Rainbow Shark Wearing Green Lipstick?

[Brandon_Krenek]

During feeding time I noticed my Albino Rainbow shark had something green on its mouth. I looked closer and I can’t tell if maybe he got algae smeared on his mouth (idk if it’s even possible) or possibly a fungus (once again idk if that’s possible) those are the only two things I came up with. Unless he’s making a fashion statement... I unfortunately can’t get a picture, the best I can describe is as if he was wearing green lipstick around his mouth (no where else) he’s not acting weird, he came out to try to steal some of my Buenos Aires tetras shrimp pellet scraps and then/currently swimming around doing his normal activities. Any insight on what’s wrong, if anything even is wrong?

 

[LilBlub]

Could he just be changing colors? I can’t find any fish diseases characterized by green stuff on their faces... Most fish funguses are white and cottony.

 

[Brandon_Krenek]

Could he just be changing colors? I can’t find any fish diseases characterized by green stuff on their faces... Most fish funguses are white and cottony.

I looked this morning and it hasn’t gotten worse and it looked almost better (might be cause I just woke up) the rest of his body shows no sign or a color change so I’m thinking maybe he ate something that was green. (I feed him blanched veggies cause my other fish don’t let him get pellets) He acts normal though so I’m not too concerned anymore.

 

[LilBlub]

It doesn’t sound like any disease I know of, so you should probably just watch and make sure he doesn’t get worse or start acting weird.

 

[Brandon_Krenek]

It doesn’t sound like any disease I know of, so you should probably just watch and make sure he doesn’t get worse or start acting weird.

Will do

 

[Adriifu]

Make sure to keep us updated. I have an Albino Rainbow Shark myself in a 55-gallon tank. I've never heard of such a thing, so I'm curious to see if it will go away.

 

[LilBlub]

Yes, I’m curious too. I’ve never kept rainbow sharks myself but I have five fish species and have never encountered something like that before. I even googled it and the only things that came up were fungi, none of which look like what you described.

 

[Brandon_Krenek]

UPDATE he still acts normal and still grazes on algae so his mouth is fully functional and it’s not interrupting his eating habits. he’s not coming to the front of the tank rn he’s swimming around in the plants. I think I saw him earlier and it looked better maybe I didn’t get a super good look. Perhaps it’s the mainly vegetation diet I feed him of blanched green veggies. He occasionally gets some flakes I feed my other fish however for the most part they don’t share. I’d imagine if it was bad he would be showing signs by now so it’s nothing alarming.

 

[LilBlub]

That’s so bizarre! Of course it’s good that he’s not sick or injured, but it’s very strange that his lips would randomly turn green with no issues! It probably does have something to do with his diet, but I’ve never heard of that happening before... You must have a very unique shark!

 

[Brandon_Krenek]

That’s so bizarre! Of course it’s good that he’s not sick or injured, but it’s very strange that his lips would randomly turn green with no issues! It probably does have something to do with his diet, but I’ve never heard of that happening before... You must have a very unique shark!

Yeah I just can’t imagine what else it would be than he just has veggies on his mouth. I’d take that over fungus any day of the week though

 

[Brandon_Krenek]

There he is btw it wouldn’t focus when He was grazing on the front of the tank but it’s still there‍♂️

 

[LilBlub]

First of all, he’s very cute! Second, it almost looks fungus-y but clearly it isn’t... Otherwise he would probably be showing symptoms by now. Maybe he’s just a very messy eater!

 

[Adriifu]

As long as he's acting normally, I'm sure he'll be alright

 

[Brandon_Krenek]

First of all, he’s very cute! Second, it almost looks fungus-y but clearly it isn’t... Otherwise he would probably be showing symptoms by now. Maybe he’s just a very messy eater!

Oh I should add those dark spots are due to the tank not on the shark if that’s what you mean,but yeah it’s quite the show to watch him eat

 

[Redshark1]

They rasp algae so I should think it reasonable to expect some algae to be present on the rasping apparatus. I have noticed this on my Bristlenoses.