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May 11th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| Black lump on Platies Tail
Hi,
I noticed a black lump on the tail of my sunset platie. Its on both sides of the tail, and so I immediatly tested the water. pH - 7.2, nitrite - 0.25 PPM, nitrate - 0 mg/l, ammonia - 0.25 PPM. As these are very low readings i thought that the water quality cannot be the problem. I perform weekly water changes on a friday changing 30 Litres from the 100 Litre tank.
Guy at the LFS said that it will be a bacterial infection and I should try to gently remove the lump with a cotton bud and then treat the fish in a seprate tank with some general tonic.
The fish is swimming, feeding and interacting normally but the lump seems to be getting slighly bigger. The tank is not over crowded as I gave some fish to a friend recently.
I am not sure if the advice from the LFS owner was the best so some more expert advice and help will be much appreciated.
Thanks | 
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May 11th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| Hello. For one reason or another your tank isn't cycled. I suggest 50% water changes daily with a dose of Prime, Nova Aqua, or Stress Coat (some type of stress reliever). Your readings need to show 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and 5-10 nitrates. Your fish are at risk for ammonia poisoning.
As for the lump on your fish I'm not sure what that could be. Let's get some more opinions on it. | 
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May 11th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| Thanks for the quick reply, but my tank has been running for over a year now, so it will be fully cycled.
The only change that I have made in the tank for quite a few weeks now is the addition of some Java Moss.
I use Tetra Aqua Safe to dechlorinate the water as the LFS owner said that it better than API stress coat.
Thanks again | |
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May 11th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| Keep an eye on things. From your readings you're going through a mini cycle for some reason. If you weren't your ammonia reading would be 0. Good on the Tetra Aqua Safe but does it mention that it relieves stress? I haven't used it so I'm not sure. Too, I was going by your aquarium information and says 2 months. Hang on and I'm sure someone will give you information on the the fishes lump. Good luck and I hope he's going to be ok.
Take any information that you're given from a LFS with a grain of salt. I think you'll find a lot better information here and a LOT more experience.  | |
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May 11th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Hi Mohib321..any chance of getting a picture here to see the lump on its tail fin? I have a 29G with only platys and some of their fry...Id be interested in seeing this. thanks. | |
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May 11th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Take any information that you're given from a LFS with a grain of salt. I think you'll find a lot better information here and a LOT more experience. [/quote]
aquarist48~
We have a lot of experience here thats for sure, if one compares the LFS advice with others then it would increase your info. Can't lump all LFS into one bad category. | |
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May 11th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| I apologise if I sounded like catogaring LFS advise as nonesense, but I did not intentionally mean to do so.
I also apologise as I forgot to update the tank info. The tank has been running for over a year now and I believe that it is/should be fully cycled.
I will try to upload a photo ASAP, but the sneaky little fish is so hard to photo, it just keeps darting around. | |
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May 11th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Mohib321  I apologise if I sounded like catogaring LFS advise as nonesense, but I did not intentionally mean to do so. I didn't think that was your object of discontent..it was your platy fish bump. I had made reference and replied to aquarist48' saying.."take any information from a LFS with a grain of salt".  your Ok...its ok..
I also apologise as I forgot to update the tank info. The tank has been running for over a year now and I believe that it is/should be fully cycled. ..any ammonia would mean some type of mini cycle has happened, ammonia is no good at any level. Just a lower level won't affect your fish quite as quickly, but it will eventually affect your fish. Platys are pretty hardy but I would do more then once a week water change until the ammonia is zero.
I will try to upload a photo ASAP, but the sneaky little fish is so hard to photo, it just keeps darting around. | .they are fast little ones..good luck | |
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May 11th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| Photos
Managed to take some photos with my brothers camera. They did'nt turn out perfect but thats the best I can manage.
Again sorry for the poor quality, but the black lump is on the end of the tail. It blends in to the tail on the photos (as tail is naturally black) and doesnt look massive, but it is roughly the same size as the end of my small finger. | |
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May 12th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
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Last edited by Mohib321; May 12th, 2009 at 11:40 AM.
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May 13th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| I sat by the tank for quite a long time today, and noticed that my clown loach and my swordtails were picking at something hidden behind a stone. When I moved the stone it i noticed that it was an apple snail. This was the last one left in the tank and I think that it is now dead.
Would a dead and rotting snail be the cause for the mini cycle, and if so why havent any of the other fish shown any effects of the cycle. I would also be very grateful if somebody could advise me on what to do next in regards to the platy.
Thanks | |
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May 13th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Im sorry that its been hard to figure out what can be wrong with your little platy..  The best that I can tell, and Im no expert, is it seems to be a type of 'growth'. You say it wasn't like that before, and the other fish are doing fine. It can be something genetically wrong. The livebearers are so over produced, that I'm not surprised that it happens.
I would google 'fish diseases' and go through the sites and try to find pictures that could help you identify your platy's ailment.
good luck...  | |
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May 21st, 2009
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| | Fish Lore Newbie
| I just noticed the same thing on my platy. He has two black lumps on each side of his tail. | |
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