New Royal Plec Has Lump On His Head

[VeryFatbloke]

Hi

I bought a Royal Plec this afternoon from a well known chain of fish stores. I did not notice whilst in the shop, but have since acclimatising him that there is a lump on his head, just above his right eye. Can anybody suggest what the lump might be? In the attached photo the lump can be seen just to the right of centre, I don't seem to be able to very good photos with my camera so it may not be very clear.

I acclimatised him for over an hour before releasing him into my tank but did not notice anything at the time as the lights were out. I think I should take him back, but he was the only one in the shop and I don't see them very often in my other lfs. Would this be my best course of action or should I try and treat him once I know what the lump is?

 

[nmonks]

I can't tell what this is from that photo. Need something better, please.

There are various external "lice" (actually crustaceans) and worms that can attach themselves to freshwater fish, and these can look like odd growths. These are generally easy enough to treat (there are commercial treatments for removing worms and lice from pond fish) but you will need to make sure the wound doesn't become secondarily infected (i.e., keep the water clean and add something like Melafix or anti-finrot/fungus to the water).

Lymphocystis is another common problem. It's causes are obscure: certainly, a poor environment seems to be the trigger, with either a virus or bacteria causing the swelling. It's the fish equivalent of warts in some way, a benign tumour that eventually (months/years) clears up by itself *if* conditions improve. A vet can remove the cyst manually if you're in a hurry. Lympho doesn't appear out of nowhere though, developing slowly and going away slowly. Lympho cysts are distinctive in shape and colour, looking a bit like small, milky-coffee coloured lumps of dough.

Cheers, Neale

 

[WILDER]

What colour is the lump.
Does it look hard or look like its soft filled with liquid.

 

[VeryFatbloke]

Neale, Wilder

Thanks for your replies, I've added another picture which shows the lump more clearly. He also appears to have another lump/sore on his fin, at the right hand side of the new picture.

I think I'm gonna take him back tomorrow and get a refund. Hopefully I'll be able to find a replacement somewhere else.

Cheers
Gary

 

[WILDER]

Looks like a tumour to me, but not sure.

 

[WILDER]

Can you issolate the fish, as no harm in trying a bacterial med for the fish to stand a chance.

 

[VeryFatbloke]

Yes I do have a spare tank although it is currently in the garage which is in a block at the back of the house. I don't have a seeded filter and I am a bit concerned about moving the fish to a third separate environment in the space of 10 hours. Could doing this stress him out further and make the problem worse? Would delaying moving him to a hospital tank until tomorrow morning make matters worse?

Is it likely that the change of environment from the LFS to my tank could have brought this lump up so quickly? I have done a water test just to make sure that my tank is ok and the results were PH 7.4, ammonia 0, nitrite 0 and nitrate 10, the tank is very stable and these results are the same that they have been for the last 6 months. It is filtered by the internal Juwel filter and also an Eheim Classic 2215

I'm really caught in two minds here, as mentioned above I think my best course of action would be to take him back and get a refund. However I would also like to try and treat him but I also see my £30 disappearing down the drain should he not survive for very long. I don't know what the shop's guarantee (it's Maidenhead Aquatics and it's the first time I've bought from there) is for livestock. Would they take him back into stock, treat him and let me have him back when he's better? It's the first time I've had a situation like this so don't really know how best to deal with it.

Gary

 

[stang1]

Maidenhead Aquatics are a good store so it's worth asking if they'll take him back. They've sold you a fish that has a problem so I don't think they'll object to having him back. I'm not sure whether they'll treat him but they may exchange him for you.
Good luck!

 

[WILDER]

Don't think the lfs will treat him, they will just cut there losses, wish they would though poor thing.

 

[KathyM]

Maidenhead are, from what I've read on here, pretty good. I personally would return him, as Royals can be sensitive in new surroundings and an illness on top means it's a higher risk you'll lose that £30-worth of fish.

 

[PlecMama]

I'd speak with them and ask them their intentions, then if they are straight that they will put him down, see perhaps if they will exchange him then let you have a go at fixing him anyway.

Maybe they would be swayed to take an additional £10 for the ill one and give you a new one in "exchange" so they would make £40, but you would have both - you could isolate the one and try treating him, if it doesn't work out, you've given it a go, you only lost £10 and he's had a chance, but if it does, you have 2 beautiful plecs.

I'd try, it can't hurt to ask.

 

[nmonks]

I still think you need to ID the problem first. Have you felt it? If it is a hard mass of tissue then it's a tumour, lympho, or fish pox. Only malignant tumours are fatal and none are particularly contagious (lympho especially seems to be caused by the environment, so more than one fish can suffer from it, but they don't catch it from each other). None of these are treatable, and in the case of lympho it will go away eventually. Fish pox isn't common in tropicals, usually it is seen on koi and goldfish. Tumours are normally inside the fish though, and what you see is the tissue forcing the skin out. Lympho has a distinctive colour and texture that should help you ID it.

If it's soft like a bag of fluid, then it's some sort of swelling filled with blood or pus, probably from bad handling. Again, not contagious, and only somewhat risky to the life of the fish. It should get better by itself over time. But nonetheless you want to be treating the water with something like anti-fungus/finrot and making sure water quality is excellent.

I'd be tempted to call the retailer and explain the situation. If you return it, they'll probably destroy it, which is a shame because lympho at least is entirely harmless in the long term.

Cheers, Neale

 

[VeryFatbloke]

Dear all

Thanks very much for your replies, I've taken him back and they are going to order me a replacement. I must admit I didn't think about asking if I could keep him and try to cure him whilst waiting for the replacement.

Thanks again
Gary

 

[PlecMama]

...call them tomorrow and see, maybe he's still saveable (made up word).

You'll max out your Karma points for this month.

 

[VeryFatbloke]

Hi all,

sorry to bump this thread after two months but not having heard from Maidenhead I went back today to get a credit note. To my surprise they said that he was ready for collection and had been for about three weeks. Apparently they had phoned and left a message letting me know he was ready to be collected, not that I got it!!!!

Anyway they said that they had treated him and the lump had fallen off after a few days back with them but it had left quite a raw wound underneath where the lump had been. They reckoned it was a cut in his skin that had become infected and caused the lump, however he looks in good health now and is back in my 190.

I'll try and post some photos tomorrow evening so you can see the change. I will of course be keeping an eye on him to make sure everything is ok.

Gary