Black Spot Disease Is A Common Parasite Infesting Surgeonfishes

Black spot disease is caused by a parasite that often infests tangs and other surgeonfishes. The black spots on the fish are tiny Turbellaria flatworms. Black spot disease is also referred to as tang disease or black ich. The worm burrows into the epithelium of the fish's skin or gills. It begins feeding on the aquarium's cell fluids. The mature worm falls off the fish and descends into the substrata. The infestation can quickly spread. If the worm is allowed to progress, the fish can become lethargic, lose its appetite and fade in color. The fish must be given a bath to prevent them from getting infected with the worm. The larvae can be removed by cleaning the surface of the aquarium with water.:max_bytes(150000):striped-icc. Siphoning up the excess organic matter that build up on the bottom of the tank can help to control their numbers. Hypermotinity can be applied for fish-only tanks or marine aquariums containing no freshwater-sensitive invertebrates. . . .