Please Help identify what is going on with Disco

[Mayberry Dan]

Diso has had the bumps come up on him in behind his side fins. I treated with Med trio because I thought it was a injury. It healed and can back. I followed up with Med trio because I was like it must be flutes and I didn’t get some of them. It healed up and came back. What is it? 

Edited September 29, 2022 by Mayberry Dan

[CJs Aquatics]

I’ll preface this by saying I’m not an expert but I keep running across this post and I feel like it at least deserves an attempt at an answer because that is a beautiful fish. I’ve never owned a flowerhorn, so take this advice with a grain of salt however I took a few things from this:

1.  The med trio healed it and it came back

2. the med trio healed it and it came back again. 
 

this suggests to me that this is probably not an injury but an ailment of some kind. The med trio had some success but it wasn’t sustainable so here would be my next course of action:

1. Monitor and document behavior: Is the fish otherwise healthy? Interactive? Eating? Swimming properly etc?

2. I would reprepare the quarantine tank, sanitize it, drain it, refill it, add filter, heater etc after everything is sterilized except perhaps the filter media.

3. I don’t think they do but I would find out if flower horns are one of the few fish that react poorly to aquarium salt, if not, I would add him to the qt tank with the correct amount of salt first, and monitor him for a few days to a week.

4. I would feed live foods like live baby or live adult brine if possible as it is sort of like a natural laxative and will help clear his intestinal tract along with the salt, or fast him (I don’t like fasting them personally but I have heard it to be effective)

5. After a few days to a week if he took it well I would add in just one of the meds from the med trio at the appropriate dosage.

6. Monitor for signs of stress or anything else out of the ordinary but more over monitor that ailment that keeps coming back, I would leave him quarantined for 7-14 days or so maybe more depending on how he is handling it, meds can be hard on fish.

7. If it were me I would use carbon to remove the meds from the water, or water change them out, and give him a short break from medication.

8. I would repeat this process with the 2nd medication in the trio and then the 3rd until you find out specifically which med is clearing up the illness which would give you more clear of an idea of what you are dealing with. If the first one clears it up there’s no need for the others. 
 

9. I would assume whatever it is it is eighter resilient to the meds and going to come back, or the meds weren’t applied long enough to treat the source and adjust that accordingly.

10. Once you know what your dealing with ie a bacteria, fungus, parasite, or other, I would research alternative ways to treat that specific ailment as in a different form of medication, or my personal favorite which most people disagree with a medicated food for that ailment. I’ve had success with Dr. Bassleers in the past…

In summary process of elimination to figure out what your dealing with then a specific treatment for that unless someone can identify it. Small Water changes are magical in my experience as well As a preventative measure. I’m not sure any of this will help but I’ve tried to at least address based on what you wrote how if I were in your shoes I would handle things step by step. I truly hope everything works out, sorry this was so long winded…

 

 

[Mayberry Dan]

CJ thank you very much for your well thought out response. You are correct As far as my method of treating Disco. He is not just an aquarium ornament he is my wife’s baby. Kind of like Murphy is to Corey. I do have another tank that I can switch him to. I will do what you have suggested. I was kind of wondering if it is a parasite that the para cleanse isn’t getting. Because I seen some videos that say flutes depending on witch ones you are dealing with need to be treated with different meds. The fish acts completely fine but I would hate to see it turn for the worse. Thank you so much!  

[CJs Aquatics]

i wish all fishkeepers treated every fish as proactively as you are. I think the biggest key will be monitoring how he reacts to certain things and trusting your own judgement. If you feel it may be a parasite, perhaps start with that medication, if it clears it up that gives you a focal point. Regardless of the outcome I truly feel you are doing everything in your power to provide the best life for disco so there is no wrong answer in this situation, and furthermore I truly hope disco makes a full recovery and your able to enjoy him for a long time to come…

[Mayberry Dan]

On 9/29/2022 at 9:11 PM, CJs Aquatics said:

I’ll preface this by saying I’m not an expert but I keep running across this post and I feel like it at least deserves an attempt at an answer because that is a beautiful fish. I’ve never owned a flowerhorn, so take this advice with a grain of salt however I took a few things from this:

1.  The med trio healed it and it came back

2. the med trio healed it and it came back again. 
 

this suggests to me that this is probably not an injury but an ailment of some kind. The med trio had some success but it wasn’t sustainable so here would be my next course of action:

1. Monitor and document behavior: Is the fish otherwise healthy? Interactive? Eating? Swimming properly etc?

2. I would reprepare the quarantine tank, sanitize it, drain it, refill it, add filter, heater etc after everything is sterilized except perhaps the filter media.

3. I don’t think they do but I would find out if flower horns are one of the few fish that react poorly to aquarium salt, if not, I would add him to the qt tank with the correct amount of salt first, and monitor him for a few days to a week.

4. I would feed live foods like live baby or live adult brine if possible as it is sort of like a natural laxative and will help clear his intestinal tract along with the salt, or fast him (I don’t like fasting them personally but I have heard it to be effective)

5. After a few days to a week if he took it well I would add in just one of the meds from the med trio at the appropriate dosage.

6. Monitor for signs of stress or anything else out of the ordinary but more over monitor that ailment that keeps coming back, I would leave him quarantined for 7-14 days or so maybe more depending on how he is handling it, meds can be hard on fish.

7. If it were me I would use carbon to remove the meds from the water, or water change them out, and give him a short break from medication.

8. I would repeat this process with the 2nd medication in the trio and then the 3rd until you find out specifically which med is clearing up the illness which would give you more clear of an idea of what you are dealing with. If the first one clears it up there’s no need for the others. 
 

9. I would assume whatever it is it is eighter resilient to the meds and going to come back, or the meds weren’t applied long enough to treat the source and adjust that accordingly.

10. Once you know what your dealing with ie a bacteria, fungus, parasite, or other, I would research alternative ways to treat that specific ailment as in a different form of medication, or my personal favorite which most people disagree with a medicated food for that ailment. I’ve had success with Dr. Bassleers in the past…

In summary process of elimination to figure out what your dealing with then a specific treatment for that unless someone can identify it. Small Water changes are magical in my experience as well As a preventative measure. I’m not sure any of this will help but I’ve tried to at least address based on what you wrote how if I were in your shoes I would handle things step by step. I truly hope everything works out, sorry this was so long wind

 

I live in Mount Airy Nc hence the name Mayberry Dan. We have a Wet Vet in Raleigh. I’m going to do as you have suggested and maybe try a different parasite med. others have suggested API general cure. If that didn’t work I’m going to make the 6 hour Roland trip to Raleigh with Disco. I hope he don’t mind the big city lol🤪. Thank you CJ for being so caring.