Is this a tumor?

[MissNoodle]

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Tank

What is the water volume of the tank?
20g

How long has the tank been running?
Filter established almost a year, just upgraded the glass a few months back?

Does it have a filter?
Yes, Aquaclear 50 hacked HOB and DIY sponge

Does it have a heater?
Yes

What is the water temperature?
80F

What is the entire stocking of this tank? (Please list all fish and inverts.)
3 mollies
1 adult platy 2 fry
1 guppy
6 skirt tetras
Handful of snails

Maintenance
How often do you change the water?
Weekly

How much of the water do you change?
25-50%

What do you use to treat your water?
Seachem Prime

Do you vacuum the substrate or just the water?
Both

*Parameters - Very Important
Did you cycle your tank before adding fish?
Yes

What do you use to test the water?
API Master Kit

What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20
pH: 8

Feeding
How often do you feed your fish?
Daily

How much do you feed your fish?
A small pinch, enough that everyone gets at least one or two bites, some more than others.

What brand of food do you feed your fish?
Bugbites, tropical flakes, aqueon betta pellets, algae wafers (1x a week), frozen bloodworms.

Do you feed frozen or freeze-dried foods?
Frozen bloodworms

Illness & Symptoms
How long have you had this fish?
6months?

How long ago did you first notice these symptoms?
About a week ago

In a few words, can you explain the symptoms?
Hard white lump growing inside fish gill. Handled fish to inspect growth, it is solid and does not move.

Have you started any treatment for the illness?
Nope.

Was your fish physically ill or injured upon purchase?
Nope.

How has its behavior and appearance changed, if at all?
Just the lump. Acting totally normal otherwise.

Explain your emergency situation in detail. (Please give a clear explanation of what is going on, include details from the beginning of the illness leading up to now)

Fish has a growth in the gills. Shows like a bubble protruding from the gill even when gills closed. Upon opening the gill, it shows it is growing from the deep tissue of the skin rather than on the gill filters. See photos. Growth is white, like the fish, so hard to see. Inside the gill flap.

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Note, it has grown very slight since first noticed. It is not fuzzy or soft nor does it wipe away or move (so I don't think its fungus)

 

[kallililly1973]

Be very careful touching the fish as it can damage their slimecoat very easily. Not as noticible with smaller fish but it still does. I would up your WC's to 50-75% every 2-3-4 days for a week or two and drop your temp to say 75 for your stock. I think they would appreciate a little bit cooler water.

 

[MissNoodle]

Be very careful touching the fish as it can damage their slimecoat very easily. Not as noticible with smaller fish but it still does. I would up your WC's to 50-75% every 2-3-4 days for a week or two and drop your temp to say 75 for your stock. I think they would appreciate a little bit cooler water.

Ive had it turned up due to ich, which cleared but then a new fish added ended up getting it and now its back up again. But I do prefer it lower at the 75-77 range. Its just the temp its been since dealing with ich over the last 2 months in this tank. (Using meds, I can't get the heat any higher than it is, but kept it up to speed things up anyways)

And yes I'm aware with the slime coat, hence was using as little of my finger to lift just under the gill flap besides my hand supporting the net on the other side. It was the only way to get a clear photo because they don't sit the heck still for nothing.

May I ask why up the water changes? My parameters stay pretty steady with the current schedule, even with heavy stocking.

 

[kallililly1973]

Clean water is usually always the best medicine. Not at all knocking your WC regimine ( i've seen your tanks in your other threads and posts and they look great! ) but you will be surprised at how excited and amazingly active fish are after doing a 75% WC on any of your tanks. Most likely due to the fact that we don't test for " All " the things in the water.

 

[MissNoodle]

Clean water is usually always the best medicine. Not at all knocking your WC regimine ( i've seen your tanks in your other threads and posts and they look great! ) but you will be surprised at how excited and amazingly active fish are after doing a 75% WC on any of your tanks. Most likely due to the fact that we don't test for " All " the things in the water.

But what is the growth, if its not a tumor then? Ive not seen something like this on a fish before so I'm lost. She isn't even acting off. Not breathing heavy, not flashing, just being a normal skirt tetra. So it doesn't seem to be bothering her.

 

[kallililly1973]

But what is the growth, if its not a tumor then? Ive not seen something like this on a fish before so I'm lost. She isn't even acting off. Not breathing heavy, not flashing, just being a normal skirt tetra. So it doesn't seem to be bothering her.

Not a disease or illness pro but I can tag a couple people that i've seen on the ill/disease threads and hopefully they can help. A201 DoubleDutch coralbandit

 

[A201]

My guess is the growth is some type of Iridovirus. Something like a fish wart. Sometimes the growth will eventually disappear, other times the viral tumor grows until it physically debilitates the fish. There's no real cure.
The good news is fish viruses in general aren't all that contagious. Even an infected fish might never have an outbreak.

 

[coralbandit]

I agree something viral ..
Possibly lymphocystis .
Eitherway clean water and good food is my recommendation ..