Hey everyone, I have a question about a small bump I noticed yesterday on one of my two GSPs. Here are the details:
1) Ammonia: 0, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: 5, sg: 1.017
2) 75 gallon tank, 2 GSPs (about 2 inches each)
3) Feeding: 6 days, variety of frozen foods and fresh snails from established snail tank. Water change every Friday (50%), I use Prime, and instant ocean salt.
4) Changes in last week: water change on Friday, I didn't notice the bump then.
5) Aquarium has been set up for over a year, cycled using the emergency cycle instructions here.
The small bump appears to be about the size of a pinhead, right above his left pectoral fin, behind his head. It looks like a "pimple" that is beneath his skin (no broken skin). He is eating normally, and behaving normally. I watch these guys every day (I study on the couch next to the tank), and I am just wondering if this is something I need to be worried about? I'm worried!
Sorry I have no picture, I tried unsuccessfully to get one.
Small bump on Jellybean, my GSP
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
-
puffermichigan
- Dwarf Puffer
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Small bump on Jellybean, my GSP
Could just be a cyst. Keep an eye on it. Try Melafix.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
puffermichigan
- Dwarf Puffer
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Sat Oct 02, 2010 12:15 am
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- My Puffers: 1 GSP: Jahdio (Jellybean, rip we miss you)
- Location (country): U.S. (midwest)
Re: Small bump on Jellybean, my GSP
I'll grab some Melafix today.
-
puffermichigan
- Dwarf Puffer
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Sat Oct 02, 2010 12:15 am
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- Location (country): U.S. (midwest)
Re: Small bump on Jellybean, my GSP
I wasn't sure if I should make a new thread or add to this one.....I have some developments with Jellybean's bump, and I am afraid they are not so good.
1) Ammonia: 0, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: between 0 and 5, sg: 1.018, pH: 8.3
2) 75 gallon tank, 2 GSPs (one is about 3 inches, Jellybean is about 2 inches)
3) Feeding: 7 days, mysis shrimp, bloodworms, small clams on half shell, crab (not live), squid, shrimp, scallop and fresh snails from established freshwater tank. Occasionally frozen (thawed) peas. I have been feeding more this past year because of concerns that they may not have been growing as much as might be "normal" based on others' experiences. Water change every Saturday (30%), I use Prime, and instant ocean salt. I have been treating the food with tetra parasite guard tabs (1/2 tab each feeding) for past 2 weeks (praziquantel, diflubenzeron, metronidazole).
4) Changes in last week: additional water change on Wednesday (20 gallons), water change today (30 gallons).
5) Aquarium was set up in Michigan in 2010, emergency fish-less cycled (thanks to you guys!!), then moved to St. Charles Illinois in December 2012 (five hour drive), then moved again in June 2013 (four block move). The moves have gone well, mini-cycle occurred over 2 days after move in December. No fatalities in either tank
After initially posting about Beanie's bump (above), I added Melafix and the bump went away (it appeared to have a "cycle," almost like a pimple, where it turned whitish, then appeared to break through the skin, the skin healed and everything looked fine.) The bump came back for a period of several months in mid-2012, and now it has been coming back again, always on his left side, somewhere in the area behind his eye. The bump does not come back in exactly the same place. It always has a "cycle" where it begins under the skin, then breaks the skin (over the course of approx. 1-2 weeks). It is never pinkish or red. It may go away for a few days, then come back (not in the same place). Jellybean has some scarring from this having occurred repeatedly over the course of the last year or so.
I am particularly worried because the most recent "bump" appeared on his gill cover (on his left side, not far from other places the bump has been). Jahdio, our other puffer, has never had any bumps. However, he has started to have stringy white poop (starting about 2 weeks ago) and I am now treating their food with the parasite guard.
When I started treating the food, Jellybean became lethargic for approx. 2-4 days, appeared to me to be slightly bloated, then he was fine again. He is still behaving normally, eating fine. Another unusual thing is that he has not grown very much over the past year at all. The other puffer has gotten bigger, but Jellybean has not (at least, not markedly so). Both have fat, happy-looking white bellies. One other difference between the two is that Jellybean sometimes appears to sometimes spit his food out and eat it again. His teeth are not long, he does eat, and he doesn't spit out every mouthful. The other puffer does not do this. I try to feed them separately by distracting Jahdio so that Jellybean has time to eat (it takes him longer).
Because the bump has transitioned to different places, I thought it could be a nematode based on descriptions here, however the fact that this has a strange "cycle" to it makes me curious and worried, as does the fact that he has had this since 2011 at least.
I feel bad I only post when something is wrong! (I haven't had internet for 2 years). Other than dealing with Jellybean's bump, everyone has been pretty happy! I am eternally grateful to this forum for the wonderful advice I got when we first got these guys home, and my only goal is to see them live long healthy lives with us. My main questions are: 1) what do you think this could be; 2) can I treat it; 3) could it be contagious for my other puffer and 4) if it is untreatable, what steps should I take to make sure that he lives well?
1) Ammonia: 0, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: between 0 and 5, sg: 1.018, pH: 8.3
2) 75 gallon tank, 2 GSPs (one is about 3 inches, Jellybean is about 2 inches)
3) Feeding: 7 days, mysis shrimp, bloodworms, small clams on half shell, crab (not live), squid, shrimp, scallop and fresh snails from established freshwater tank. Occasionally frozen (thawed) peas. I have been feeding more this past year because of concerns that they may not have been growing as much as might be "normal" based on others' experiences. Water change every Saturday (30%), I use Prime, and instant ocean salt. I have been treating the food with tetra parasite guard tabs (1/2 tab each feeding) for past 2 weeks (praziquantel, diflubenzeron, metronidazole).
