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Fin “blister” growths on cacatuoides

Andrew H

Member
Messages
54
Hi all - I’ve had this orange flash for about 1 year and recently he’s developed some pigmented spots on his fins that almost look like blisters. I got some reasonable shots attached and would emphasize they have a bubble-like texture. They are on every fin except pectoral and pelvic, but most on caudal. Fish seems totally fine / unbothered and it’s been this way for a couple of months. Any thoughts?

Notes:
Water quality: pH 7.4, 175 ppm hardness, ammonia and nitrites zero, nitrates just north of zero, temp 77
A6839359-D11A-4D75-A12D-67BBCDE98B88.jpeg
DD42FB37-9A4E-4F04-BECC-BA459FC9FEB1.jpeg
 

Andrew H

Member
Messages
54
And here’s a lead - not sure if anyone has seen this in apisto?
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
As it is only in the fins and it looks like some ot the growths are transparent I doubt it's Lymphocystis. It's more likely an autoimmune thing or cancer. Lymphocystis can lie dormant but a year without signs is unlikely.

At what age did you get the fish?
Added any fish since getting this one?
Used any meds on the tank since, for any reason? If so, which meds?
What's the maintenance regimen?
What do you feed?
Add a picture of the tank please so environmental problems can be ruled out.
 

Eddy. E.

Member
Messages
72
Location
Germany
This clearly looks like a veritable infection with Lymphocystis.

I know the report of Roy P. E. Yanong, which Andrew has linked above, but according to my information these viruses can spread quite horizontally in the water and not only by direct contact from fish to fish, or contact with infected tissue. So it means, that this reference [...]Lymphocystis does not appear to be spread by vertical transmission (i.e., from parents to offspring via infection of eggs or sperm).[...] no longer corresponds to the current state of research. It is also now proven that Lymphocystis also affects catfish.
The statement that lymphocystis is due to self-limiting factors, and in most cases the lesions would heal on their own in warmwater fish, is equally out of date. Treatment options are extremely limited for viral infections.
As long as the growths are limited to the fins, further spreading can be counteracted by mechanical removal of the cell growths.
Subsequently, these areas should be disinfected with propolis tincture. A treatment in this regard should of course be carried out under quarantine.
However, it is possible to promote the self-healing of the fish, by means of a temperature increase and treatment with Cyprinopur from Sera.

Affected fish are treated with Cyprinopur for five days and medicated again for five days after a week's break. The active ingredients of Cyprinopur are 1.88 g phenol and 4.4 g resorcinol in 100 ml.
As a rule, external growths on the fins then regress. If other areas are affected, such as the fish mouth, and the fish is no longer able to eat, it should be euthanized.

Fish that have survived a Lymphocystis infection, remain a possible infection risk for other fish throughout their lives as carriers.
 
Last edited:

Andrew H

Member
Messages
54
Wow, ok. Thank you, Eddy - the combined knowledge on this forum is amazing. I had been reassured by that article but this sounds more serious. I cannot buy the Cyprinopur in the US but I work in a lab and can get the ingredients you list. In the meantime - it sounds like high temp is recommended. What do you suggest? And should to be in a hospital tank or is it better to treat the whole tank (same question for both the temperature and the medication).

Best,
Andrew
 

Andrew H

Member
Messages
54
As it is only in the fins and it looks like some ot the growths are transparent I doubt it's Lymphocystis. It's more likely an autoimmune thing or cancer. Lymphocystis can lie dormant but a year without signs is unlikely.

At what age did you get the fish?
Added any fish since getting this one?
Used any meds on the tank since, for any reason? If so, which meds?
What's the maintenance regimen?
What do you feed?
Add a picture of the tank please so environmental problems can be ruled out.
Hi Mac,

This is a fish I got as an adult (1.5” long) from a local fish shop I’m starting to have some doubts about (2X ich infected fish received). I got him at the same time as 3 of the Corydoras and 4 of the rummynose.

