Mystery item - Cardinal Tetras Only Affected

**Trillianne** · 09-26-2011, 09:08 PM

Ok bear with me I have tried now on multiple occasions to get photos of this oddness that is affecting 2-3 of my cardinal tetras only. (No other type of fish including bloodfins or neon tetras seem to be affected)

These fish seem to have a growth or bubble on their left side lateral fin. It is primarily clear with a milky whitish outline visible and does appear fairly spherical.

There has been no sign of flashing or rubbing, and the fish all are swimming normally. No gasping for breath or laziness noted. No unusual clamping of the fins affected, they move them in full normal range of motion back and forth as they swim.

I firstly assumed parasite, and have completed treatment for both internal and external parasites at this point. There has been NO change on any of the affected fish that I have seen. (My first assumption was that it was something that possibly came in on my SAEs I got shortly before then and hadn't seen while they were in in QT, but have never seen any sign on the SAEs of this issue.)

Here's a pic of the fish swimming toward the camera, you can see pretty well the silhouette of the circle:

Swimming away from camera. (Fuzzy but again you can see the outline and shape of it ok)

A full on side view. You don't see the round bubble as well, except to see it sticking out just a bit.

I am completely stumped, even looking through various disease links on what this is. Since its only affecting one type of fish and all those fish are from the same source I'm wondering if its possibly a genetic anomaly?

Water conditions are 0,0,<20; Tank has been established for over a year; weekly 40-60% WC maint.

**Lady Hobbs** · 09-26-2011, 09:45 PM

Strange it's only the cardinals. Reminds me of an angelfish I had a few years back. This bubble thing appeared out it's gill and was there for at least 3 months no matter what I tried. Finally into the 3rd month, I threw some salt in the tank for lack of anything else to try and that bubble was gone two days later. I never figured out what it was and don't know what the salt had to do with anything but it worked.

**Trillianne** · 09-26-2011, 10:08 PM

Yeah that's what is so odd for me too. My first thought was whatever it was I'd spotted it early and it hadn't spread to any other fish, which is why I went into treatment mode.

I may try the salt, but I'm getting some conflicting opinions on salt treatments and kuhli loaches in what I'm researching now...

**Strider199** · 09-26-2011, 11:15 PM

I've never seen such a bubble on any of my cardinals over the years. It is actually quite large, I'm surprised it doesn't hinder the fishes swimming pattern.

**Trillianne** · 09-26-2011, 11:34 PM

Not sure if its actually a bubble or more a flat disc. It does follow the motion of the fin so when the fin is folded close to the body of the fish its also folded up close to the body.

**Strider199** · 09-26-2011, 11:47 PM

Have you tried this site Trillianne,

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/fish_..._1.html#Growth

**Trillianne** · 09-27-2011, 12:21 AM

Yep I looked there (I looked at all the links in the disease links sticky and I googled and haven't seen anything yet that quite matches what I'm seeing) and didn't see something that looked quite like what I'm seeing on my fish. But then getting a good picture is certainly not a simple thing.

So far I've tried PraziPRo (in case it was internal)
and
API General Cure (which is supposed to treat external parasites)

On the assumption that it was a parasite I thought it was best to treat the whole tank.

**Strider199** · 09-27-2011, 01:05 AM

Those steps would have been my plan as well for something that does look like a parasite. I don't know what else to say.

**Trillianne** · 09-27-2011, 01:20 AM

Well I appreciate the feedback, even if we don't have it nailed down.

I may try the salt.

Tomorrow I need to add carbon to pull out the last of the General Cure.

Would you add the salt then (its a water change day) or wait a bit for the carbon to pull out more of the meds before adding salt?

**Strider199** · 09-27-2011, 02:04 AM

Just something I read;

"Scaleless fish - Scaleless fish, particularly Cordydoras, are very sensitive to salt. Even a small amount could harm them. Tetras are also somewhat sensitive to salt."

Be carefull of how much, how fast you add the NaCl (salt) to the tank. Live freshwater plants also don't do well with salt.

I would put a (1) cardinal (that has the circular plate) in the quarantine tank and slowly introduce the salt and see what reaction takes place. You say you have kuli loaches in the main tank which are not effected? They are scaleless as you know which means they are sensitive to salt.