetite is a good sign. If they're not scratching, breathing heavily, or NOT swimming around, then maybe....just maybe....they're just "darkening up". Like I said, I had the same thing happen to my perc's. I was REALLY worried for a bit but I didn't notice any aberrant behavior. I therefore took a risk by leaving them alone. They eventually simply changed from a bright orange to a tan/orange. They're still doing fine. Please note that by no stretch of the imagination am I an expert in disease diagnosis. Hopefully some other members may help out here. But the fact that they're eating well leads me to believe that they may be OK. If their behavior does take "a turn for the worse", I'd recommend a freshwater dip immediately(always remeber to adjust Ph and temp) as a precautionary measure until it can be diagnosed. FWIW

P.S. No mucus secretion either?

[Elmo18]

Well they are swimming "around". They go from the goniopora up to the top half of the tank and swim around there together. They are eating well, though.

Just lots of small black spots, even on the bottom of mouth part by fins. I'll just wait and see what happens.

This freshwater dip, is this just regular RO water with correct temp and pH?

Hopefully it's not ich or brookynelliya?? or velvet?? There are no mucus anywhere.

I'm praying right now.

Regards,
Ilham

[Aragorn]

Yes, just RO water adjusted for temp and Ph. This is good at ridding the body of SOME parasites...unfortunately not all. Take my word for it, this is definitely not brooklynella(thank God). I've gone through that disease. Ich, velvet, brooklynella usually present themselves a whiteish objects(spots or film) on the body, not black. Just monitor them closely and be ready if things take a turn for the worse.

[Elmo18]

I looked closer and if you look at the picture above there is white spot right after the first white stripe on the male percula.

I see about two white spots. So what is this.....i now have black and white spots.

Thanks for your replies Aragorn. I will monitor them closely. After I do a freshwater dip, if i put them back in the tank, won't they still get the parasites??

Also, how long is the freshwater dip?

Regards,
Ilham

Now im reaaaallly praying.

[Aragorn]

Well,
The "black spots" and the white spots are probably completely unrelated(JMO). It's not unusual for Ich(white spots) to be in a tank. I have it in my 72g. Rest assured, if kept "in check" Ich is usually not fatal. I keep the Ich in my tank in check w/ cleaner shrimp. They're very effective. Typically, one can never rid a tank of ich. Garlic is also an effective treatment for ich.

Anyway, if you do perform a freshwater dip, that will usually rid the fish of ich...for the time being. Stress is also a factor in diagnosis and treatment of disease.

IMO, your nitrates could be a bit lower. Have you considered a water change?

[Elmo18]

Is it normal for perculas to swim around the top of the water surface??

I heard or read a post saying that perculas are one species that like to swim around the top of the tank.

It doesn't look like they are trying to jump out of the tank, so my pH and water params are ok. I will do a 5 gallon water change, nothing big.

I just fed them again with brine. They are eating so much. I don't get it.

Regards,
Ilham

[Aragorn]

My percs swim all over(toward the top as well). They do have our Goniopora's as "home base" though.