Any idea what this dark spot is on his head?

[Goldie Blue]

One of my white clouds has had this dark spot on the top of his head for months. It's gotten slightly bigger, but doesn't seem to be affecting him in any way, nor are any of the other fish getting anything like this. So I don't think it's a fungus or infection 🤷‍♀️ does anyone know what it might be? Hopefully nothing to worry about, but just want to double check!

 

[nabokovfan87]

Definitely not something I've ever seen before.  Hopefully someone can chime in and help out!

[DaveO]

I have a Venezuelan Cory with a similar marking on it's side. It's more like a beauty mark than a freckle. The mark began to show at a young age and grew slightly larger but is no longer increasing in size. I've always thought it was just a birthmark. Your White Cloud however, seems to have the typical poorly fitted toupee.

[mynameisnobody]

@Goldie Blue My gold white cloud mountain minnows have exactly that. It started small and now 2 of them are basically fully black. There’s a total of about 4 with less black but still more than the 0% it should have. I posted about this a few months back and got nothing. I can tell you that it doesn’t seem to impede in any way, they are actually some of the larger specimen. With that said, I’d love to find out what it is. I’m assuming it’s a water quality issue, but that’s simply an assumption. 

[Colu]

 the only other thing I can think of that cause black marks on fish is ammonia or black spot disease I don't think it either of them it looks more like a genetic mutation 

[Minanora]

@WhitecloudDynasty may have insight.

Is the spot matte in appearance or the same sheen as the surrounding scales?

I've had fish get melanomas before but I've not seen melanomas on wcmm.

But it concerns me that it's gotten larger.

[Goldie Blue]

On 12/5/2022 at 7:03 AM, DaveO said:

Your White Cloud however, seems to have the typical poorly fitted toupee.

That is funny you mentioned that, I called him Toup short for Toupee lol.

On 12/5/2022 at 11:28 AM, Mynameisnobody said:

I can tell you that it doesn’t seem to impede in any way, they are actually some of the larger specimen. With that said, I’d love to find out what it is. I’m assuming it’s a water quality issue, but that’s simply an assumption. 

Yes he is one of the original fish I put in my tank once it was cycled, so he is going on two years in there. He's only had it the last 5-6 months though. My water always tests with normal parameters. He seems totally fine and happy, eats good etc. I hope it's nothing to worry about, but it's odd to hear of someone else with the same breed having the same exact issue! If you ever come across what it might be please tag or DM me!

On 12/5/2022 at 12:37 PM, Minanora said:

Is the spot matte in appearance or the same sheen as the surrounding scales?

It appears to be more matte from what I can tell. He never sits still long enough for me to get a real good close up though! If you think it'd help I can get him out into something smaller to get better pics/vision.

[WhitecloudDynasty]

Thats normal in golden white cloud..some are just cleaner than other

[PineSong]

On 12/5/2022 at 5:21 PM, WhitecloudDynasty said:

Thats normal in golden white cloud..some are just cleaner than other

That's what I was going to guess--one of mine has this, too, but he's been healthy all along. I call him Gorbachev!

[WhitecloudDynasty]

I have bred an almost all black golden white cloud and they are weaker fish, so I don't recommend it.

It could be cancer just like platies and swordtail black marking