The number of fish keepers starting to keep silver dollar fish in their aquarium is steadily increasing resulting in more and more people reaching out and asking different questions about various problems that can be common with silver dollar fish.
One thing that tends to catch new and experienced fish keepers out is black spots forming on a silver dollar fish.
Unlike most other species of fish where black spots are usually a sign of trauma or injury, male silver dollar fish will naturally form these black spots prior to breeding.
Just like any other species of fish, silver dollar fish can also form black spots on their body due to trauma but in most cases, it will be the natural spots to indicate the fish is ready for breeding.
If your silver dollar fish develops black spots and you are unsure of the reason, the best thing to do is check with a qualified vet or contact an experienced fish keeper in your local area for assistance.
Thankfully though, it is usually very easy to get a good idea as to the cause of the black spots on your fish to help put your mind at ease.
Is It Normal For A Silver Dollar Fish To Have Black Spots?
Yes, it is perfectly normal for silver dollar fish to have black spots on their body. These black spots are usually more visible on the males of the species and will develop prior to breeding.
Due to most fish only showing black spots on their body if they are having problems this can cause some people to worry about their fish unnecessarily.
Female silver dollar fish can also develop black spots on their body but this is usually due to stress, injury or poor water quality rather than anything related to breeding.
If your silver dollar fish is a female and you notice black spots appearing, it is important to check the water quality in the tank and make sure there are no stressful factors that could be causing the spots.
The silver dollar fish is not the only species of fish that can develop these types of spots. Other popular freshwater aquarium fish such as goldfish, koi and silver arowana can also develop black spots on their body but it is often less common in other species of fish and the black spots are not as obvious.
Do Black Spots On A Silver Dollar Fish Need Treatment?
In most cases, black spots on silver dollar fish do not need any treatment and will go away on their own after a period of time.
However, if the black spots are caused by stress or injury then it is important to remove the stressful factor from the tank and provide the necessary treatment to heal the injury.
If you are unsure of what is causing the black spots on your silver dollar fish or how to treat them, it is always best to seek advice from a qualified vet or an experienced fish keeper.
In very bad cases of injury on a silver dollar fish, you may require a specialist treatment from your local veterinarian to deal with the issue anyway.
Just because a male silver dollar fish develops two black spots on it does not mean that is has to breed for them to fade. It is simply a visual indicator that the fish is ready to breed so if you are intentionally trying to breed your silver dollar fish, he is ready to be paired up.
How To Prevent Black Spots On Silver Dollar Fish In The First Place?
The best way to prevent black spots on silver dollar fish is to maintain a high quality of water in the tank at all times. This means regular water changes and testing the water parameters on a regular basis to make sure they are within the correct range.
It is also important to make sure the silver dollar fish has a good diet and is not being overfed as this can lead to stress which can cause black spots to form but this does tend to be rare.
Providing your silver dollar fish with plenty of hiding places and avoiding over-stocking the tank will also help to prevent stress which can again lead to black spots in the species in some cases.
Just remember that black spots on male silver dollar fish are nothing to worry about and are perfectly normal.
If your silver dollar fish is a female and develops black spots, it is important to check the water quality and look for any stressful factors that could be causing the spots but in most cases, no treatment will be necessary.
Is There A Way To Tell If The Black Spots On My Fish Are Due To Trauma?
Black spots forming on a male silver dollar fish who is ready to breed will develop two large black spots that are symmetrical and vertically arranged behind the pectoral fins of the fish.
Just to there being two, it makes it easy to confirm this is the cause of the black spots, all other causes of spots in other areas are usually due to injury and trauma.
Black spots on a silver dollar fish due to trauma will usually not be in pairs, they can be random and often show up as a result of the fish being scratched or hit by something in the tank.
These types of spots are usually not symmetrical and can be raised or lumpy to the touch. In some cases, these black spots may also fall off the silver dollar fish completely if they are just superficial scratches similar to a scab on humans.
If the black spots on your silver dollar fish are due to poor water parameters or quality, these spots can often be raised and have a fuzzy appearance.
These types of black spots are often an indication that the water in the tank needs to be cleaned and the silver dollar fish may need to be moved to a temporary holding tank while this is being done.
You can usually use a water test kit to test the levels of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates in the water to see if they are the cause of the black spots on your fish.
