Fighter (betta) With White Lumps On Fins... Please Help!

I'm really stuck on this one!
My male fighter has lived happily for several months with no problems, but over a week ago started to develop white lumps on his fins. He doesn't have these anywhere else, although he has also turned from mainly flame red to red and green over the last couple of weeks as well. He seems a little lethargic, sometimes resting on the bottom (which rings alarm bells for me as he very rarely used to do this).
He is in a 25 litre tank, filtered, aerated and heated (27C) and lives with Tetras (Blue neon, cardinal, black neon and rummy noses), lamp eyes and a couple of tiny Ottos.
The tank has been set up and stable for about 6 months. The most recently added fish were the 2 Ottos about 6 weeks ago to clean algae from my plants.
There has only been one death in the tank in the last 3 months or so, which was a blue neon about a week ago (unknown cause, no sign of disease, so presumed old age).
We do a 30% water change every 2 - 3 weeks (heated to temperature and de-chlorinated) and the filter is cleaned (using tank water) once in between the water changes (never at the same time).
Recent water tests were near perfect (Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate) although if you feel it would help I can do another water test and provide exact figures.

I'm attaching photos... they are slightly blurry but should still show the problem better than I can describe it!

I started a course of Protozin 3 days ago, thinking it may be whitespot... but the more I look at him, the more I just don't think it looks like any whitespot I have ever seen!

Please help... I already lost my favourite fighter (unknown causes) about a week ago in another tank after having him about 8 months, would hate to lose this guy as well!

Thanks!

Kee

Just done a water test (liquid test kit):

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0.25
Nitrate: 0
Ph: 8

I'm worried to see Nitrite, as usually this tank has perfect water results... could this be anything to do with the fact that I added dose 3 of Protozin about 2 hours ago? I could do a water change, but it would mess up the Protozin treatment, and unless I know for sure it is not whitespot, it would seem logical to complete the treatment I think?

Further details I should probably have mentioned are:
Filter: Fluval 1 with standard sponge filter
Substrate: Fine gravel
Plants: Plastic

Feeding: Betta Bio Gold for the fighter + Hikari Micro Pellet for everything else (which the fighter gobbles too)

At risk of getting told off for overstocking, my stock level is:
8 Blue Neon Tetras
3 Cardinal Tetras
5 Black Neon Tetras
5 Rummy Nose Tetras
7 Lamp Eyes
2 Rainbows (possibly Gertrudae, under 1 inch long)
2 Otos (unknown type, under 1 inch long)
1 Male Siamese Fighter

The tank is a strange one... 1 metre long but only 11cm deep and 24cm tall.
This is why I chose the fish that live in it... they all took to the odd shape like "fish to water"!
It is the healthiest tank I have ever had... since cycling, I have never had to treat for disease and only remember ever losing one fish, the blue neon about a week ago! One of my rummy noses lost an eye whilst we were away for a week back in July, but recovered marvelously on its own and still lives to this day!

Do the lumps look Cauliflower-like?

Here's a link to JBL's Online Hospital:

http/www.jbl.de/onlinehospitaluk/perpict...lickedPic=024_b

There are lots of pics here that may help you with diagnosis.

nosoup4you said:

Do the lumps look Cauliflower-like?

Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply...
It is hard to tell as his fins are constantly moving, but they are definitely raised, like something is attached rather than just patches of different colour.
He has 3 on one fin and one on the other. I will have a look at the pics, thanks, but not found anything similar whilst trawling the web

look up Lymphocystis, if it were just white spot (Ich), I would think that you should have seen some improvement by now.

nosoup4you said:

Here's a link to JBL's Online Hospital:

[URL="http/www.jbl.de/onlinehospitaluk/perpict...lickedPic=024_b"]http/www.jbl.de/onlinehospitaluk/perpict...lickedPic=024_b[/URL]

There are lots of pics here that may help you with diagnosis.

Click to expand...

That link is interesting as it is the second time I have come across that today as a possible diagnosis... I previously disregarded it as something I had a) never heard of and b) found in marine fish... I'm also unsure whether it would explain his lethargy? It could be a possibility!

I will try to figure out how to take faster shots with my camera (didn't want to try too much in one go for fear of stressing him) and see whether I can get a clearer picture of the actual lumps.

There is a possibility of cross contamination from my other fish tanks, but I haven't seen anything else with lumps like that before!

nosoup4you said:

look up Lymphocystis, if it were just white spot (Ich), I would think that you should have seen some improvement by now.

Click to expand...

Here is a closer pic... unfortunately it still doesn't really show the fact that they are raised, but is probably clearer than the last.
If it doesn't sound strange... his head area seems kind of big too... not sure if that is just natural growth, as he was smaller when we first got him several months ago

Sorry, the link that i gave before goes directly to the page for Lymphocystis. Here is a link to the main page:

http/www.jbl.de/onlinehospitaluk/perpict...amp;GalleryId=2

Lymphocystis is a form of the herpes virus and like human herpes can lay dormant until the fish's immune system is somehow compromised (through stress, or infection).

nosoup4you said:

Lymphocystis is a form of the herpes virus and like human herpes can lay dormant until the fish's immune system is somehow compromised (through stress, or infection).

