Help! Pimple Like lump near tail

[chiefjustice]

Hi all,

I have a problem wif my dad's RTG. There is a pimple like lump on the body near to tail side. The lump is abt 3-5 mm and it is exactly at both side of the body. (i.e left and rite side). Kindly refer to pics for detail. The lump is added by using paintbrush. Details of the RTG:
1) size = 16 inch
2) diet = mp (main diet), frogs, goldfish.
3) daily change of 10% water.
4) heater temp: 30

Can any kind soul, pls advise any medication effective and wat lump is it.


regards,
cjhttp://arofanatics.com/members/chiefjustice/rtg/image01.jpg

http://arofanatics.com/members/chiefjustice/rtg/image02.jpg

[chiefjustice]

Hi all,

Anyone can help???



regards,
cj

[chiefjustice]

Hi all,

Help!!!



regards,
cj

[Isna]

HI Chief,
just a few quick questions.
when did u or your dad first notice these lumps?
have they grown since? gone smaller? stayed the same etc?
is the fish scratching or behaviouring differently?
is it eating as usual?
any tank mates?
are the fins ok? pls double check...scan all parts of its skin too.
is it's breathing ok? pls double check.
what colour?
what shape?
raised or flat?
any discharge?
smooth or irregular/rough surface?

any previous problems?
water parameters?
any particular reason why daily water changes r done?
how's your filter?
do u treat or quarantine your feeders?

tell us as much as u can bro.
it seems like nodular/pimple-like lesions r quite common in aros. might b a new parasite yet unknown......

what it could b??
lumps this size on a fish, think lymphocystis, a viral disease similar to warts...
any skin parasite may cause similar lesions grossly, in some cases..

[chiefjustice]

Originally posted by Isna
HI Chief,
just a few quick questions.
when did u or your dad first notice these lumps?
abt a week
have they grown since? gone smaller? stayed the same etc?
Grow slightly bigger
is the fish scratching or behaviouring differently?
Nope

is it eating as usual?
Yes

any tank mates?
No.

are the fins ok? pls double check...scan all parts of its skin too.
Yes. all is ok except the pt marked on the photo.

is it's breathing ok? pls double check.
Yep. Breathing normal.

what colour?
Red in color.

what shape?
Juz like a pimple shape.

raised or flat?
Raised.

any discharge?
Not noticed.

smooth or irregular/rough surface?
Nope.

any previous problems?
Arow is very healthy. No previous sickness.

water parameters?
Good.

any particular reason why daily water changes r done?
Dad likes his fish tank clean. he had been changing it since day 1 of the arow arrival.

how's your filter?
Eheim 2217. Used for less than 3 mths. Overhead filter, elements juz cleaned abt 3 wks ago.

do u treat or quarantine your feeders?
Not that i know of. He don't believe it quarantining feeders.

The lump is exactly at both side of the body. Arow behave normally. No sign of distress, stress or discomfort. The 2 lumps/holes seemed like merged through the body.

Kindly advise what 2 do. Had aleady added ocean-free external. will be monitoring its process.

Regards,
cj

[Isna]

hmm. sounds like a nasty growth/granuloma.

u said it was red in colour. is it blood red, dark red, or pinkish, pale pink?

does it have an ulcer ( area of depression/ crater) in the middle of the pimple, such that it looks like a button?

u say it's raised. by how much roughly? in mm.

filter elements juz cleaned abt 3 wks ago.
what elements? all the media? with tap water? warm or cold?

u say the water parameters r fine. what aspects? ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH......temp...

r there any sharp or protruding objects in the tank( e.g rocks, wood etc) that may cause damage to the aro physically?

