Help me find out what's wrong with my pleco

Hi all,

Please can anyone help identify what is happening with my pleco, it doesn't look normal... looks kind of like a couple of grains of rice are in it. one near/in it's gill and another on it's side. Possibly more elsewhere but it's hard to get a good look at it.

We recently had an ich problem, lost a few mollies but the pleco never showed any spots and this doesn't look related. The tank was treated at a half dose with some medication (King British White Spot Control) and heated to 29°C for a week. It's been back at normal temperature 25°C for half a week now, still medicating but no signs of ich left in the tank.

Not tested the water today but I tested it a few days ago and I've done about a 40% water change since then as well. It was 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and like 10-15 nitrate before the water change.
Tank mates are some black neon tetras, some khulis, a couple of dwarf neon gouramis and another bristlenose (very small still) and some snails.
Only other chemicals in the tank are seachem prime water conditioner and some plant fertiliser.

The pleco seems to be acting normal, no more/less active than usual.

I'd really appreciate any advice.

Are those like that on both sides of the fish?

PheonixKingZ said:

Are those like that on both sides of the fish?

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Not that I've noticed, if there is something on the other side then it's not as pronounced as this. It swam away when i moved to try to get a look at the other side and it's usually on the back of a plant or something, going to have another good look later on today and see what I can see.

What would it mean if it is on the other side as well?

If it was on both sides, I would say it was natural for the pleco.

My best guess is some sort of blister? They look to big to be ich.

I also wouldn’t guess tumor, because tumors are usually under the skin. That means the bump would have the same coloration as the pleco.

PheonixKingZ said:

If it was on both sides, I would say it was natural for the pleco.

My best guess is some sort of blister? They look to big to be ich.

I also wouldn’t guess tumor, because tumors are usually under the skin. That means the bump would have the same coloration as the pleco.

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I'll have to try get a close look later on and check out it's other side, thank you. And yeah i'm kind of stumped. I've asked on another forum and on reddit and I'm not getting much back of "it's definitely this" which I usually do... I'll report back later anyway to update if it's on both sides and try get a picture as well.

Thank you.

You’re not getting a straight answer from me, because I have honestly never seen something like this before.

Other members may be able to shed some insight. I can definitely tell you it’s not ich.

PheonixKingZ said:

You’re not getting a straight answer from me, because I have honestly never seen something like this before.

Other members may be able to shed some insight. I can definitely tell you it’s not ich.

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Yeah i know haha, general searching around the internet isn't coming up with anything either Sorry, reading my last post back it come off as a bit rude, it was more meant to be "it can't be common because i'm not hearing anything certain"

I didn't think it was ich, way too big. Unless something has happened due to the stress of the ich treatment (higher temps for a bit and the meds), but it's still weird.

I'm sure someone must've seen something like this before haha.

I agree, it's not ich. But I have no idea what it is either, I'm afraid

Here's a different angle from today (in the shadows so not super clear). looks like there might be a little on it's fin on that side as well?

Not going to upload it, but it looks perfectly normal on the whole other side of it's body.

I think it is Lymphocystis, it's a viral disease that often goes away on it's own once the fishes immune system has fought it off so it isn't usually fatal, I'm not sure the causes of it, poss stress of some sort, maybe it was the heat treatment.

betta fish said:

I think it is Lymphocystis, it's a viral disease that often goes away on it's own once the fishes immune system has fought it off so it isn't usually fatal, I'm not sure the causes of it, poss stress of some sort, maybe it was the heat treatment.

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Thanks, you're the second person to mention Lymphocystis actually, got mentioned on a different site. I can't medicate for parasites/fungus at the moment anyway as there's still ich meds in the water. I'll continue to monitor and see how it goes for now.

Appreciate the input.