2007-02-10 13:46:21 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
ok.. you have just read lots of stuff that seems to conflict, but really it doesn't. All of the things mentioned above CAN cause the color change you mention, but you have to know the odds. Out of 1,000,000 tank raised gold fish no more than 1 would have the extremely rare tumors one poster mentions and only 100-200 would have the parasites mentioned. All the rest would have color change due to genetics.
Sum it up, it's typical of healthy goldfish to change color the way you mention, don't sweat the waaaay long odds.
2007-02-10 14:52:17 · answer #1 · answered by magicman116 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like it could be for any of three reasons. There are more details on the link below, but to cover things quickly, these are the main options:
1- Genetics plays a big roll in the color of goldfish. Some change color as they get older.
2- Goldfish Collectors with new goldfish become concerned when within a few weeks or months their GOLD goldfish start showing signs of big black patches of color on the body and fins. The black is a sign of healing. Like a "black and blue" mark on your arm after you hit it on something. The new fish have been knocked around, handled and bruised from the moment they were moved.
3- This could be a sign of a health problem such as parasites, if it is paired with an overall dullness in the fish coloring.
Hope this helps!
2007-02-10 22:01:51 · answer #2 · answered by mystiflaur 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some goldfish change colors - it's normal. Some can go from red to black to white - ect before full grown.
(edit in reply to poster) Goldfish come in a variety of colors from black, silver, gold, red, and white. If they are "feeder" goldfish (the cheap ones you can get at the fair) they tend to change colors often before becoming full grown.
2007-02-10 21:53:54 · answer #3 · answered by Miss. Kitty 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Plain and simple, ammonia burns. 90% of goldfish who are born black change to white or orange in their life, but its a one way street. Goldfish cannot gain black pigmentation by color change, it will always be a disease or water quality issue if they turn black.
2007-02-11 11:11:47 · answer #4 · answered by bzzflygirl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
black spots can be symptoms of 3 things: neural pathways controlling color are pinched, usually by a thyroid tumor that will stick out from under the operculum out of the gills, or a melanosarcoma ( cancer of the pigment cells) or a flagellate infection of the gut.
with the first, adding a trace of iodine to the tank can help, the second, there is no cure and the fish will die, and the third can be treated, using flagyl, gabbrocol, or Hex-ex, depending on the flagellate.
since you have more than one fish with this problem, its most likely a thyroid tumor or a flagellate. the thyroid is easy, if they have tumors in their gills, supplement the water with a trace of iodine.
flagellates are harder. you might want to start out trying the flagyl, since thats probably the most common type of organism...
ps check this website for goldfish answers: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=16&cat=1922&articleid=2650
i hope this helps, good luck
2007-02-10 21:56:58 · answer #5 · answered by Psy_Chick 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It could be two things.(1)You aren't properly taking care of it. You might want to clean out the tank every once in a while. If you have really bad algae, you want to get an algae eater fish. (2) It could be the pH of the water in the fish tank. You might to check that out.
Either way, goldfish are suppose to be gold, not black and it is your job to take care of it.
2007-02-10 21:56:14 · answer #6 · answered by luckygirl69 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