Since then I added 3 more Cory and 3 more rummynose. I treated with Rid-Ich (formaldehyde and formalin) 2X to deal with the ich. And I had a Cory with a wound that I fed medicated food (long tweezers, bloodworms plus kanaplex plus metroplex plus binding agent) for a week.

I do a 40% water change weekly. I’ve been adding dried oak leaves to get a bit of tannins, but not extreme. I feed with sparing amounts of frozen myesis shrimp and krill (and occasional bloodworm) in the am, and bug bites and hikari wafers in the evening. Pic of the tank attached.
 

Andrew H

Member
Messages
54
Hi Mac,

This is a fish I got as an adult (1.5” long) from a local fish shop I’m starting to have some doubts about (2X ich infected fish received). I got him at the same time as 3 of the Corydoras and 4 of the rummynose.

Since then I added 3 more Cory and 3 more rummynose. I treated with Rid-Ich (formaldehyde and formalin) 2X to deal with the ich. And I had a Cory with a wound that I fed medicated food (long tweezers, bloodworms plus kanaplex plus metroplex plus binding agent) for a week.

I do a 40% water change weekly. I’ve been adding dried oak leaves to get a bit of tannins, but not extreme. I feed with sparing amounts of frozen myesis shrimp and krill (and occasional bloodworm) in the am, and bug bites and hikari wafers in the evening. Pic of the tank attached.
 

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MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
Hi Mac,

This is a fish I got as an adult (1.5” long) from a local fish shop I’m starting to have some doubts about (2X ich infected fish received). I got him at the same time as 3 of the Corydoras and 4 of the rummynose.

Since then I added 3 more Cory and 3 more rummynose. I treated with Rid-Ich (formaldehyde and formalin) 2X to deal with the ich. And I had a Cory with a wound that I fed medicated food (long tweezers, bloodworms plus kanaplex plus metroplex plus binding agent) for a week.

I do a 40% water change weekly. I’ve been adding dried oak leaves to get a bit of tannins, but not extreme. I feed with sparing amounts of frozen myesis shrimp and krill (and occasional bloodworm) in the am, and bug bites and hikari wafers in the evening. Pic of the tank attached.
Thank you, I was looking for hints for either a way Lymphocystis could have been introduced to your tank since you got thew fish or whether it came with the fish. At the same time I hoped probably for a hint that would have supported or ruled out the other reasons, too. Keeping conditions seem really great, food is ok, tankmates sensibly picked, tank looks nice and appropriately decorated.

Going with Eddy's information, it could well be Lymphocystis.
I would still not rule out a genetic/autoimmune cause as it's a domestic form.
 

Eddy. E.

Member
Messages
72
Location
Germany
What do you suggest? And should to be in a hospital tank or is it better to treat the whole tank (same question for both the temperature and the medication).

Hello Andrew,

i would highly recommend you treat the fish in a hospital tank. Have you already tried Amazon as a delivery option, about Cyprinopur? With the propolis tincture I mean propolis dissolved in ethanol, in case you dare to remove the spots yourself with a scalpel and then disinfect the spots with propolis. Keep the fish at a high temperature, I suggest 86 °F and please don't forget to add supplemental oxygen, like a bubbler.
 
Last edited:

Andrew H

Member
Messages
54
Hi Eddy, nothing on Amazon, but eBay from France. However it’s going to be 2 weeks. Should I do the temperature increase in the meantime? I presume it’s meant to be in n combination.
 

Andrew H

Member
Messages
54
Hi all, sad news, I lost the fish this morning, and of course the cyprinopur was delivered this afternoon. But I’m not sure it was the viral infection that killed him. He had retreated to the rocks and stopped eating a couple of days prior and I noticed some “gulping” and labored breathing in the last day or two. I know that’s consistent with water quality issues but the water is excellent (parameters as listed above). I do wonder if he had gill flukes and being weakened by the other infection they took over.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. He was a good fish, RIP.
 

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