4) Changes in last week: additional water change on Wednesday (20 gallons), water change today (30 gallons).
5) Aquarium was set up in Michigan in 2010, emergency fish-less cycled (thanks to you guys!!), then moved to St. Charles Illinois in December 2012 (five hour drive), then moved again in June 2013 (four block move). The moves have gone well, mini-cycle occurred over 2 days after move in December. No fatalities in either tank
After initially posting about Beanie's bump (above), I added Melafix and the bump went away (it appeared to have a "cycle," almost like a pimple, where it turned whitish, then appeared to break through the skin, the skin healed and everything looked fine.) The bump came back for a period of several months in mid-2012, and now it has been coming back again, always on his left side, somewhere in the area behind his eye. The bump does not come back in exactly the same place. It always has a "cycle" where it begins under the skin, then breaks the skin (over the course of approx. 1-2 weeks). It is never pinkish or red. It may go away for a few days, then come back (not in the same place). Jellybean has some scarring from this having occurred repeatedly over the course of the last year or so.
I am particularly worried because the most recent "bump" appeared on his gill cover (on his left side, not far from other places the bump has been). Jahdio, our other puffer, has never had any bumps. However, he has started to have stringy white poop (starting about 2 weeks ago) and I am now treating their food with the parasite guard.
When I started treating the food, Jellybean became lethargic for approx. 2-4 days, appeared to me to be slightly bloated, then he was fine again. He is still behaving normally, eating fine. Another unusual thing is that he has not grown very much over the past year at all. The other puffer has gotten bigger, but Jellybean has not (at least, not markedly so). Both have fat, happy-looking white bellies. One other difference between the two is that Jellybean sometimes appears to sometimes spit his food out and eat it again. His teeth are not long, he does eat, and he doesn't spit out every mouthful. The other puffer does not do this. I try to feed them separately by distracting Jahdio so that Jellybean has time to eat (it takes him longer).
Because the bump has transitioned to different places, I thought it could be a nematode based on descriptions here, however the fact that this has a strange "cycle" to it makes me curious and worried, as does the fact that he has had this since 2011 at least.
I feel bad I only post when something is wrong! (I haven't had internet for 2 years). Other than dealing with Jellybean's bump, everyone has been pretty happy! I am eternally grateful to this forum for the wonderful advice I got when we first got these guys home, and my only goal is to see them live long healthy lives with us. My main questions are: 1) what do you think this could be; 2) can I treat it; 3) could it be contagious for my other puffer and 4) if it is untreatable, what steps should I take to make sure that he lives well?
-
Pufferpunk
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Re: Small bump on Jellybean, my GSP
Any time I see something that resembles a pimple that develops into a hole, it has been Hole in the Head disease, which is a parasite. Treat as such, with an anti-parasitic med in the water. No carbon & use Melafix, to heal the wound.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
puffermichigan
- Dwarf Puffer
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- Joined: Sat Oct 02, 2010 12:15 am
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Re: Small bump on Jellybean, my GSP
I will do that right away--the tablets have instructions for dosing the entire tank. Thank you Pufferpunk!
-
puffermichigan
- Dwarf Puffer
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Sat Oct 02, 2010 12:15 am
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Re: Small bump on Jellybean, my GSP
I lost Jellybean tonight. I had him for only three years. I cried so much, I am going to miss him a lot.
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Pufferpunk
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Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
Re: Small bump on Jellybean, my GSP
Awww... so sorry. :'(
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
puffermichigan
- Dwarf Puffer
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Sat Oct 02, 2010 12:15 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: 1 GSP: Jahdio (Jellybean, rip we miss you)
- Location (country): U.S. (midwest)
Re: Small bump on Jellybean, my GSP
Thanks Pufferpunk . Thanks for your help, I keep trying to think where I went wrong. The only thing I can think was that I had run out of vitachem 3 months ago, and kept forgetting to reorder, or gave him too much shrimp/squid/clams and not enough snails (my snail colony not always keeping up with demand) or if I had messed something up with the water, even tho I change it each week like clockwork (right before I mow the lawn). It just breaks my heart, I will keep doing my best by Jahdio, he's never had any of Jellybean's symptoms and will make every effort to keep it that way. Sigh, im just so sad and mad at myself.
. Thanks for your help, I keep trying to think where I went wrong. The only thing I can think was that I had run out of vitachem 3 months ago, and kept forgetting to reorder, or gave him too much shrimp/squid/clams and not enough snails (my snail colony not always keeping up with demand) or if I had messed something up with the water, even tho I change it each week like clockwork (right before I mow the lawn). It just breaks my heart, I will keep doing my best by Jahdio, he's never had any of Jellybean's symptoms and will make every effort to keep it that way. Sigh, im just so sad and mad at myself.-
bertie 83
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Re: Small bump on Jellybean, my GSP
Sorry for your loss. Don't be mad at yourself, fish keeping is a big learning curve with many variables.
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
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- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
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Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
Re: Small bump on Jellybean, my GSP
Sometimes our fish have diseases we can't cure, like cancer, etc...
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
sgtmyers88
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Re: Small bump on Jellybean, my GSP
So sorry for your loss. 
WARNING: Puffers are mischievous little blimps with enchanting powers. You may not be content with having just one.