Back Widow Tetra - Black Growth Around Mouth And Eye

[dezmaas]

Hi

I have a Back Widow Tetra which has developed a black growth around it's mouth and one eye. If it was white, I would think it was mouth fungus, but it is a black growth.

Does anyone have any ideas what it could be and how to treat?

 

[WILDER]

Are they fluffy growth or patches, as black patches are ammonia burns that are healing, or the fish has been digging.

 

[The-Wolf]

I've had a few widows do this at work; it has been cured with melafix, so I'm assuming it is a bacterial infection,
provided yours are not suffering from amonia burns as wilder has said.

 

[dezmaas]

The patches don't look fluffy and the fish in question is not much of a digger.

I had a filter failure while I was away from home so there's every chance it could be ammonia burns. I now have a new filter installed.

Reading up on this I understand it can lead to internal/external bacterial infections. I have Esha 2000 treatment which treats a multitude of problems including bacterial infections.

Would this be a recommended treatment?

 

[black angel]

Is it raised? I have a black widow with black around her lips but it looks like normal pigment.
If it was ammonia then all of them would have it?

 

[dezmaas]

Is it raised? I have a black widow with black around her lips but it looks like normal pigment.
If it was ammonia then all of them would have it?

I've had it for almost 2 years now and this has only recently happened.

 

[WILDER]

Check your water stats in ammonia and nitrite, if your filter failed ammonia could of built up and now you are seeing ammonia burns that are healing.

 

[black angel]

Ive had my widows a couple of years as well and this one started a month or so ago.

Can you get a pic?

 

[dezmaas]

Ive had my widows a couple of years as well and this one started a month or so ago.

Can you get a pic?

I'll try and get a photo but he hides in the plants most of the time.

 

[dezmaas]

Ive had my widows a couple of years as well and this one started a month or so ago.

Can you get a pic?

I'll try and get a photo but he hides in the plants most of the time.

Here is a photo. It's not very sharp and I had to use digital zoom to get in close as he was hiding at the back.

I could not get a face on shot which would show much more detail including the growth around his left eye, but here it is anyway. It does show some growth on the mouth.

 

[WILDER]

Are the black patches clearing up, just check the head can you see abit of fuzzy fungus on his head, as fungus can grow on dead tissue.

 

[dezmaas]

Are the black patches clearing up, just check the head can you see abit of fuzzy fungus on his head, as fungus can grow on dead tissue.

There is no fuzzy fungus on his head at all. It is a dark black colour all over his mouth and left eye.

 

[black angel]

Looks normal colouring to me.
Wish my fish would sit still so i could get a pic.

 

[dezmaas]

Looks normal colouring to me.
Wish my fish would sit still so i could get a pic.

He never had it before and it's bulging out in big lumps around his mouth. That is not normal, unless you are the Elephant Man perhaps.

 

[WILDER]

Ifn its bulging out i would try a bacterial med sounds like he has an infection then, good luck.