What is this?!?!

[Anonymous]

Any ideas?

Looks like some sort of raised sore? Growth of some sort? Wish the picture is high res, when 1st noticed I thought perhaps the fish lost layers of skin and the raised portion was what was left... I'll try to get clearer pictures.

I dosed tank previously with an anti bacterial to rid the tank of a green slime (Cyanobacteria). Perhaps this maybe a strain of super bacteria?

(I have cut feeding and light to combat Cyanobacteria) Tank is now clear of Cyanobacteria, many other fish in tank seem unaffected.

 

[Madness]

That is definitely an odd looking "whatever". Did it lay up against the heater and its just a burn?

 

[Anthraxx]

id get him alone in a hospital tank and start treatment with melafix (the all natural tea tree stuff) i always use WAY less then reccomended as the fish dont seem to like it in large amounts, but it sure does wonders to heal damage like that. really hope your fish pulls out of it, either way id quarantine it

 

[Anonymous]

Can't be a burn. The heaters are not in tank... Its got fuzzy stuff on it. Fish is quarantined, using a lil aquarium salt and antibiotic.

I hate running into stuff NO ONES SEEN BEFORE!

All levels normal....

 

[fishloverRon]

Chad...
I took the liberty of sending your pix to Steev Ward of the GSAS who is known for his study of fish diseases. Here is what he wrote back to me....

Yes, I've seen this before. If I remember it was caused by a combination of a protozoan (Chilodenella) which disrupts the skin, with a bacteria which causes the secondary infection.

You can save this fish if you use this process:

1. Prepare a bare hospital tank or five gallon bucket with new water, pH at least 7.0 (or higher), with one teaspoon of rock salt per gallon.
2. Net the fish and holding him over the bucket put Methylene Blue solution directly on the fish, so that you hit all the red areas. Do both sides of the fish and try to finish this in about a minute. It's okay that the excess Methylene Blue drips into the bucket.
3. Drop the fish into the bucket.
4. Put the bucket in a warm place, some temperature in the 70s would be nice.
5. An airstone would be nice too.
6. Check him daily to see that the red areas are going away. No food until the fish looks better.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh wow Ron! Currently the fish isn't doing any worse, but it also isn't doing any better...

I'll try this as soon as I get home. Thank you, and tank Steve too! I'll keep you updated.