is it normal that my goldfish is developing black spots on the cheeks near his gills and on its lip area?

Answer 1

This is perfectly natural. My chocolate fan tails (which I loved their copper color) turned silver white in the outside pond. Lighting on gold fish, as well as breeding and food plays a large roll in color (especially in their first two years). If gold fish are kept in a deep pond where very little ambient daylight reach, they will revert to a white or light color.
Select breeding makes different colors possible. Since all gold fish are of the same "species" breeding especially in an outside pond can lead to many varieties of color. Some gold fish, like the chocolates are bread strictly for color. comets and shabunkins are also bread this way. Tail types etc. However, diet light and size can change these colors and the fish can resort back to the color of one or more of the parents.

The goldfish, Carassius auratus, was one of the earliest fish to be domesticated, and is still one of the most commonly kept aquarium fish. A relatively small member of the carp family (which also includes the koi carp and the crucian carp), the goldfish is a domesticated version of a dark-gray/olive/brown carp native to east Asia (first domesticated in China) that was introduced to Europe in the late 17th century. The mutation that gave rise to the goldfish is also known from other cyprinid species, such as common carp and tench.

To make these hearty pond fish more appealing to the eye color breeding was also introduced in the late 17th century.
If you need more information, check out "breeding gold fish for color"

HOWEVER:

Examine your fish carefully. Gold fish are prone to Melanophore Migration It starts often with a paling of the skin followed by black patches on body, usually on back or sides of fish.

There is also black spot disease
Shows up as black spots or patches. This is a parasitic disease
, it is possible to reduce the incidence of the parasite by removing or reducing the intermediate hosts such as snails. This will disrupt the life cycle of this parasite. Copper Sulfate (CuSO4) applied to correct this disease. If you have snails remove them before treating the tank. Copper sulfate can kill snails.

Just keep an eye on your fish for the next couple of days. Gold fish usually don't turn black, however if the goldfish was raised or hatched in a pond with shubunkins or comets, this is possible since both are often black spotted.

Answer 2

No its not normal. A few possibilities were listed above. Another possibility is ammonia burns. Do you test the water? Goldfish can be born black and change to another color, but they normally never gain black pigment once its gone.

Answer 3

Ich is white, not black.

If you have black spots on your goldfish, and treat it for Ich you will be treating them unnecessarily and possibly missing another illness.

Some fish get Ich like spots when they are in heat. (Black Moors for example will have white spots on their cheeks… I’ve treated a black moor unnecessarily for Ich before, only to find out my fish was trying to breed.)

If in doubt, talk to someone from a reputable fish store.
(Generally, not big pet shop chains. They don’t tend to know much about fish other than they require water…)

Answer 4

NO-- YOU CAN TREAT IT FOR ICK IF YOU WANT TO WASTE YOUR MONEY. MOST LIKELY PARASITES.
IT'S AMAZING HOW MANY PEOPLE COME ON AND GIVE ADVICE WITH NO KNOWLEDGE THEMSELVES OF WHAT ICK EVEN LOOKS LIKE.

Answer 5

no sounds like ick you need to clean him and get special medication drops