Mikrogeophagus Ramirezi Ailment

[mark4785]

My mikrogeophagus ramirezi has recently developed a white lump just above one of his eyes. Initially it looked like a displaced scale in that I could see something the same colour has the other scales bulging outwards. However, now it's just a small lump that looks like its filled with white puss.

Behaviourally, fish is still eating a lot and acting normally.

I have provided a picture below and adjusted the colours has best as I can. Unfortunately the fish gets stressed when it sees the camera so I couldn't get a good close up.

Picture: (Note: it is in PNG format so you can further edit the colours)

Any help with identifying what it is would be appreciated.

Note: a black neon tetra of mine recently died after having a similar white lump though I think that was a bite mark from the Ram. It eventually died naturally and the Ram decided he'd eat it's tail fin and both it's eyes so I'm hoping the Ram hasn't contracted a disease. None of my other Tetra have this problem.

Edit:

Some additional pictures of the issue:

Picture with circles identifying ailment:

Ordinary picture:

Flash-enabled image:

Thanks in advance to anybody who can help. I really don't want to lose this fish. I know treating ailments in fish is best done at an early stage so I'm fighting against time to diagnose and treat. :cry: :cry:

 

[Tizer]

water test stats?

 

[mark4785]

water test stats?

Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 60 ppm (this level is needed as aquarium is a planted one; has been 60-80 ppm for over a year without problems).
PH: 6.5.
KH: 5.

I just thought I'd add that the fish is now not coming to the surface for food and his hovering back and forth around the lower/middle areas of the aquarium. I have treated the aquarium on the presumption that the fish has got hole in the head syndrome, which is what members of UKAP suggested. I'm on day 2 of treatment and the result is that the fish still has what appears to be hole in the head in ADDITION to being non-sociable (i.e. not coming up for food etc).

I'm 99% sure I can rule out a water quality issue since the fish typically responds to problems with ammonia by rubbing itself on objects; this is something it is not doing.

 

[Tizer]

my fish still flick and rub themselves on objects from time to time, i've never heard of ammonia being the cause of it.

certainly is an odd one this, not sure what to suggest.

 

[mark4785]

my fish still flick and rub themselves on objects from time to time, i've never heard of ammonia being the cause of it.

certainly is an odd one this, not sure what to suggest.

In your case, ammonia may not be the cause, however, sometimes when I disturb my substrate to insert the root system of a plant, ammonia is undoubtedly released since no oxygen gets into the deeper areas of the substrate, thus nitrifying bacteria cannot convert the ammonia into nitrite etc. When the substrate is disturbed the ram will rub himself.

The ram has perked up slightly today to the point that he comes up for food but he immediately spits it out. He looks colourful and the HITH spots are not getting worse or spreading.

I have a bucket of plants and some bog wood glued on to slate which I wanted to add to the tank some time soon but I've chosen to not change the fishs' environment otherwise the any stress caused is supposed to make HITH worse.

 

[Tizer]

I would have a read of this

 

[mark4785]

I would have a read of this

There isn't really enough nitrifying bacteria, no matter how it thrives, in the sand so it just reaffirms that ammonia release is the culprit IMO. The sulfide, as explained by the article, immediately becomes harmless in the water column.\

Anyway, ammonia, or any form of nitrogen isn't the cause of the HITH issue.

 

[mark4785]

The Ram is now coming up to the surface and eating flake though hes continuing to spit it out. He has been ill before and I've noticed that it can take 2-5 days before he gets the appetite back after the illness.

The HITH spots are still on his face. How long will it take for them to disappear? Anybody know?

Thanks,

Mark.

 

[mark4785]

Am I speaking to myself?

 

[mark4785]

bump.

 

[gibboinfuerte]

I have got EXACTLY the same problem with my blue rams and am equally as clueless. Water stats are pretty much as yours, perfect. They have thrived for six months in the tank, and both pairs spawned about 6 weeks ago (I currently have about 50 healthy fry in another aquarium growing out). Shortly afetr spawning, one of the males developed exactly the symptoms you´ve described, then went dark and stayed around the bottom gasping. To me it also looked as though he went blind as he went for food but kept missing it. He died after about a week. Then, about a week later, a male and female developed the symptoms and they are now both looking worse for wear. The remaining female is still perfect. I have treated with three products- Baktopur, Ektopur and Methylene Blue so far, but really believe I will lose the next two now as they are showing very little sign of improvement. Yesterday, I noticed a cotton-wool like growth on the lower lip of my angelfish aswell. What a disaster. If anyone can recommend any course of action, I´d be most grateful as would Mark, I´m sure........

 

[mark4785]

I have got EXACTLY the same problem with my blue rams and am equally as clueless. Water stats are pretty much as yours, perfect. They have thrived for six months in the tank, and both pairs spawned about 6 weeks ago (I currently have about 50 healthy fry in another aquarium growing out). Shortly afetr spawning, one of the males developed exactly the symptoms you´ve described, then went dark and stayed around the bottom gasping. To me it also looked as though he went blind as he went for food but kept missing it. He died after about a week. Then, about a week later, a male and female developed the symptoms and they are now both looking worse for wear. The remaining female is still perfect. I have treated with three products- Baktopur, Ektopur and Methylene Blue so far, but really believe I will lose the next two now as they are showing very little sign of improvement. Yesterday, I noticed a cotton-wool like growth on the lower lip of my angelfish aswell. What a disaster. If anyone can recommend any course of action, I´d be most grateful as would Mark, I´m sure........

I'm sorry to hear about the problems you've experienced.

My Ram is still with me, however, he will only eat blood worm and inner layers of a pea. I have started injecting Esha Hexamita treatment (contains: acriflavin and methyline blue) into both of these foods and afterwards I noticed he started to perk up and chase the tetras which is characteristic of him when he is healthy.

He produced white faeces just yesterday which I think was only expelled due to the feeding of peas. The fish continues to refuse to eat 5 different kinds of pellet of differing sizes (some even containing garlic) and 7 different kinds of flake. I think if he continues to be picky with the food I'm going to have to transfer him to a 20 litre and put the eSHA hexamita treatment into the water column (something I'm not going to do in the main, cycled tank as it contains chemicals which can cause ammonia spikes).

The water column of the main tank is being treated with Octozin which is not compatible with the eSHA product which is why I am injecting the latter product.

 

[mark4785]

Well some of the hexamita spots have spread, one being red. Fish is only eating blood worm, and on occasion, a pea. Will the fish eventually waste away on this kind of diet?

Should I consider halting the use of my current course of treatment, which involves dosing Waterlife Octozin, in favour of Esha Hexamita treatment? The Esha Hexamita contains some good anti-parasite chemicals like methylne blue and acriflavin which I would ideally like to use in a spare aquarium with no established filter.

I really don't want the fish to die. I just want the parasites he has to be eradicated; it would appear Octozin only helps prevent the spread of the spots but doesn't bring the fishes appetite back