Click to expand...

Thanks, I've had a look through all the pics... the closest matches seem to be either Lymphocystis or ectoparasites

The only thing that I can think of that could have stressed him really is that he *may* be able to see some other male fighters nearby. The angle and lighting make it unlikely though.
Also, if he sees his own reflection, he flares like mad (always has) but I haven't noticed any excessive flaring recently... (suggesting he can't see the other males).

Do you have any recommendations on what I could try? I have done doses 1, 2 and 3 of Protozin (day 1, 2, 3) should I forget about dose 4 (not due until Sunday)?
Should I do a water change to bring down the Nitrites, or would that stress him?
Lights on or off?
I could put him in a plastic breeder to ensure other tankmates aren't stressing him more?

I have the following meds to hand:
Protozin
Myxazin
Sterazin
Melafix
Pimafix
Interpet (Most of their numbered range)

He KEEPS on resting at the bottom of the tank... every time I look up I think I have lost him

I would continue with the Protozin, if it is an "ectoparasite" then it is most likely protozoal and Protozin is a good med for that. If it is Lymphocystis, I'm afraid that there isn't really an effective treatment. Is the fish isolated from the rest of the tank? If at all possible he should be quarantined, that should be easy enough with a Betta. Either of your possible suspects can be quite contagious and it will be cheaper and easier to medicate a smaller volume of water. Some people have had luck with surgically removing the tumor from the body and /or fins but I don't know that I would advise it. The lethargy that you are seeing could very well be related to your nitrite levels. I would do a 30% water change and re-check. It is a little worrying that your nitrates are zero, most all well-cycled tanks will have some nitrate. Have you changed your filter-media lately? If so, you could be experiencing a mini-cycle which could have led to stress on the Betta exacerbating his condition.

Oops, duplicate post.

nosoup4you said:

I would continue with the Protozin, if it is an "ectoparasite" then it is most likely protozoal and Protozin is a good med for that. If it is Lymphocystis, I'm afraid that there isn't really an effective treatment. Some people have had luck with surgically removing the tumor from the body and /or fins but I don't know that i would advise it. The lethargy that you are seeing could very well be related to your nitrite levels. I would do a 30% water change and re-check. It is a little worrying that your nitrates are zero, most all well-cycled tanks will have some nitrate. Have you changed your filter-media lately? If so, you could be experiencing a mini-cycle which could have lead to stress on the Betta exacerbating his condition.

Click to expand...

Firstly thankyou for taking the time to keep returning to my post, it is hugely appreciated!

I have another pic (my boyf is home and had a little more luck with the camera!) Still not perfectly clear, but there is an element of a "cauliflower-like" look to it!
You asked about that... would that also lead towards the diagnosis of Lymphocystis?

I'm also concerned about the water readings... they came as a shock!
When I initially set the tank up some 6 months ago, I used about 40% of the new Fluval 1 filter media and cut up one of the media sponges from a Fluval 2 filter in another tank to use to help bump start the new tank.
About 6 weeks ago, I realised that I was still using the cut up bits from the other filter so replaced them with the other 60% of the Fluval 1 filter media. That seemed to go without a hitch.
I last cleaned my filter media just over a week ago. Could I be over-rinsing it? I tend to rinse and squeeze it in about an inch of tank water in a jug, empty the jug and repeat. I also rinse the outer plastic casing of the filter in tap water and shake it (obviously not letting tap water near the media!!!)

If I am carrying on with the Protozin treatment... am I able to do a water change in the middle? The next dose of Protozin is due on Sunday. IIRC Protozin only works for under 24 hours at a time so I should be able to do a water change tomorrow... would you agree?

Oh, and I don't think I have steady enough hands for surgery, lol

Lymphocystis



Symptoms:

Fish infected with Lymphocystis will present with clusters of whitish, berry-like growths on the skin and fins. These "clusters" may resemble small clutches of eggs or cauliflower (hence, it is sometimes called Cauliflower Disease). They will be clearly visible and may even become extremely large. This disease often affects the fins first.



Cause:

Viral infection. The virus will eventually kill the fish if it is unable to mount a strong enough immune response as the virus rampages through the fish’s tissues, destroying its cells.



Treatment:

As with all viral infections, there is no suitable cure or efficacious treatment; however Quick Cure claims to be helpful. I have also heard of people who trim the fish's fins, followed by several baths in Malachite Green. Fortunately, this disease is uncommon and in some cases, infected fish are able to recover quickly without treatment.

Lymphocystis is highly infectious. When infected cells from the fish’s skin or fins burst the virus is spread throughout the aquarium and can remain contagious for periods of up to two months. Fish not showing symptoms should be removed from the aquarium and placed in quarantine, away from other fish, for at least 60 days. Note, remove uninfected fish, not the other way around because the aquarium has become contaminated. The infected aquarium should be emptied and thoroughly disinfected before returning any fish to it. Do not use soap to clean the aquarium.