Jump to content

Large red lump on roach


Andy_1984

Recommended Posts

Got up this morning and ive just turned on the light to discover that the second roach that went into the tank 2 years ago has a large lump on one side just at the front of the dorsal fin. Its pushing the scales out and has a very blood red coloration under the scales. I can also see some red mark where the dorsal meets the body.

 

It may not be relevant but last week it developed a red sore on its nose/lip which I put down to a bump on the glass/decorations.

 

Last night the lump was not even visible it has happened between 10pm last night and this morning.

 

Any ideas guys :( ?

Owner of Tacklesack.co.uk


Moderator at The-Pikers-Pit.co.uk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

More info

 

Water test (ppm):

 

Ph 6.0 - 6.4

Ammonia 0.25

Nitrite 0

Nitrate 20 - 30

 

The only other changes in the tank are the new light which is a 38w freshwater lamp I got last week as the old one broke. And the direction of the flow in the tank, found out the circulation is better with the new angle.

Owner of Tacklesack.co.uk


Moderator at The-Pikers-Pit.co.uk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would not usually expect to see any ammonia at all in a mature tank, so it's slightly worrying that your kit isn't reading zero, but then the accuracy of the kits is not 100%. Still, I would keep an eye on that and maybe do some partial water changes as a precaution.

 

It sounds as if the fish may have an ulcer beginning to form. Usually indicative of a bacterial infection, and most usually occur when water quality is a problem, but can be a symptom of a fish on its last legs for some other reason. A tumour is another possibility, but the sudden appearance pretty much rules that out.

 

You can get antibacterial ulcer treatments over the counter at the pet shop. It's a long time since I've tried one, and in my experience they seldom worked, but if you act early it may help. Be careful about dosages, I suspect that your wild fish will be more sensitive than most aquarium species - certainly rudd and orfe are. You don't want to kill all your fish off treating one of them. I assume you don't have a quarantine/hospital tank?

 

A picture would be good at this stage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would say ammonia probably is 0 as its closer to 0 than it is to 0.25

 

When I first got the tank I had to do a protozin treatment because of white spot when a comet goldfish was introduced that my mum thought would be a good addition so I think any treatment may be ok, if that's what is needed.

 

A few pics for you. I had to wait for nephew to come home from school with his camera phone :rolleyes:

 

post-7003-0-87037000-1362675528_thumb.jpg

post-7003-0-98923900-1362675545_thumb.jpg

 

from the other side.

post-7003-0-59876600-1362675571_thumb.jpg

 

Its become much darker now were as before it was a very bright red. I dont have a hospital tank unfortunately, what would be an acceptable tank for this purpose, can acrylic without lighting be used ?

Owner of Tacklesack.co.uk


Moderator at The-Pikers-Pit.co.uk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That does look like a developing ulcer to me, I'm afraid :(

 

Acrylic will be fine, fish will be happy without lighting, main issue will be providing decent filtration, because you won't have a mature filter for the hospital tank. If you are fairly confident that the fish will take it, it might be worth leaving it in the main tank and treating all the fish.

 

Have you got a good local fish shop? It's so long since I've had to treat one that I don't know what is recommended these days. I know a lot of effective medications for fish have been legislated off the market.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Steve, knew I could count on you for advice. I have one local that is always busy, knowledgeable, fully stocked with supplies and treatments, keep clean tanks etc.

 

I'll be calling in tomorrow for their advice on treatment but I'm not so sure how much they will know about roach and rudd.

 

How much danger is there for the rest of the fish, and myself having my hand in there.

 

Thanks again.

Owner of Tacklesack.co.uk


Moderator at The-Pikers-Pit.co.uk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fairly safe to you, just wash your hands and don't drink it! Many of them will stain, so don't spill on clothes or carpet. Look for warnings about rudd and orfe - often kept as pond fish and so risks well understood, and roach should be similar. If it suggests a lower dose for some species, use that one. If you've got any activated charcoal in your filter, take it out until after the treatment or it will mop up the medication.

 

It's definitely worth trying to treat it, especially if you can start before it gets too bad, but the really effective meds can only be got from the vet, for £££.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Potentially, yes. Most ulcers are caused by bacteria which are in everyone's tank, and only cause disease when given the opportunity by a stressed, injured or weakened fish. A fish with an ulcer may shed more of these bacteria, creating an increased risk to the other fish - but again, the infection is usually opportunistic and shouldn't harm healthy fish.

 

Almost all of the bacteria involved pose no risk to humans. The only exception I can think of is that rarely these infections are caused by mycobacteria, the family of organisms which cause tuberculosis in humans. There have been cases where people in fish processing plants have contracted a tuberculosis infection of the skin from these bacteria, and there have been very rare cases where people have been infected by their aquarium fish. Realistically - it probably isn't the kind of bacteria which pose a risk to you, even if it were and you were careless you would be very unlucky to get infected, even if you did it's easily treated, and if you wash your hands after being in the tank and don't get the water in open wounds, the risk is minimal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Showed pics to the guy in the shop, couldn't really tell if it were ulcer or just a bad bump that's become infected, either way he recommended Melafix by Api that covers fin/tail rot, ulcers and bacterial infections. I Should know more in a few weeks.

Owner of Tacklesack.co.uk


Moderator at The-Pikers-Pit.co.uk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We and our partners use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences, repeat visits and to show you personalised advertisements. By clicking “I Agree”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent.