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A week and a half ago after the death of my RTBS, I noticed a pimple like growth on my angel Zoe. It looks like it is hard.

She has been having some issues with her lip, missing a chunk but I think that is from squabbling with the other angel. I have been lightly dosing with melafix as an anitseptic.
Anyone have any ideas what pimple is and how to treat it.

my water perams:
55 gal
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 40
pH 7.2
I'm due for a water change today/tomorrow[/font][/font]

Last edited by doedogg at 01-Feb-2005 08:46

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I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
~ Mae West

Is her eye normally red like that?

Can you isolate? If so, I would treat with something broad spectrum like Furan-2 by Aquatronics or even Fungus Clear if that is easier to get.

As an alternative, you can try feeding the new Jungle Anti-Bacteria Medicated Food. I understand it is more widely available, but was previously only at Petsmart. You might want to try there. Oral meds are always more effective than waterborne and they don't louse up the biofilter .

I'm leaning towards bacterial infection. This is not to say it isn't something else. IF it is, hopefully it will respond. I would not take it lightly tho.

I highly recommend getting your nitrates down so they don't go to 40ppm or higher between changes. High nitrates create lowered immunity and ability to fight disease. While this is going on most especially, I'd look to drop nitrates to 20ppm or lower.

Last edited by Cory_Di at 01-Feb-2005 21:09

Is her eye normally red like that?

Yes, both are.

Can you isolate? If so, I would treat with something broad spectrum like Furan-2 by Aquatronics or even Fungus Clear if that is easier to get.

I have a 10 that I can hospitalize her in, she won't be comfortable or happy and will be mad at me for a while (she gets quite a 'tude about things) but she'll get over it.


I highly recommend getting your nitrates down so they don't go to 40ppm or higher between changes. High nitrates create lowered immunity and ability to fight disease. While this is going on most especially, I'd look to drop nitrates to 20ppm or lower.

For some reason I've always had high nitrates in that tank, its not overstocked and I do 20% once a week. I guess I need to start doing more.

I'll run home at lunch time and get the hospital tank and get her into it and start treating. I CAN"T loose her, she is the office favorite and I would never hear the end of it!

Steph

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I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
~ Mae West

Steph,

I have seen similar white protuberances on the bodies of other "soft" water cichlids. A fellow hobbyist treated his angels with 3 days of what he considered to be dramatic 50% water changes. The white bumps were diminished by the second water change and had disappeared after the third water change. He was surprised by the result.

__________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright

Its worth a try Steph, if its not too late.

I do hope you can transfer the fish with some of its own water if you have gone that route. It makes it so much less stressful. If the tank is up and running, I do a 50% water change and use water from the tank the fish is coming from. Temperatures must be aligned within 1F or you risk ich or creating a bloom in a low lying infection. I use the same thermometer since some can vary by several degrees.

That lip and mouth area to the nostrils look awful suspicious. The surface only tells half the story. There may be a massive infection underneath that is now coming out.

Last edited by Cory_Di at 02-Feb-2005 10:51

I'm going to bring the 10 gal tank from home and transfer water from the 55 gal into it so at least the perams are close to the same (ph, temp etc). I did a 20% water change this am and it lowered the nitrates pretty good. Then I'll try the large water changes on the hospital tank and see what happens. If she isn't better by friday I'll start with the meds.

I keep you posted.

Steph

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I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
~ Mae West

Glad you were checking in Steph

She's moved...not too happy (she gave me the fin) but she'll just have to get over it. Whatever it was sticking out must have gotten pulled off in the netting. As careful and as quick as we were she thrashed a little. I put a small dose of melafix in the water just in case. I'll take a pic tomorrow of the spot.

Steph

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I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
~ Mae West

I have a keyhole cichlid with what looks like a teenage spot. she hides a great deal since i noticed it - twice i have got the net out to go a looking for her thinking she had died. i have done two 30% WC since last thursday and it seems to have gone down although she is hiding again today.

does any one know why they get these things?

thanks

GFG

_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone

I believe that it is a reaction to the water quality. Some fish, goldfish for example, will react with "blushing" in their gill and tail areas, much like a rash. Discus, Rams and angels get acne.

Water changes seem to work well and more severe cases will earn a tbsp. of salt per 10 gallons. Simple salt to use is water softener salt.

__________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright

Very interesting, Bob. Thanks for sharing that kind of info. I can vouch for the goldfish and the water quality issue. Mine don't blush, but one gets severe "varicose vein" appearance in his tail fin when nitrates are above 40ppm. It goes away when I get the nitrates down for a good length of time. You are so right about the water quality.

If it's not too late, doedogg - I'd follow Bob's advice and see what happens. If it continues to get worse, then try the antibiotic.

I'm concerned that the stress of this angel in a 10 gallon could exacerbate his symptoms. How big is he?

Last edited by Cory_Di at 02-Feb-2005 19:05

Zoe is pretty good sized, maybe 3.5" across(body). I only had 2 outlets where I put the hospital tank so I didn't plug the light in so I can't see the affected area yet this am. She definately isn't very happy with me this morning. I'll do a hefty water change in a little while and examine her then, it should be light enough out to see anything.

Steph

Last edited by doedogg at 03-Feb-2005 09:03

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I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
~ Mae West

EDITED for new picture.

Todays shot of the nostral.



Last edited by doedogg at 03-Feb-2005 10:56[/font]

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I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
~ Mae West

Has it gone down? It kind of looks like it.

Steph,

It seems to be a bit better. I noted in your post that you moved Zoe to a hospital tank for treatment. (If the water changes and salt work for Zoe, you may want to treat Zoe's original tank for the benefit of its occupants.

__________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright

it definately looks better today, but I'm not sure if that is because it fell off in netting yesterday. I'm going back to the office in a little while and will check on her then. All I've done otherwise is a 30-40% water change today. I haven't added any salt to the hospital (for some reason I can't find it but can get it from a friend). I am hesitant to add it to the main tank because the other occupants besides another angel is an african brown knife and about 20 cories.
Thanks for the help so far Di and Bob, I'll keep you posted.

Steph

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I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
~ Mae West