Growth on goldfish help

[Allegra]

HI guys,

I've had this fish for maybe 3-4 months, it was gifted to my son. When I got it I already noticed what I thought was just a missing scale. Lately it's growing a wart like growth. Any ideas on what it is and how to treat?

Fish is in 130 L tank, is a few inches long.

Tank is cycled, filtered with a sun sun canister filter.

Fish is fed API flakes 1x per day, edible plants and occasional blood worms.

Tank has 50 percent water change and vac once a week using prime as denominator.

Fish is active and otherwise fins look good, scales shiny and no unusual behavior.

It's one tank mate has no symptoms.

Parameters today are

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5 (was 10 before 50 percent change)

 

[vyrille]

Hi! How long have you noticed the lesion? What sort of fish is the tankmate and does it exhibit similar lesions? Have you dosed meds before? What temperature do you keep the tank at?

 

[Allegra]

Hi,

The tank mate is a Shubunkin, it has no lesions.

The fish has had this lesion the whole time (3-4 months) but it was barely noticeable until recently I thought it had one missing scale or something it was not raised just a slight mark, not white), it's grown and become more raised in the last few weeks. I have not used any medication. The tank I do not have a thermometer but the room it is in is always 21 degrees celcius.

 

[vyrille]

Hi,

The tank mate is a Shubunkin, it has no lesions.

The fish has had this lesion the whole time (3-4 months) but it was barely noticeable until recently I thought it had one missing scale or something it was not raised just a slight mark, not white), it's grown and become more raised in the last few weeks. I have not used any medication. The tank I do not have a thermometer but the room it is in is always 21 degrees celcius.

Outwardly, it looks like epitheliocystis (caused by a bacterium infecting mucus cells) to me. A similar lesion is lymphocystis (caused by a virus), but as far as I know lymphocystis does not affect cyprinids such as goldfish. Treatment information on epitheliocystis is spotty, but there is anecdotal evidence that acriflavine may work..

 

[Allegra]

Outwardly, it looks like epitheliocystis (caused by a bacterium infecting mucus cells) to me. A similar lesion is lymphocystis (caused by a virus), but as far as I know lymphocystis does not affect cyprinids such as goldfish. Treatment information on epitheliocystis is spotty, but there is anecdotal evidence that acriflavine may work..

Thanks for the advice.

 

[vyrille]

Do note though that other hobbyists report that these lesions can resolve on their own. Literature indicates a mortality anywhere from low (<5%) to total (100%) depending on fish, strain, water conditions etc. I'd suggest just keep your water as clean and stress free as possible, and have a bottle of methylene blue ready in the event that the lesions rupture. If you decide to go the treatment route, you may look into acriflavine as previously mentioned. Though I've personally never handled this condition, the koi farms I used to train under used oxytetracycline for this, and it seemed to work, so you can look into that as well. Eitherway I hope your fish does well!