ICH or Lymphocystis?

[Salty&Onion]

I noticed couple of days ago that my female swordtail has these little white lumps on here head, more on the head than the body..
She swims, eats like an active fishie.
I saw her scratching herself couple of times today..
I would have to agree on bad quality of the tank, but I'm running really low on Prime and I don't have a proper working heater for my 33 gal tank and no gravel vacuum to clean my sand from waste.
I failed.
@Colin_T , is it dangerous? Is it Lymphocystis?

 

[JxsPxxle]

Are the bumps raised? Do they look like they could be scratched off with your nail?

 

[Salty&Onion]

Yes, they are. What is it?

 

[JxsPxxle]

Yes, they are. What is it?

This is a tough one, if the fish has had the virus for a few days then I would expect more lumps but from the picture I can only see two. I’m pretty certain it’s not Ich because after a few days your whole tank would have it. So this narrows it down to either lymphocystis or something else. I haven’t heard of fish scratching with lymphocystis but maybe they do. My guess is an early stage of lymphocystis, and the best thing you can do is keep on top of water changes and keep your water quality perfect.

 

[Salty&Onion]

I'll do a water change later. I have aquarium and epsom salts too?
I would still need @Colin_T 's opinion on it though.
And there aren't two bumbs actually, there's more.

 

[Essjay]

Epsom salts are only for using as a bath to draw fluid form a fish's body when they are swollen up or have dropsy. For treating infections in a tank you need aquarium salt or rock salt.

 

[Salty&Onion]

Epsom salts are only for using as a bath to draw fluid form a fish's body when they are swollen up or have dropsy. For treating infections in a tank you need aquarium salt or rock salt.

Thank you, I do have some aquarium salt, but not much. And would it work?

 

[Essjay]

I'm not much good with diseases, Colin knows more than me. A lot more.

 

[Salty&Onion]

I'm not much good with diseases, Colin knows more than me. A lot more.

You do know a lot

 

[Colin_T]

It's not Lymphocystis.
It doesn't look like white spot either.

The orange fish with black tail on the left side of the bottom picture appears to have a damaged tail and dorsal fin.

It's probably excess mucous and could be caused by an external protozoan infection.

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I would do a big (75%) water change and gravel clean the sand. Clean the filter and wipe the inside of the glass down. Then add 2 heaped tablespoons of rock salt (aquarium salt) for every 20 litres (5 gallons) of tank water. Keep the salt in the tank for 2 weeks and see how they go during that time.

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You can make a gravel cleaner out of a 1, 1.5, or 2 litre plastic drink bottle.
Cut the bottom off the bottle and throw the bottom bit away.
Remove the cap and plastic ring from the top and throw those 2 bits away.
Stick a garden hose in the top of the bottle and run it out the door onto the lawn.
Use the bottle as the gravel cleaner.

 

[Salty&Onion]

@Colin_T , see post 7. I don't have enough salt, I have been told by @NCaquatics that epsom salts can do the stuff for extra mucous? Are you sure its extra mucous on the red wag swordtail? The white spots?

 

[Colin_T]

I read post 7. Epsom salts won't do anything to treat external protozoan infections or excess mucous. You need sodium chloride (rock salt, swimming pool salt) for that.

I am not sure it is excess mucous but salt is a good start for most problems affecting livebearers like swordtails. Salt is a lot safer than chemical medications too.

Even if you just do some big water changes it might help. But I would try to get some rock salt and add that too. You can buy 10kg bags of swimming pool salt from most hardware stores, and some chain stores like BigW, Kmart & Target. A bag of salt will last for years as long as you keep it clean and dry. Alternatively, get aquarium salt from a pet shop or look at the supermarket for sea salt flakes/ granules or any sort of sodium chloride that does not have any anti-caking agents or iodine in.

 

[Salty&Onion]

Thanks @Colin_T , I'll see what I can get and do.
To solve this confusion.. I'm in the UK not in US But don't worry, we all make mistakes

 

[Colin_T]

I thought you were in the middle of nowhere

 

[Salty&Onion]

I thought you were in the middle of nowhere

I think I am, in my head, but originally Poland is my native country and I moved to UK 4 years ago