pond goldfish with tumors

[Alice B]

I service ponds. These fish came from a 9000 gallon pond. Last year there were at least 20, maybe 30 goldfish. This year were 11, and 5 had tumors, so I brought them home. I don't know if the tumors are contagious. There were only a couple of koi in the pond, and they do not have tumors. Not a huge snail population either. Very little algaecide use - the one they use is a peroxide base. and I think they used it twice last summer

 

[Colin_T]

Any chance of pictures from the side?

Most tumours can't be treated because the fish die while under anesthetic.
You can sometimes remove them by tying a piece of thread (cotton) around the base of the tumour and doing it up tight. The thread stops the blood supply to the tumour and it eventually dies and falls off. You should do this in an aquarium and remove any tumours that fall off so the fish don't eat them. You also have to re-tighten the thread to keep it tight. It might take several weeks for the tumour to die and drop off, sometimes longer.

 

[Alice B]

I can get some better pictures tomorrow in daylight. Is there any chance these tumors are contagious?

 

[SomethingsFishy24]

Tumors, in any animal, are generally not contagious. Now some growths can be caused by a virus/parasite/bacteria and are contagious. With what I can see of the spots in question, papillomas come to mind. There is a herpes virus they can get, just not sure what is really done about it or for it.

 

[Alice B]

I kind of suspected a herpes virus actually. not sure why I suspected that. I have another guy is swimming tumor but have never had another fish spot out, I'm pretty sure his is just tumor. The overall incidence in this pond, with almost 50% of fish with tumors, just kind of seemed odd. I rather suspect there is no successful treatment for herpes, but euthanization to stop the spread. I have clove oil, might need to learn to use it. My vet said if I knew what we were looking for a lab in Dallas does genetic testing on fish tumors, and is relatively inexpensive.

 

[Colin_T]

Koi Pox is caused by a herpes virus. It can spread to goldfish. It does not kill the fish but does cause them to develop white lumps on the body. If the fish are given good conditions and fed a varied diet, the virus goes away and becomes dormant. When the fish are stressed (eg: cold water in winter), the virus can come back.

If they have Koi Pox, do not kill them, there is no need to. The fish can live normal lives with it.

 

[Alice B]

My question is whether they will infect the other fish and cause them to get lumpy? I have another fish that is like 1/4 tumor, various size lumps, some very large, but no fish in with him has ever been infected, he was removed from a customer pond basically for being ugly, spent a year in an aquarium, I put 3 baby goldfish in with him for months, no one got lumps so he went in a pond. With the number of lumpy fish in that one, and I just added 14 koi, I had to pull these out, but I do not want all of my fish to get tumors. I can maybe put them in with the mosquito fish?

 

[Colin_T]

If one fish in the pond has an active case of Koi Pox, then all the fish in that pond will have the virus. Whether they develop symptoms will depend on the individual fish with younger healthier fish being less likely to show symptoms and older sicker fish more likely.

The only way to get rid of Koi Pox is to remove all the fish and bleach the aquarium/ pond. Then get new fish and hope they don't have the virus. But any goldfish or Koi carp can carry the virus for years and not show any symptoms unless they are stressed.

 

[Alice B]

Well I have done all I can for the pond they came from I pressure washed it. It was exposed to chlorinated water during refill.. These actually look like a type of papilloma that the pdf I downloaded said might not be koi pox. And the koi were unaffected at all. I do have a tank in my green house where my sir lumpy lives, I could kick the healthy goldfish out to the main pond and put these in with him. They can live out their lives there. Should I call a lab and have one of these fish tested, or is it a waste of money?

 

[Colin_T]

I wouldn't bother with a lab test unless you specifically want to know. If fish start dying then get one tested, but I would probably leave them be.

 

[Stan510]

I just removed a tumor from a Shubunkin yesterday. It was a grape sized tumor on a 8" fish including tail. Sharp razor,some vodka as anesthesia ( for the fish .not me- at least until later for me-wink),Hydrogen peroxide to pour on the wound when the tumor was removed. Shockingly- almost no bleeding came of it. I did add salt to the water. She's not feeling great..but upright 24 hours later

 

[I Like Rare Fish]

Shockingly- almost no bleeding came of it.

I’ve seen my fair share of tumors removed from fish on shows, and most of the time there is no bleeding - just dark red where the spot of the tumor is (all of them have been on either koi or Oscar’s). Wish you a nice recovery!

 

[Back in the fold]

Well ! This has certainly been interesting reading. Who would have ever thought ? Never , ever have heard of surgery on ornamental fish.

 

[I Like Rare Fish]

If you want to see one in progress, search up Dr. K’s Exotic Animal ER, episode with the name of ‘H2O-No’. It’s really interesting how they do it.

 

[Stan510]

That blurry orange spot was the tumor. I didn't realize the camera hadn't focused. Now,it's gone and she's lethargic but alive. If any infection starts I go to hydrogen peroxide.