Rtbs With Spot On His Tail

[yabadaba]

Hi, I noticed a couple of weeks ago that my red tail black shark had what looked like a spot or ulcer on the tip of one of its fins. I'm pretty sure it wasn't white spot as I've seen that before and this didn't have the same appearence, plus there was just the one. Well, that seemed to disappear after a few days, but now he has another one on his tail. Probably about 1.5 to 2mm in diameter and raised a little so that if you look at him from behind you can see it sticking out either side. It's an off-white colour and I would try and take a photo but he just won't hold still long enough.

All the other fish are spot-free and this one doesn't seem to be under the weather, as he's behaving just as ever, but is this something I should be looking to treat or just keep an eye on and hope it clears up? Any ideas what it might be?

 

[WILDER]

Size of tank in gallons or litres.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

Any redness to the spot.
Does the spot look hard or look liked it filled with fluid.
Has the spot suddenly appeared.
Does the spot look like a cauliflower.

is it possible to load a pic up.

 

[yabadaba]

Size of tank in gallons or litres.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

Any redness to the spot.
Does the spot look hard or look liked it filled with fluid.
Has the spot suddenly appeared.
Does the spot look like a cauliflower.

is it possible to load a pic up.

Thanks. It's a 60 litre tank with the following fish:

3 x Otos
2 x Clown Loach
3 x Peppered Cory
2 x Bolivian Ram
1 x Hillstream Loach
1 x RTBS
2 x shrimp (type unknown)

NB: The shark and clowns will shortly be moved into my new 5ft tank that I have ordered. Should be here in 4 to 5 weeks time now.

Ammonia & nitrite are zero. Nitrate is at approx 20 mg/l and ph is 6.8 to 7.0

The spot has no redness to it and it does look hard, but not like a cauliflower...more a pimple or ulcer. It did suddenly appear, but I spotted one about a week ago on the tip of one of his lower fins that just seemed to disappear within a couple of days. Then there was a day or two's break before this one appeared.

This is the best of about a million shots, as he just does not keep still long enough for my point 'n shoot to be able to focus. If you can imagine the tail properly in focus then that is exactly how the spot looks, i.e it is quite sharply defined. It's the smaller more defined mark towards the top of the tail - the mark below that is just some kind of lens reflection.

 

[WILDER]

Your tanks severely overstocked.

I would issolate and try a bacterial med.
If it hard looking it could be a tumour.

 

[yabadaba]

Your tanks severely overstocked.

I would issolate and try a bacterial med.
If it hard looking it could be a tumour.

Thanks for the reply. The rtbs and 2 Clown Loaches wil be moving into a new 5ft tank in a few weeks time. I believe that will resolve the overstocking issue. If not, I could move more fish over....maybe the Rams, too.

Unfortunately, I don't have any way of isolating the RTBS - just the one tank at present. Should I consider medicating the whole tank?

 

[WILDER]

You will have to medicate the whole tank then.
Good Luck.

 

[yabadaba]

You will have to medicate the whole tank then.
Good Luck.

Thanks Wilder. I went to my lfs and described the problem, saying I thought it was a bacterial infection and they sent me away with a bottle of Melafix. I've since added a couple of doses of this, but on searching these forums it doesn't appear to be what is needed. I've now ordered the following, based on looking at what you've recommended to others:

Pimafix
Myxazin
Interpet Anti Internal Bacteria

Please can you advise which one or ones I should use?

Also, there seems to have been another development, but I don't know if it's linked or not. One of my corys and the rtbs now have what looks like a tear in their tail. Not sure if this is disease or an injury inflicted by one of the long-armed shrimp that is in the tank. If it's the latter then the shrimp are going back to the shop. I've posted another picture below that shows the latest state of the 'spot' and also the rip in the tail fin. Do you think it's disease or injury?

Thanks.

 

[WILDER]

Anti internal bacteria med by interpet.
Just do a water change and add the interpet med.
Are they tears of splits in the tails.
Keep a look out for any fin nipping.
Any white eding or red streaking in the fins.

 

[yabadaba]

Anti internal bacteria med by interpet.
Just do a water change and add the interpet med.
Are they tears of splits in the tails.
Keep a look out for any fin nipping.
Any white eding or red streaking in the fins.

I've added the Interpet medication and am now on day 2. I have to add more on Sunday, day 4. I can't see any white edging or red streaking, it pretty much looks exactly as it does in the pictures. My female Bolivian Ram has now developed one of the spots, too. Doesn't look quite as circular or defined as the one that the rtbs has (in fact it's not really a spot), but I assume it's the same thing. It's right at the base of the splt in the tail.

Thanks again for your advice.

 

[WILDER]

Lets us know if there any improvement in a few days.
Good Luck.

 

[yabadaba]

Lets us know if there any improvement in a few days.
Good Luck.

Thanks. Will do.

 

[yabadaba]

Lets us know if there any improvement in a few days.
Good Luck.

Thanks. Will do.

Well, this is day 7 of the course of the Interpet Anti Internal Bacteria medication, so this evening I'm scheduled to cease treatment and do a lareg water change and replace my filter carbon to clear any remaining medicine.

The cory's spot and tail split seem to have gone and all the other fish appear fine. The split in the shark's tail has also gone, but the spot has remained exactly the same. In fact, I can just make out what looks like it might be a second spot forming on the lower half of his tail. Also (and I'm not sure if this has always been the case because now I guess I'm looking more closely), the shark's tail seems to be a bit patchy in terms of the colouration. The saturation of the red is not even across the tail, with some patches appearing fainter and perhaps a little translucent.

Any suggestions on what to do now?

 

[WILDER]

Can you issolate the sick fish.
I woud double dose the anti internal bacteria med. It can knock water stats.

 

[yabadaba]

Can you issolate the sick fish.
I woud double dose the anti internal bacteria med. It can knock water stats.

Sorry, but by double dose do you mean just repeat the standard course of treatment or do that using twice the dose? By the way, the shark doesn't appear sick in any other way than the spot on it's tail. He is still active and behaving as normal. Is that what you would expect?

 

[WILDER]

I had fish with lumps on there tail and no matter what I tryed they never went away.
You could try double dosing the bacterial med in issolation. So instead of normal dose just double it.
Or leave it to see if it disappears on its own.
Is there any fluid in the lump.