My new black moor has a line of white dots on the first ray of his pectoral fin, which looks exactly like pictures I have seen of breeding stars. On the other fin, though, there is a large white spot with a lighter white surrounding it. Not just color, it looks like a tumor! Is this normal? If not, what is it and can it be saved? Help!

Hi ryukingirl,

The line of dots on the leading ray are 99% likely to be breeding tubercles and nothing to worry abut. The larger white spot on the other fin is not a breeding tubercle however and therefore needs attention. When you say it looks like a tumor, can you please explain exactly what you're seeing?

Can you also please answer all the questions in the white box at the top of the page so we can get some background info.?

Well, it looks like a raised white dot, or kind of a blotch, and it is on the first ray of the fin. It also goes around the front of the fin and extends a tiny bit onto the bottom. I don't know how much sense that makes. There is one predominant dot, but there is some less noticable white coloring and some barely-noticable white spots surrounding it. I can't give any water readings right now, but i have a Topfin 60 power filter, I use Prime water conditioner and I'm using some Melafix for another fish with fungus, I feed a varied diet of sinking pellets, pea baby food, tubifex worms, flakes, etc., the fish is acting fine, 55 gallon tank been running for 2 weeks ( I know, I know, I didn't cycle), I change the water about once a week. You can see the fish i have on my signature. The common is 1 1/2 inch long, and the other two are about 2 inches with fins, maybe less. I put him in with the red and white ryukin with the common already in the tank. The only thing i noticed besides this about the fish is that he has a split fin. Sorry about the long post.

Uh oh. I just noticed a raised spot that looks like a grain of salt on his tailfin.