Apistogramma trifasciata with strange black spots

[Joe]

Hey all,
Something's up with my male trifasciata and I am quite worried. He never used to have this. These spots seem to move around so I assume that they are some sort of parasite.
Images from today:

This one's from a while ago but you can see that he used to have perfect colouration:

There are two females and fry in the same tank and they all seem fine.

Any help and advice will be appreciated.
Also I don't have a spare tank to put him in.
I have API Melafix and Pimafix if that will do anything?

Thanks,
Joe

 

[Mike Wise]

Most of the black pigmentation does not cause me to worry. Most cichlids can alter pigment on their body. It can be influenced by mood, age, foods, water condition, etc. The one thing that does bother me is the lump/cyst on the soft rays of the dorsal fin. Is it truly a lump? It looks like an encysted trimatode worm commonly seen on pond raised fish. Usually these are not contagious in an aquarium because the worms require a secondary host to reproduce. I do not see it on the photo of the male when young. That means that it possibly parasitized the fish while in your aquarium.

A quarantine/hospital tank is one of the most cost-effective pieces of equipment that an aquarist can own. Without one, every fish added to your aquarium means a new chance of a disease in the tank. It also means that you need to use more medicine to treat the aquarium.

 

[Joe]

Thanks Mike!
When I am able to afford decent stands and stuff then I will be able to get a quarantine/hospital tank which I can hide under the stand. I currently have no room for one at the moment. My tanks are all in my bedroom, and this one is sitting on a wooden table.

Regarding the spot on the dorsal fin - it isn't a lump I don't think, just a spot like the ones on his tail.