It doesn't sound traumatic to me, esp when u havn't got tank mates. the fact that it's fed feeders makes infectious diseases highly likely.

because it's not scratching or breathing heavily, it means the problem is more localised.

possibe causes: again, still lymphocystis on top of the list.

anchor worms can cause large ulcerous granulomas around the attachment site.
have u seen any black-brown coloured worms on any of the feeders' skin previously?


the third differential is Aeromonas superficial infections....known as bacterial furunculosis. can get it in goldfishes n koi..possibly aros. It tends to be more ulcerative, but might b raised at the edges, with a dip in the middle...

other skin bugs cannot be ruled out definitively without a skin scrape, and may cause similar reactions......

pls answer the above questions to give us a better idea of your situation....

for now, u should perform a 40% water change, and add aquarium or rock salt at 2 tablespoons per 10 L into the tank. avoid tablesalt with iodine and anticaking agents.

u can then perform a salt dip as part of a therapeutic trial, or ideally, get some skin scrapings from the pimple to see what it exactly is. try contacting Vetduck......he has the equipment n skills......u there Simon??

[Vetduck]

Hmm another case of lumps. It'll be interesting to actually see what it looks like. Difficult to visualise how it looks like just from description. Even pics are not good enough.

Would be glad to arrange to visit chiefjustice. If he is willing maybe even get a scrape & impression smear of it.

Isna, I'm not sure how common lymphocystis is in aros. From what I've gathered speaking to the more experienced ppl in the field, lymphocystis rarely occur in aros.

Chief if you're up to getting your aro checked you can pm me.

[chiefjustice]

Hi all,

The lumps had been getting smaller and less visible this few days. Juz checked the arow, it seem that there is no perm damage to it. Had alreadi informed my dad not 2 feed live feeders again.

Action taken during discovery of lumps:

1. Heater temp adjust to 31.
2. 10% water change.
3. Ocean free external parasites added but onli small amount.
4. No live feeders for 3 days.

Also noticed that the lumps are exactly at the same part of the body on both side. Color is pretty much like a oped wound. No anormaly is noticed on the fish.

Will post any more updates if situation worsens/ better.

BTW, Million of thks to those who had help. Thanks....:) :) :)

regards,
cj

[Vetduck]

Originally posted by chiefjustice
Hi all,

The lumps had been getting smaller and less visible this few days. Juz checked the arow, it seem that there is no perm damage to it. Had alreadi informed my dad not 2 feed live feeders again.

Action taken during discovery of lumps:

1. Heater temp adjust to 31.
2. 10% water change.
3. Ocean free external parasites added but onli small amount.
4. No live feeders for 3 days.

Also noticed that the lumps are exactly at the same part of the body on both side. Color is pretty much like a oped wound. No anormaly is noticed on the fish.

Will post any more updates if situation worsens/ better.

BTW, Million of thks to those who had help. Thanks....:) :) :)

regards,
cj

Hi CJ,

That sounds like a fair enough initial treatment. However with the addition of ocean free external parasite meds, you should add the recommended amt, if you're going to use it. By adding a small amt, it might reduce the efficacy of the meds.

However instead adding an ectoparasitic meds (cos we don't know for sure if it is an ectoparasite problem), why don't you add salt instead, 0.1-0.3% raw salt. Then just observe over the next few days. Keep us updated. :)

[chiefjustice]

Originally posted by Vetduck


Hi CJ,

That sounds like a fair enough initial treatment. However with the addition of ocean free external parasite meds, you should add the recommended amt, if you're going to use it. By adding a small amt, it might reduce the efficacy of the meds.

However instead adding an ectoparasitic meds (cos we don't know for sure if it is an ectoparasite problem), why don't you add salt instead, 0.1-0.3% raw salt. Then just observe over the next few days. Keep us updated. :)

Hi,

I had been adding abt 0.1% salt and abt 80% of the recommended dosage of medication for the arow. So far, so good. It seems that the lump is clearing up.

Will post again for better or worse. Once again, Million Thks.:) :) :)

regards,
cj

[Isna]

Hi Vetduck..
yeah, i've got no idea how common it is in aros, but it's a common differential for aquarium fishes in general. there is no species predilection, so aros should b equally predisposed..i guess...but yeah....who knows, mayb it's under diagnosed...i always consider it in any nodular white-pink skin lesion....apparently, even fishes that have recovered from it previously r still susceptible.

Hi CJ,
glad to hear the lump is clearing up...
what's this medication u r using bro? does it list it's ingredients? as a general rule, always check your ammonia, nitrites whenever u add any chemicals into your tank.
good luck with the aro!