black spot disease Black spot disease?

[Samuel Tabares A]

Hello fellow nerms,

I had some baby guppies in a 5 gallon bucket outdoors with snails and I have moved them to a heavily planted dirted 16 g tank indoors with some White clouds, snails and shrimp.

I have noticed that most of the guppies scratch against plants and one of them has a black spot in the middle of her body.

After a little reading, I'm thinking they may have black spot disease. Would you agree?

I sort of understand the life cycle of the flat worm that causes the black spot disease, so I was wondering if without the access to birds, can the flatworm be contagious to the other fish?

I have also read that the worms do little damage to the fish and is mainly a cosmetic issue, is that right?

I have read that prazil pro could be helpful, but I'm in Colombia and is super expensive and I can't afford it right now, how else could I treat it?

I Have also read that methylene blue can be helpful but can I use it with plants?

Everyone in the tanks looks fat and active

P.s

the guppies were born in my water.

I'm new to the hobby

Temp 27-25

Ph 6.8

Ammonia 0

(Don't have any more tests at the moment)  

Excuse the photo, they won't stay still!
 

[Brandy]

I can't tell anything about the guppy from the picture, and as colors come in on young guppies they can look patchy and awkward at times, so this may just be pigment.

Scratching on things is a symptom of something, however. I am not familiar with water in Columbia, but your pH of 6.8 is a little low for guppies. I suspect you might have soft water, and they might like some more minerals and a little higher pH. If you can access a small amount of crushed coral you can add that slowly to the tank and monitor the pH. It will slowly come up--don't rush that. Aim for at least 7.4--I also have low pH soft water and I just add a small handful of crushed coral to a 10 gallon (38 liter) tank.

Also, nearly all external issues can be solved by salt according to Cory and Aquarium Co-Op --I have easy access to prazi, so I do use that.

The down side of salt is that it wont be good for plants and ramshorn snails. If, after bringing the pH up in a week or two, you still have flashing/scratching, you could remove snails and plants and add some salt to the tank. Most people would treat the fish in a separate tank and leave the main tank set up, but if you lack an additional tank, snails and plants will live happily in a bucket for a week or two while you salt treat the fish. 

 

 

[Samuel Tabares A]

Thanks, I'm going to give it a go! I do want to set up a hospital tank with out plants to use salt in.

I ve manage to take a better picture.