sick swordtail tetra

[msjinkzd]

I have a 16g bowfront lightly planted with java moss and java fern. Its been cycled for about 6 montsh (ammo 0, trite 0, trate 10). I do 30% water changes every 5 days. Inhabitants are 5 swordtail tetras, 1 male betta.
I purchased the tetras on 9/28/07. They were quaratined for three weeks. The betta was then added along with the substrate, and plants from another tank. A tetra developed cysts along its body (internal) on 10/20/07. I euthanized that fish thinking it was a bacterial condition and began treating with jungle anti-bacterial food twice daily. Another fish showed a lump the next day (at the base of its pectoral fin, and the base of its tail). I continued the treatment for 5 days with no improvement shown. I then added 1 1/2 tabs of parasite clear to the tank thinking perhaps the bacteria was secondary to an internal parasite. I am continuing the bacterial food for a full ten days. The fish are not flashing, are eating voraciously and their behaviour is completely normal. Any ideas what this is?

[cocoa_pleco]

i think its a cyst. i think you just got a bad batch of fish, since your parameters are near perfect

[msjinkzd]

Is it at all common to have more than one fish develop multiple cysts? I went back to the lfs where I got them (which coincidentally is going out of business) and there were several in the tank that had these lumps. They, too, were not flashing and did not seem at all bothered. I had been watching them at the lfs for about a month prior to purchase and couldn't resist them because I had never seen them in a store before. I have tried uploading pics, but I can't figure out how to resize them so they will load (i tried the help forum, the suggestions there didn't work).

[cocoa_pleco]

since its spreading i have no idea what it could be.

ive treated every disease in FW and SW and never have run into that. it may be a freak disease though as i call them.

one a krib of mine got a freak disease, and had such a random bacterial infection that diagnosis to death was 4 hours

[msjinkzd]

well, the anti-bacterial food seems to be making no difference. I gave a second dose of parasite clear today. The lump at the base of the tail is gone but the one on the pectoral fin is still there, though maybe slightly lessened. I guess I will just continue to monitor and if these treatments don't work, consider doing either a medicated bath on the affected fish, or euthanasia to see if my vet can diagnose with some skin scrapings.

[msjinkzd]

finally figured out how to post a pic, i think. will give this a whirl

[msjinkzd]

Well, still no difference in the effected fish, and no one else is getting "sick"....guess i will just keep watching. I am wondering however, if anyone else keeps these? I think I have one male and four females, the male is quite a chaser and has the elongated "sword" tail. The other four all look identical (except for ol' lumpy as I will call it) and are slightly smaller. There is not much info on these guys out there...would love to hear others experiences with them.

[msjinkzd]

Just to update in case it would help someone else...all the swordtail tetras ended up getting lumps but the betta remained uneffected. I did a concentrated salt dip (until they started to roll over) and then added them back to a fresh tank. I did 50% water changes every other day being sure to clean the inside of the glass. I removed all decorations and only left substrate. Two days after the concentrated salt dip I salted the tank water (just like for ich) and continued my frequent water changes for the past month. The fish are all asymptomatic and all the "lumps" have gone away. Not sure what this was, could have been epistylis, or maybe a parasite. Regardless, this is what ended up working for them. I am now gradually removing the salt concentration through every other day 20% water changes.