Blood parrot charcoal color marks?

[Toona]

Hello everyone I’m new here and relatively new to fishkeeping but not new to the YouTube channel! So my blood parrot has got this grey/black growth going on his face and body. I’ve tried to research it but not having much success. Any help would be great at identifying this. (Yes I understand the nitrogen cycle, water parameters, tank mates etc 😊) thanks so much in advanced!

[Colu]

What are your water parameters 

[Toona]

0 am 0 nitrite and 15 nitrate 

ph is high in my area 8.4 didn’t want to mess with it 🤷‍♂️ 

[Colu]

Black marks can be a sign of ammonia burn or an injury that starting to heal in the pictures his gill look very red his can be a sign of ammonia burn

[Toona]

May sound stupid but could a dose of stress coat cause his skin to be sticky then he brushed up against the black sand?

[Colu]

Stress coat wouldn't have that effect

[Colu]

I would recommend using seachem prime over stress coat as it detoxify nitrites and ammonia 

[Toona]

Thank you. Yes I run prime only use stress coat after large water changes. You know what you’re probably right i tested my water Just now I gave you my parameters from a couple weeks ago 😬 and I think im in the midst of a recycle because I’ve got zero ammonia but .25 nitrite and 10 nitrate which probably means he went through that ammonia spike I didn’t catch from not testing my waters enough. So much to learn! Love it hate it 😂 thank you again

I’ve got 

[Colu]

Just now, Toona said:

Thank you. Yes I run prime only use stress coat after large water changes. You know what you’re probably right i tested my water Just now I gave you my parameters from a couple weeks ago 😬 and I think im in the midst of a recycle because I’ve got zero ammonia but .25 nitrite and 10 nitrate which probably means he went through that ammonia spike I didn’t catch from not testing my waters enough. So much to learn! Love it hate it 😂 thank you again

I’ve got 

 I would do small daily water changes and base dose your tank with prime to help detoxify the nitrites till you get your nitrites down to zero

[Toona]

Like 30%? Or less?

[Colu]

I would do 25% daily water change as long as your base dosing prime as it detoxify nitrites and ammonia for 24hr

Edited May 31, 2021 by Colu

[Toona]

Ok did some more research because none of the other tank mates developed what looks similar to an ammonia burn and it turns out this can happen to young blood parrots who undergo these periods where they develop black steaks and blotches as they developed their color and can also take place when spawning

i don’t know if it’s disrespectful to post a link to a different external post but here’s where I found it https://www.fishlore.com/aquariummagazine/feb09/br-parrot-cichlid.htm

hope this helps other new blood parrot keepers cheers!

[A Moore]

Thank you for this link. My blood parrots have some new black spots. Water perimeters are good, zero ammonia.  The tank just went through an ich outbreak that seems to be cleared. I read that black spots can be stress related or in a spawning mood or a disease. I have even read about black ich as well. How are your Blood Parrots now?