# Tumor/wart like thing



## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

I am posting this question for my brother. For probably about 2 months now his gar has had a "tumor" or a "wart" (that is the way he described it to me) he said he tried melafix but that didnt help, i believe he also mentioned something else he tried, i dont remember the name of but that didnt work either he said. Any suggestions for him? I was absolutly clueless to give him any more suggestions.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

What does this "tumor" look like? Is in inflamed and petruding, or skin colour and smooth?


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

It probably IS a tumor or wart. If a wart, it's caused by a virus, and the condition is called Lymphocystis. It's harmless, and just like any other wart, it eventually goes away.
If the wart is not red, and looks lind of like a bit of cauliflower, then it's just a wart. It it IS red & smooth, then it's either a different kind of cyst ( like from a worm ), a boil (infection ), some other infection, or yes, even a tumor. Gars aren't especially prone to tumors, though, having the advantage of being an ancient group which, like sharks, weeded out most cancer genes long ago. As such it's _probably_ something else.

Another possibility is fish pox, but that's pretty unlikely.

In any case, Melafix should prove utterly worthless. A thorough tank cleaning can help prevent the spread of the virus or fight the infection.


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

thanks for the info, ill have to call him tomorrow and find out exactly what it looks like. He usually comes up to my house, I dont usually go down to his so i cant tell you for myself. I'll also tell him to start cleaning


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

Ocasionally fish can get what look like zits on fins. These are usually nothing more than a genetic thing. If you remember - Ask if it is on the body or fins.


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

well as cichlid man said, my bro says that it is inflamed and protruding, its on the right side, not on the fin. i forgot to ask him though what the name of the other stuff he treated with.


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

ok, so i saw my brother today, and he says they look exactly like warts, and they are all over his fish now, the fins and body and that its not affecting any of the other fish. he also mentioned that now there is red through his fins, and that the one "wart" popped. he said he treated with melafix and pimafix. i asked him if he did it together and he said no.


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

Red in fins is a sign of high ammonia.

It sounds like it could be Lymphocystis. This is typically caused by a virus and equivalent to a wart, characterized by the formation of a grayish white, irregular growth anywhere on the body but especially on the fins; treatable only with antiviral drugs


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

alright, thanks fishdoc, i'll let him know. I asked him if he tried the net and he said no.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

I don't think that's it. It's spreading too fast and there is too much redness.
It's likely fish pox after all, unless that fish is full of little worms which have decided it's time to burst out of their host.
Fish pox is viral, but it doesn't do any real harm and it doesn't tend to spread. A good tank cleaning and a bit of warmth will usually clear it right up without super expensive drugs which usually don't work anyway.
Does this gar eat feeder goldfish? That's the most likely source of fish pox.


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

yeah im pretty sure he feeds them feeders. i dont know about the worms thing, he never said anything to me about. i'll tell him your opinion oldsalt. i think he told me before he keeps it at 74 degrees? we keep ours at 78, should i have him raise the temp. to there, or go higher? Sounds as if he needs me over there to do a cleaning for him :-D lol


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

i asked him a few days ago if he looked up fish pox yet and he said yeah. then he was here and i showed him this post. He also told me the people at the fish store had absolutly no idea what it could be...HAHA! Then i talked to his g/f about it and she said he only has one left on his side, but that they need to do a waterchange...lol what else is new!


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

If it's finally clearing up, then don't do anything but cleanups. Raising the water temperature can help speed things up, but since this is probably a North American gar, 78 is as high as he'd want to go.


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