Discus Spine Deformation? Internal Parasite?

[gzylo]

Hi

When i have looked at my discus today I noticed that at the end of the spine there is a deformation or parasite


simply it looks like there is something under the skin but there is no discolouring fishes are eating wel on jbl granno mix (morning) + beef hart with prawn,s garlic and spinach + artemia(evening)

they are tearing over object from time to time - no rush swimming.



heavily planted tank, 350L, i do 5% water change daily pure RO.
29-30 degrees
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 0
ammonia: 0


pictures of affected fish

 

[rabbut]

Can you just confirm a few things

What test kit are you using? (Brand + format (i.e. strips, liquid drop))
Are you just doing two feeds a day with Beefheart mix for one and granuals for the first?
Are you using neet RO only?

I cannot see anything abnormal in the photos you provide, so can you try and describe the lump in as best detail you can, or get an up-close photo of just the leasion?

From the info there there may be many things causing you issues, so clearing up a few specifics will allow us to narrow dawn the cause and make specific recomendations Also, how old is the tank?

All the best
Rabbut

 

[gzylo]

hi kits are liquid based (nutrafin)

i have marked changes on the pics

2 feeds/day

morning: granno mix
evening: beefhart mix + artemia

yes i use neet ro only, today i started to do 10% water change 50/50 ro/tap


basically it just looks like small lump ( no dicolouration) it pushes out one way and looks like small dip on other site of fish - not big you can barely see the difference and I noticed now that its irritating for fish as they wag their tails strange sometimes, I have also notice that there is starting to be discolouration on tail it looses colour see through colour and gets "milky coat" starting from end of fin - only tail fin is affected

i think it might be something that i introduced with new plant


tank is 7 months old


Thanks
gzylo

 

[MBOU]

Before getting onto the fish, i would advise getting an RO water remineraliser if you dont already, I like Tropic Marin Pro Discus, adds all the good minerals and nutrients that the RO machine strips out.

I would say it was possibly some kind of bacterial infection, especially if its effecting its slime coat, the fish does look a bit stressed but then again, mine go stressed looking when i point the camera at the tank too.

I would also recomend getting some APIs Pimafix, nice gentle herbal remedy for fungal infections etc, its very mild and i add a little every time i do a water change.

Another is Kusuri's Discus Wormer, its a must, when i have it in stock again, i insist people buy some when they buy discus. I had a discus for years and even from birth he was a skinny runt and whilst with the best water and food, he never got very fat and i discovered this wormer and within an hour of treatment, i had to do another waterchange to siphon out all the large worms that he had passed! It worked so well so quickly!

 

[gzylo]

Hi Thanks

ill try to get some mineralization from lfs.


Its camera - 2 last pictures was taken when half of light in tank went off so the fish looks dark

I will go to lfs and get pimafix and discus wormer, and something to treat bacterial infection as I only have protozin left ;/


ANY MORE SUGGESTIONS? - I`M NOT REALLY EXPERIENCED DISCUS KEEPER - just started month back



Regards
gzylo

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Hi Thanks

ill try to get some mineralization from lfs.


Its camera - 2 last pictures was taken when half of light in tank went off so the fish looks dark

I will go to lfs and get pimafix and discus wormer, and something to treat bacterial infection as I only have protozin left ;/


ANY MORE SUGGESTIONS? - I`M NOT REALLY EXPERIENCED DISCUS KEEPER - just started month back



Regards
gzylo

One word of advice, don't start throwing medication into the tank without a proper diagnosis. This can make things worse! Pimafix is a very mild fungus medication, your Discus definitley doesn't have a fungus, so definitley do not throw it in your tank. Many minor diseases can be treated with water changes alone, and could replace this medications anyways. I do not think wormer will help for this problem either, and I have heard a few people tell me that Kursuri Discus Wormer does nothing. I would recommend neither of these medications, especially in this case!! It is always good to carry medication on hand in case disease arises. Fendendazole (in form of flake or dog wormer) should be carried on hand, along with metronidazole and a fluking medication either potassium permanganate (if you can get your hands on it) if not then something with copper sulfate or malachite green should suffice.

To be honest, I am not 100% sure what this is. Has this just recently popped up? If it was a deformity of some kind it would have been their since birth. If it is anything though, I would guess some sort of external parasite that has burrowed into the fish. I would start by separating him and possibly doing a course of external parasite medication (like the ones mentioned.) You may want to hold off and see what Wilder says though, she is great with treatment of disease.


If you want a good site to buy fendendazole flake just PM me I use it once every three months as a precautionary wormer.


One more thing to add. I would increase the amount of water changed per day, and also the amount fed. Can you manage 3 feedings a day and a 25-30% water change? It is still not ideal IMO, but that would be the minimum I would aim for. Also I would supplement the diet with some brine shrimp/blood worms and flake if they will eat it. Variety is important and beefheart shouldn't be used for too long, it can drastically lower lifespan!

 

[gzylo]

Thanks DiscusLova,



I have just done 50% water change

Yes it showed up recently
Thats what I was thinking about some kind of bug getting in to the fish from outside - tank lights are still off so will know whether it has developed @10:45

I`m building automatic water change system over this weekend so I should set it up at around 30%/day

3 feeding should be no problem as my other half is always @ home

 

[rabbut]

That lesion may have been caused by the lack of minerals in the water for a lot time. With all due respect, if you were using RO neat you didn't do enough research on it to use it safely. RO can be dangerous stuff to fish if you don't use it right It is 99.9% pure water, and it will "suck" vital nutrients out of the fish and really mess up the Osmoregulatory system in a short space of time if used even close to neat. I'd go with daily water changes of about 30% with just Tap water for the minute (conditioning it with dechlorinator would be a good idea ) and just keep an eye on things for the while.

I agree with Discuslova though. Do not medicate untill you know what you are treating, and IME both Primafix and Kisuri Wormer Plus are pathetic excuses of medications. Both are weak, and the latter does not even use the correct type of Flubendazole to work. In short with the Kisuri stuff, you'd be as well off to politely ask the worms/flukes to leave, they'll ignore your attempt to rid the fish of them either way, but asking is cheaper than the Kisuri med

With worming, I'd do it just with new stock. They will not need worming again if they are kept in good conditions, and any medications will knock a small amount of life off the fish if use, as all medications as based on poisons

All the best
Rabbut

 

[gzylo]

i started to do as


as said i have done 50% water change saturday with tap water conditioned with dechlorinate, 40% yesterday


and have done 20% this morning and planning to do 20% in the evening and will continue for couple of days more after will do 50/50

yea it will be a lesson.


Thanks Rabbut