# help needed



## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

I posted awhile ago that I needed more help but i have not heard back yet.
My tetra has been having cysts on its body off and on. I had Q'd her and when no more spots developed in 4 days i put her back in main tank as she was not doing well alone.
Currently has a row on the lateral line.They are whole (not open) for about 24 hours then the top comes off them and leaves a hole that is red inside. Area inside looks like a sac that is open and may have had something inside. She is not rubbing on anything. And until today she has been the only one with them. Today one of the other fish has 2 areas on his tail. 1 looks small like perhaps ich but the other is about 10 times as large as an ich spot and is similar to what the female has. Both are in Q.
So obviously what ever she has is catching but very slowly. 
I went to lfs and described my problem to the manager who has a degree in marine biology. He suggests a parasite of some type but thinks it is a long shot and it does not fit anything that he knows about. Ie flukes, anchor worms.I don't know where it would come from unless it came in the tap water and missed getting killed by the chloramine, or it came from the white worms i culture for the fish.
I raise them in potting soil and have for the past year.
Any ideas? Old Salt?


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## Buggy (Oct 17, 2006)

See if this article helps Mousey.....http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/information/Diseases.htm#HLLE

Scroll down to Head and Lateral Line disease.
There are other diseases listed that sound similar to what you decribe so be sure to check them all out.


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

hi Buggy, I actually looked at that site and I could not find anything that fits. I followed some of the links, ended up on the about.com fish info and from there went to Bob Fenners site and looked at some pics of HLLD and Hith-- it does not look like any of those things. It is more like a boiled egg with the top chopped off exposing the insides after the yolk and white has been removed. After seeing the "cysts" on the lateral line they remind me of some of those eggs that hatch on horror movies that let out critters that kill people by sucking out body organs.
(no I haven't seen that kind of movie for a while-- I'm getting to old for that stuff)
Currently those spots have once again healed and the spots on the male's tail disappeared over night. Nothing seen on either fish just now so whatever it is seems to have about 24 hour life span on the fish.
Both fish are very unhappy about being in Q. I thought that 2 of them would be company for each other but they are not their usual aggressive selves. The black skirts own the community tank and are fairly aggressive towards other fish as far as feeding goes. they have not eaten since in the Q tank. I have tried them with live worms, frozen worms, sinking food and floating.
I guess I will have to leave them in Q for a few weeks and see what transpires.They will either starve or eat and get better or die.
It could be that the female is aging and her immune system is not working well.
I also have phoned and emailed Jungle Labs to see if they can help but they have not responded. I am using their fizz tabs for parasites.
It is about the only thing that makes sense since it looks like an egg has hatched.-perhaps skin flukes. I assume the instructions are accurate. They say to treat weekly for 3 weeks for external parasites. For internal you do it twice in one week with 48 hours and a water change between.
I never find medicating instructions too clear with any brand.
Thanks


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## Buggy (Oct 17, 2006)

If you think it might be parasites, look into doing a salt water dip or bath. I'm not sure how to do it but there are many websites that tell how and I'm sure someone on here would know.


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## Cichlidsrule (Nov 8, 2006)

It would be good if you could post some pictures...
If you want to go with the salt treatment, use Aquarium Salt--Doc Wellfish's works pretty well. The ratio for that brand is one tablespoon per five gallons of water. Keep them quarantined....that's about all I can tell you. Would live brine shrimp work to feed them? They might like that more 'cause it's actually moving...


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Pictures would be fantastic. However, I think the problem is fungal. The rapid growth, the nodules, the bursting nodlues, the slow spreading, the concentration along the lateral line, which is possibly already infected leading to a secondary fungal infection, which is very common... yeah, sounds fungal to me.


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

the areas on the left side have healed up nicely on the female but today she had a spot on her right side just behind the gill plate. 
The male is currently clear.
I caught the female and had her in the daylight to see if I could see anything. The cyst area collapses when the fish is on its side. I removed the area with my nail hoping that if it did contain a parasite it would kill it.It of course left a small open red area. There are no fuzzy edges that might indicate fungus- just these sacs. Anyway she was in antiparasitic treated water for 48 hours and still developed another cyst. i did a partial water change and am trying salt for 2 days. 
I nearly lost her when trying to catch her. As soon as she saw the net she became airborn!She sure moves fast.
My water hardness is way up there(193) and my ph is quite high so fungus not be an issue. I have never actually had a fish develop fungus in the 5 years I have had tanks.
i guess I will keep persevering.
I did hear from jungle labs. They have no idea either what it could be but assure me i can treat with the antiparasitic fizz tabs as often as necessary until i get whatever it is under control.
yes a photo would be nice. I have tried before to take pics of tetras with no luck-- they all move too fast. and you will not be able to see this cyst thing either- it is white on a black and white fish!:-(


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Not all fungus is fuzzy.


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