Sick Pleco

[semajen]

Hi
I have a large pleco that is not eating and has developed lumps (see photo). The problem first arose after filters were cleaned and bacteria failed and nitrite went very high for 3 days before I realised what had happened. Other fish in the tank were not obviously troubled but the pleco was not well (swimming around bumping into things). The lump appeared at this time and after several weeks of not eating properly he stopped eating altogether (hasn't eaten for 4 weeks now). He is now in a quarantine tank (75 litres). I have tried pimafix, salt and sulpha drugs with no success.

Usual tank conditions as follows:
Tank size: 800 litres
pH: 6.6 -7.2
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0 (other than the occasion described above)
nitrate: generally around 60-80ppm
kH: I dont measure hardness ( I am in Sydney, Australia and as i understand it the water here is pretty middle of the road hardness wise)
gH: as above
tank temp: 26-27C

Quarantine tank is as above but 75 litres.

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): please refer photo, he is not moving around very much.

Volume and Frequency of water changes: 35% of water changed weekly

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: I dont use any chemical additives. Water is aged for 1 week in a separate tank and then heated before water changes.

Tank inhabitants: 1 pleco, 2 silver dollars, 1 black ghost knifefish, 4 clown loaches.

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): No recent additions

Exposure to chemicals: nothing other than what is in the tap water that I am aware of.

Digital photo (include if possible): see attached

Any help would be much appreciated. I have had him for 8 years and would be very sorry to lose him.

James

 

[WILDER]

How many lumps are they,.
If you tried bacterial meds it could be tumour.
Also there lymthocystis which will look like creamy smooth lump, or look like a cauliflower, or a cluster of eggs.

 

[semajen]

How many lumps are they,.
If you tried bacterial meds it could be tumour.
Also there lymthocystis which will look like creamy smooth lump, or look like a cauliflower, or a cluster of eggs.

He has a series of smaller lumps below his eye on the other side (please see attached photo). I wondered about lymphocystis but one of my books says it does not occur in catfish?

James

 

[WILDER]

See it what you mean. How long did you use the bacterial med.

 

[semajen]

See it what you mean. How long did you use the bacterial med.

Just in the last week.

 

[semajen]

See it what you mean. How long did you use the bacterial med.

Just in the last week.

Sorry, I will just clarify that last reply. I have been using the sulpha drugs in the past week. I was using pimafix around 4 weeks and ago and myxazin 2 weeks ago have been putting salt in the water for the last 6 weeks.

 

[Colin_T]

One of the lumps (first picture) looks like a tumour, but the second picture looks more like physical damage, possibly from burns or scratches that have become infected. Sometimes fish come in contact with the aquarium heater and can get burnt. Then the area swells up a bit and looks off. The white patching looks like excess mucous that is being produced to protect the damaged area.

I would try doing daily 50% water changes for a week or so and see if that helps. Also stop adding medications and salt just in case that is making things worse. If it hasn't improved after a week of water changes then perhaps try the triple sulpha drugs at maximum strength. Triple sulpha is pretty safe for catfish but can be a bit weak these days. Not that the drug is sold in lower concentrations, but there are lots of nasty bugs that are developing a resistance to it. Using it at maximum strength for 2 weeks should kill any fungus or minor bacterial infections and get rid of the red areas.

Lymphocystis can occur in any fish, including catfish. However, it appears as white or grey lumpy nodules and usually occurs on the fins first.

What are you feeding the fish and have you tried varying the diet?

 

[semajen]

One of the lumps (first picture) looks like a tumour, but the second picture looks more like physical damage, possibly from burns or scratches that have become infected. Sometimes fish come in contact with the aquarium heater and can get burnt. Then the area swells up a bit and looks off. The white patching looks like excess mucous that is being produced to protect the damaged area.

I would try doing daily 50% water changes for a week or so and see if that helps. Also stop adding medications and salt just in case that is making things worse. If it hasn't improved after a week of water changes then perhaps try the triple sulpha drugs at maximum strength. Triple sulpha is pretty safe for catfish but can be a bit weak these days. Not that the drug is sold in lower concentrations, but there are lots of nasty bugs that are developing a resistance to it. Using it at maximum strength for 2 weeks should kill any fungus or minor bacterial infections and get rid of the red areas.

Lymphocystis can occur in any fish, including catfish. However, it appears as white or grey lumpy nodules and usually occurs on the fins first.

What are you feeding the fish and have you tried varying the diet?

I have been feeding them hikari sinking pellets and wafers and a frozen mix I make myself which is based on green prawns and raw fish that have been ground up together. I also put english spinach, pumpkin and zuchini in their tank but not often in recent times because he hasn't showed much interest in vegetables for a couple of years now. He also stopped eating algae wafers around the same time.