Molly with lesion

[gwand]

This is a two year old female gold sailfin Molly with a new lesion on her flank. She is very active and eating well. What do you think is the differential diagnoses?

 

[Innesfan]

is the reddish area around it her natural color or a result of the lesion?

 

[FattyFish]

In the first image, it looks like a couple of white spots on the tail. Could it have a white spot and accidentally damaged itself by scraping off a rock or something else?

 

[gwand]

is the reddish area around it her natural color or a result of the lesion?

The reddish area is a result of the lesion.

 

[gwand]

In the first image, it looks like a couple of white spots on the tail. Could it have a white spot and accidentally damaged itself by scraping off a rock or something else?

Those have always been there.

 

[GaryE]

I always suspect Myco, especially given that:
the lesion has the characteristic shape, just like the one I used to have on my hand;
this is a hardwater fish, which seem more prone;
it's a mass produced, farmed fish;
Mycobacteriosis can take a couple of years before becoming evident.

Then again, having caught it, I am extra wary of it. I may be paranoid about it. It is, however, common in farmed livebearers.

 

[gwand]

I always suspect Myco, especially given that:
the lesion has the characteristic shape, just like the one I used to have on my hand;
this is a hardwater fish, which seem more prone;
it's a mass produced, farmed fish;
Mycobacteriosis can take a couple of years before becoming evident.

Then again, having caught it, I am extra wary of it. I may be paranoid about it. It is, however, common in farmed livebearers.

The Molly’s parents were bought from Dan. She is their offspring. I don’t think Dan buys from the large fish farms but I never asked him. Does that reduce the possibility of myco? Or should I euthanize her? The last thing I want to do is contaminate the tank.

 

[GaryE]

My health and disease expertise is possibly less than that Kennedy fellow's. My certainty doesn't even come close to his though. I hate to suggest euthanasia based on a photo.

The colour variety is a common fishfarm one - far removed from nature. Most of that type seem farmed, at least in the States and Canada.

 

[GaryE]

My health and disease expertise is possibly less than that Kennedy fellow's. My certainty doesn't even come close to his though. I hate to suggest euthanasia based on a photo.

The colour variety is a common fishfarm one - far removed from nature. Most of that type seem farmed, at least in the States and Canada.

 

[GaryE]

My health and disease expertise is possibly less than that Kennedy fellow's. My certainty doesn't even come close to his though. I hate to suggest euthanasia based on a photo.

The colour variety is a common fishfarm one - far removed from nature. Most of that type seem farmed, at least in the States and Canada.

 

[gwand]

I will set up a hospital tank for her and see how the lesion progresses over a few weeks. Then I will make a decision regarding euthanasia.

 

[Innesfan]

That's exactly what I would do.

 

[Innesfan]

One other thing you can do that has worked for me. You can swab the lesion and infected area with potassium permanganate. It's available on line. It's commonly used by pondkeepers so many of the commercial brands come in a volume too great for occasional use by an aquarist, EXCEPT Jungle Clear Water which is only 2.8 oz, cheap, and 100% potassium permanganate solution. I used to keep it on hand to debug wild discus when they came in (very effective!) and still use it to sterilize new plants. If you decide to give it a try, net the fish, hold her with her head tilting up a bit so any excess solution drips away from her gills, dip a Q-tip in the potassium permanganate and swab the affected area. Repeat a few times and return her to the tank. I'd do it daily for a few days.

This is the only 'med' I keep in the house other than kosher salt. For genersl use--i.e. debugging wild fish--a 4 hour bath is suggested in the dosage recommended on the bottle. But it is also effective as a topical as described above.

Fittingly, your fish appears to be on the label.

 

[gwand]

One other thing you can do that has worked for me. You can swab the lesion and infected area with potassium permanganate. It's available on line. It's commonly used by pondkeepers so many of the commercial brands come in a volume too great for occasional use by an aquarist, EXCEPT Jungle Clear Water which is only 2.8 oz, cheap, and 100% potassium permanganate solution. I used to keep it on hand to debug wild discus when they came in (very effective!) and still use it to sterilize new plants. If you decide to give it a try, net the fish, hold her with her head tilting up a bit so any excess solution drips away from her gills, dip a Q-tip in the potassium permanganate and swab the affected area. Repeat a few times and return her to the tank. I'd do it daily for a few days.

This is the only 'med' I keep in the house other than kosher salt. For genersl use--i.e. debugging wild fish--a 4 hour bath is suggested in the dosage recommended on the bottle. But it is also effective as a topical as described above.

Fittingly, your fish appears to be on the label.

View attachment 384380

Thanks. The Molly is now in a hospital tank. I happen to have potassium permanganate powder. I made a .01% solution based on recommendations from AI. I could not find jungle Clearwater. I will apply the solution one time each day for a few days. Again, thank you for your help.

 

[Innesfan]

Thanks. The Molly is now in a hospital tank. I happen to have potassium permanganate powder. I made a .01% solution based on recommendations from AI. I could not find jungle Clearwater. I will apply the solution one time each day for a few days. Again, thank you for your help.

For future reference:

https://www.americanaquariumproduct...KZcWlHjzIsEsRdvWTJYaTgQx5Jo2Yp6LG3wtuJf2qTz6V