What is on my Silver Dollars tail?

Question

I have 2 Silver Dollars in my 75 gallon tank along with other fish. One of them has a small yellow spot on its tail, looks like on both sides. It almost looks loke a little ball attached. It seems very healthy and it has not spread to other fish. What is it?

Answer 1

It sounds more like a cyst or a fungus of some sort for me. A cyst might due to a virus or parasites, and a fungus is usually just a sign of infection brought on by underlying problem that's weakening the fish.

If it's a fungus, it isn't likely to spread to your other fish unless they're also weakened by stress or disease. Regardless, it's not a healthy thing to have in your tank and if you have the ability to quarantine that fish, it would be safer.

If it's disease or parasites, it's more likely to be a danger to your other fish and you should try to separate the sick one. Again, getting a clear picture or describing it i more detail along with your tank parameters on a knowledgable fish website might help you get a diagnosis so you can treat your fish, because it's not going to get better by itself.

Whatever it is, keeping your water as clean and healthy as possible is going to help that fish survive and help your others keep from getting whatever it is.

If you can get a nice, clear picture of it to post, show it at www.aquahobby.com and they can probably help you with a more specific diagnosis.

Answer 2

When i caught one of my sunfish, it had one of those. Its a parasite and i got rid of mine by adding aquarium salt to the tank. After the parasite was gone i removed the salt from the tank. 1 tablespoon per 10 gallons.

Answer 3

It could be Ick, a disease very common among Tropicals, usually caused by stress. If the spots multiply, try "Ick Cure", always works for me.

Answer 4

Eggs