# Dirty looking yellow lab..



## elguappo (Aug 28, 2010)

Hello all,
Hoping to get a better response than when I posted in the Illness section!

I have a couple of yellow labs, about 3 inches, that are looking a little 'dirty'. Grayish/blackish hazy marks on the head and scattered about on their backs. Defo didn't have them when i first got them about 4 weeks ago and they were a great yellow then.

One of them is always hiding near the filter; I did put it down to stress but haven't seen anything upon close observation. Took him/her out into a 10 gallon tank for a while but he was really stressed so I put him back in. Thought I'd lose him/her in the 10 gallon.

Any ideas what this could be? I have a 90 gall tank that has been running for 6 months now with 40-50% weekly water changes and no probs at all until now. ph is at about 7.8ish and ammonia is reaidng 0. Haven't done a nitrate/nitrite test as don't have a kit.

I have various other fish including red zebras, cobues, afra lion coves, cobalt blue, total number is about 20.

Any ideas why this particular yellow lab has these markings and is so nervous?


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

Can you post a pic? It's hard to say without a visual...


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## elguappo (Aug 28, 2010)

Tricky as a) he won't stay still long enough and b)my camera is rubbish.

But, here's my best attempt.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12651407/DSC00011.JPG

Hope it helps.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

Yeah, it's hard to see. It might very well just be stress marks. The conditions of the water are fine, and you're not having aggression/fighting issues?


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## mbuna77 (Aug 25, 2010)

I really can't tell by the pic, but do guys think these markings he speaks of may just be like the black that shows on bearded or striped labs. I have labs but have never seen it in mine. I have read about it and seen several pics. Just a thought.


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## cindi (Nov 25, 2009)

My female hides by the heater while she's holding. The male turns a "dirty" color when she does that. I picked up another female, I'm hoping that 2 will keep him "busy". I've tried in the past for more females (I know they need to be kept in harem's) but they always turn out to be more males. The bright yellow color always comes back when they are courting and happy with each other.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Maybe sick? The fish should have relaxed alone in the hospital tank, especially if you had enough hiding places.


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## elguappo (Aug 28, 2010)

Thanks for the replies.

It's a male for sure as I had 4 females and no males so picked up a male from a local breeder. He vented to make sure.

Water is fine in terms of the parameters I can measure..will pick up a nitrate/nitrite test today.
I did another water change last night, 40%, and checked readings just now. ph is still 7.8ish and ammonia is zero.

My other fish seem really active and happy. I suspect agression too as he hasn't been eating now for 4 days. I set up the nursing tank with rocks etc and gave the dude a few days but he hardly moved, was breathing very heaving and didn't eat so I put him back.

Silly question but after abit more reading up, the marks do look very much like hole in the head disease. Certainly not ick. If that's the case, will my other fish possibly catch it?

Thanks

Edit: the femles are not holding either if that helps.


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## leftfish (Apr 27, 2010)

My Yellow Lab started young nice pure yellow but has as he's grown has what looks like a mustache and 5 o'clock shadow. It does look like dirt but I just attributed it to a normal coloring change and nothing to worry about.

Dan


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Bloat? Did he get better when you put him back in the main tank, or do you think he just moves around more because the other fish chase his sporadically? Sounds like stress marks to me, and that he got sick when he had to hide behind the filter and now the illness is stressing him.


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## elguappo (Aug 28, 2010)

Nope, didn't get better in the old tank. Straight back up to his corner when I put him in.
I took him out of the main tank again yesterday and put him back in the 10 gallon one, along with two other smaller cichlids that I thought would keep him from getting too stressed. Fed them last night but he still hasn't eaten. He's moving around fine by the looks of it and the marks seem less apparent, prob due to the lighting, but just can't get him to eat.
Don't think it's bloat as he isn't too lethargic.
Just confused now and not sure how much longer he can go without eating, although I' hopeful that he picks off the bottom when I'm not around.
Any thing that may stimulate his appetite?
Thanks


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## Joea (May 25, 2004)

Black blotches (also called "bearding" on their faces) and even barring is an unfortunate and undesired trait on many _L. caeruleus_. It's not uncommon to see similar traits even in WC fish, although they're not usually as prominent and certainly not common. Many fastidious breeders will do all they can to try and breed these traits out by selecting only the cleanest specimens to breed but the vast majority of aquarists who breed and distribute with impunity, tend to outnumber the overly picky breeders and in many cases, you get Labs with these markings.

The markings can come and go with changing moods.

If your fish isn't eating, it's another issue and nothing to do with the dark markings. I would suggest posting a thread in the illness section of the boards.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

He might not be eating because he's been moved so much? It sounds like he went back and forth from your main tank to the hosp. tank twice...maybe he's just in shock?


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## elguappo (Aug 28, 2010)

Yes, I was thinking that too today. I've rearranged the rock work in the smaller tank for him and left the lights off all day today without bothering him. 
Will see what he's like tomorrow and try a small feed. Peeping round the corner (feels a l little silly spying in a fish) and saw him hovering around the heater again.
Hoping he goes back to normal soon.


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