Strange Red Lump On Panda Tail

[Majjie]

Hi everyone. I've not visited the forum for a while ... too busy trying to earn a living ... but I've just popped in to ask if anyone has seen anything like this red lump before. Any ideas what it might be and what - if anything - I should do about it?

He (or she?) is about three years old and one of eight pandas in a 4 foot (300 litre), heavily planted tank and they all seem quite happy and are eating enthusiastically. They climb about all over the bog wood and the plants. The water quality is good, as far as I know ... although I haven't tested it recently. There are also three C. schwartzi and four C. trilineata in the tank and a number of other fish - but they don't bother the Pandas much. The male pearl gouramis might chase them off at feeding time ... but nothing very aggressive.

The lump started off white and has only recently turned red and enlarged slightly. The black on his (her) head also looks a bit pale (slimy?) to me, compared to the others ... but he/she doesn't seem in the least troubled by it.

Any ideas?

 

[pippoodle]

do a water test first and post the results hun
have you recently been keeping up with your weekly water changes and gravel vacs

It doesn't take much for corys to get infected by rotting food etc in the substrate - not saying your tanks dirty

 

[Majjie]

Hi pippoodle ... been out all day today so only just seen your reply. Yes I've been good with the water changes recently - but will test the water over the weekend. You get a feel for whether everything's alright or not, don't you? All the other fish seem fine. I've just never seen anything quite like that red bump before!