goldfish turning black?

[peggyd3]

Hi All! I had someone contact me about his goldfish turning black. These goldfish are a couple of years old and about 5-6 inches in length. He said that the one is almost all black now and a couple of the others are just starting to turn black on their fins. This has been happening over the past couple of weeks. He went to Petcetera - not a good word out here! one of the worst places to buy anything but anyway he went there and asked about it and the girl working sold him a couple bottles of something ( he couldn't remember what it was and had thrown the bottles out) for $40 and told him the fish were stressed. I tried to do a google search and came up with a couple of things, one being that the black was a result from ammonia burns and the other was that it was stress or just reverting back to the carp color? I have no idea what is causing this so if anyone has any ideas I would appreciate any help on this one. This guy will spend any amount of money on anything a person tells him so he can be taken advantage of very easily. I would like to be able to offer some info that won't cost him a fortune in products that don't work.
thanks for any input!
peggy

[Shelley]

A few years ago I kept goldfish in a pond. Eventually almost all of them reverted back to the carp color. Its not really black, but a greyish green. In fact almost all their fry were the carp color.

[Melody]

Hiya Peggy! Goldfish aren't my thing, but I have also heard of them reverting, especially feeders.

.... And that will be $49.95 please....

:laugh:

[blainep]

I used to keep fancy goldfish, I don't remember any turning black although I did have a Black Moor turn gold/orange when he was couple years old.

It took a while for him to change colour, but the black faded out completely. I nicknamed him Micheal Jackson.

As long as the fish aren't stressed or showing any signs of disease, I wouldn't be to concerned. If something changes to add a possible symptom, let us know.

[Melody]

It took a while for him to change colour, but the black faded out completely. I nicknamed him Micheal Jackson.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Katalyst]

Hiya Peggy,

It sounds like it could be ammonia burn as well...When goldfish start turning black it can also be a sign of healing especially on fins. I rescued quite a few little guys this year from a few pet stores around here because I couldn't leave them in the septic tanks they were in. Within a few days several developed black edges around their fins, faces & body. Normally goldies do not revert back to black without exceptional lighting or stable genes, they may stay their natural color but for the most part they loose it as they age. I have seem them turn bronze/copperish color to my dismay. My black ranchu is now bronze and my blue oranda now white/gray.

I can dig up some photo's if you'd like...It'll take me awhile to get em though. If it is ammonia burn it'll take a few weeks to clear up and during that time I used melafix to help speed up the process.

Tell him he may want to start using Seachems Prime as his water dechlorinator and to make sure he monitors his water params and up's his water changes if need be.

[peggyd3]

thanks for all the replies! I don't know if he treats his pond water but will check with him. I know baby goldfish are black and then turn gold but have never heard of the other way around so figured someone on hear might know. i will tell him what i have learned here and see how it goes for him. will update. gotta run, back to the greenhouse!!
thanks again for all the replies!!
peggy

$49.95! :laugh:

[nathan u]

my first goldfish I ever had was a gorgeous orange he slowly reverted to black over several months,, and then my black one turned orange:eek:
fickled things can't choose what colour to wear almost as bad as women:nah:

[peggyd3]

:laugh::laugh::laugh:
so you are saying that the color change had nothing to do with their conditions just their wim? :;):
peggy

[Melody]

my first goldfish I ever had was a gorgeous orange he slowly reverted to black over several months,, and then my black one turned orange:eek:
fickled things can't choose what colour to wear almost as bad as women:nah:

I resemble that remark!!!!:laugh: