Plec with huge lump

[Mizzle]

Hi everyone,

Got an issue with my common plec. Went to do a water change last week and loticed a huge lump behind the gill of my plec. Almost looks like a tumor.
I did a 1/4 water change (500 lt tank) and put a little more salt in it then usual.
By the next morning the swelling had gone down and looked heaps better.
Kept an eye on him all week, got home from work today and it has blown up again.
Does anyone have any idea what it could be and how to treat it.
He is approx 30cm long
I will be picking up a 3 ft tank tomorrow to house some baby cichlids, should I maybe put him in there and medicate before I put the babies in there. The babies are currently at a friends house so they can wait if need be

any help would be greatly appreciated as im really worried

 

[D-MAC]

I'm not sure on this as I have never seen anything like it before...It looks like an abscess or tumor, but I wouldn't have thought a tumor would go down and back up in a week...The only other possibility would be lymphocystis which is viral and has no known cure other than keeping water at the best quality you can.

 

[Mizzle]

its really wierd, as when it went down it was almost unoticable except for a bit of discolouration. I'll do another water change and see how it goes and post a pic of it if it does go down.
He doesnt seem sick, eating fine, swimming around fine etc, just being his usual self, and as you can see hasnt lost any colouring
Should I pull him out of the tank? My other 2 plecos dont have the same symptoms and are fine.

 

[D-MAC]

its really wierd, as when it went down it was almost unoticable except for a bit of discolouration. I'll do another water change and see how it goes and post a pic of it if it does go down.
He doesnt seem sick, eating fine, swimming around fine etc, just being his usual self, and as you can see hasnt lost any colouring
Should I pull him out of the tank? My other 2 plecos dont have the same symptoms and are fine.

I would hold off on moving him for now untill a few more members have had a chance to look at your post and give some feedback.

 

[matubula]

I can't be of much help but it doesn't look like it's the gill thats affected as the operculum (gill cover) is too left of it. It looks like it's coming out of the area between the body of the fish and the base of the pectoral spine. This is one of places that isn't 'armoured'. Could it be some kind of hernia protruding from pectoral joint/muscle?

 

[ccole]

hey mizzel - i showed this to a vet...i know but his into exotics i.e fish and he said it may be an absess and they are self draining but do return over and over , they are also not terminal BUT he did say he hasnt seen one this exact shape (because they do vary)...

I hope it helps a little- i say a little because there are more expereinced fish keepers here than the vet i asked that doesnt keep fish but reads lots of books as dosent consult meany owners with fish as most people dont think of seeing a vet for a fish!


respect and good luck

cole

 

[Mizzle]

Well I've done a water change over the weekend and this is what the lump looks like now. Did the same thing after my last water change as well. Took about 2 days to right down. Now just keeping an eye on it to see if its starts swelling

Really confusing.
Could it be a water quality issue?

 

[bigbird]

have you treated with anything ?

cheers jk :thumbup:

 

[Mizzle]

nup, just did a normal water change with a bit more salt than usual

 

[bigbird]

maybe hernia and blockage. Keep an eye on it cheers jk :thumbup:

 

[Mooo]

Thank Goodness it has gone down, that looked real nasty...good job, hope it continues to recover..

 

[Brengun]

It could be he got spiked from another plec and although it healed, there is still debris or infection way down deep. Keep your water nice and it should eventually bring it to the surface and heal.