# Please help - pics attached



## Rider14 (Aug 1, 2009)

Can anyone help with the diagnosis? Old fancy goldfish, alawys healthy, still acting normal and eating like a pig, but has these bumps on his body. They seem to come to a head, with a white tip, but no worms or anything from what I can tell. Just swollen underneath and a but pointy. Two together on one side, and another towards the middle rear on the other. 

Pics are best I can do. Where he's facing you, you can see a double bump on his right side, and on his left side (where he's white) you can see a bump that (in the 2nd pic) looks kind of pink?

Anyway, I put him in an isolated 2.5 gallon with meds, no filter and lots of airation. Fungus lear and coppersafe. Also feeding him medicated anti-bacteria pellets excludively (which he loves).

Can anyone tell me what this is and if I need to worry about it? Not getting worse, MAYBE getting better (it's been 3 days, no significant change for worse or better).

Here's the pics. ANY HELP WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATED!!! He's my son's favorite fish...

- Dan


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Ah, it must be springtime.
This isn't exactly fishpox, but it's close enough. The things you are doing shouldn't help much, but I suppose they couldn't hurt, either. Don't stop, though, lest you create a resistant strain of something from the interrupted treatment.

These boils are usually caused by a virus which tends to become active in early spring, when the fish's immune system is still weak. It is possible that these are worm or bacteria caused, but I wouldn't count on it.
The good news is that, given clean water, good food, and a steady temperature in the upper 70's, this usually clears up eventually.


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## Rider14 (Aug 1, 2009)

TheOldSalt said:


> Ah, it must be springtime.
> This isn't exactly fishpox, but it's close enough. The things you are doing shouldn't help much, but I suppose they couldn't hurt, either. Don't stop, though, lest you create a resistant strain of something from the interrupted treatment.
> 
> These boils are usually caused by a virus which tends to become active in early spring, when the fish's immune system is still weak. It is possible that these are worm or bacteria caused, but I wouldn't count on it.
> The good news is that, given clean water, good food, and a steady temperature in the upper 70's, this usually clears up eventually.


Boils, ey? How important is the steady temperature part? He's normally kept in a 35-40 gallon tank with 5 other goldfish, none of which are showing signs of illness, and I normally keep the tank at room temperature which reads in the water around 67-68.

I have a 10 gallon tank I can put him by himself that has a heater, but what do I have to do for the transition? I'll need to drain and refill that tank (it has danios in it that I'm ready to transfer to my tropical tank, water may have additional sickies in it from fish store) and let the temp balance out at room temperature. SHould I then put him in, remedicate the tank and then let the heater do its thing? Probably take a few hours to heat the water up to 77 or so. Is that too fast, especially since he's sick?

Or should i just put him back with the other goldfish and do more consistent water changes?


Thanks much for your help. Always thought warm water was no good for goldfish. Who knew. I'd put him in with the tropicals to eat the snails in there, but he'd eat the tetras too...

-Dan

- Dan


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Just go to the store and buy a cheap heater.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Mid-70's should be warm enough.

There is no need to put him by himself. The others are already infected by now if they're going to be.


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## Rider14 (Aug 1, 2009)

He's been separated since I noticed it. He's now alone in a 10 gallon with a heater, salt, maracyn 2 and some copper safe. About 76 degrees.

He's frickin' huge. He looks like a fat ass. Fed him some peas tonight, will be feeding him less food. 

Boils are still there, maybe getting better, but he's swelling up, looks like the scales are going to pop into dropsy.

Anything else I can do? 

- Dan


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## Rider14 (Aug 1, 2009)

OK - I've given him 10 days of warmth, maracyn 2, coppersafe and salt. Fed him anti-bacterial food only (other than 2 meals of peas)

He's acting fine, but is still accurately described by his new nickname, Lumpy.

I turned off the heater, and the tank is now 71 degrees as opposed to 76.5, and I'll be putting him back with the other 5 goldfish tonight unless any of you think this is a bad idea. 

Again, other than the lumps, he's acting fine. What are they? Tumors? The bumps do not come to a head - one of them did, had a pink zit looking spot (boil?) but that is long healed. Only remaining symptom is the lumps, which will not go away. I've been feeding him a bit less, as he is fat in addition to the swelling, but he's still swollen up good.

Is there any reason not to just return him back to the goldfish tank and hope for the best? 

ANY help would be appreciated. 

Thanks,

- Dan


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Hmm... swelling, eh? That's not good. Your fish may well have some sort of internal infection which is causing the swelling. Or it just might be a female filling with eggs; its hard to tell.

Tumors are a possibility. They could also explain swelling if they are numerous inside the fish as well. There is no hope for that, of course.

The most significant risk of returning the fish to the main tank would be if the swelling is caused by some sort of internal infection. I tend to think that this is not the case, considering the treatment you've already given it. You could probably return this fish to it's main tank without too much trouble.


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## Rider14 (Aug 1, 2009)

TheOldSalt said:


> Hmm... swelling, eh? That's not good. Your fish may well have some sort of internal infection which is causing the swelling. Or it just might be a female filling with eggs; its hard to tell.
> 
> Tumors are a possibility. They could also explain swelling if they are numerous inside the fish as well. There is no hope for that, of course.
> 
> The most significant risk of returning the fish to the main tank would be if the swelling is caused by some sort of internal infection. I tend to think that this is not the case, considering the treatment you've already given it. You could probably return this fish to it's main tank without too much trouble.


Thanks. I returned it to the main tank last night, thinking (as you stated) any infections must have been handled by now, and it's acting completely normally. Eating like a pig, swimming around and nosing the other fish like he/she used to. The lumps are just odd. I assume it's multiple tumors, not sure what else it could be. He's totally asymetrical. 

I've prepped the kids to be ready for it not to live very long. Who knows. Thanks again for your help.

- Dan


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