'Cappucino' as she is named is a ten year old large goldfish (6 inches in length, head to tail) who displays symptoms that, for all my efforts, I cannot identify. A distended growth-like abnormality protudes from the top of her head, and is now worryingly close to approaching her right gill. Oddly, the abnormality itself has not made the surrounding flesh seem inflamed or reddened, and it has in no way affected her behaviour adversely. The growth appears fleshy, though unlike a tumour, it occaisionally seems to bleed in small areas. She is in no way emaciated, and eats just as well as the rest of my goldsfish. None of my other fish (all of them being regular goldfish, not a fancy fish like cappucino) have shown signs of infection or illness in the presence of this one infected fish.
This 'growth' started around october (6 months ago) when she was rehoused into a large, new aquarium. At first it appeared to be a simple fungal infection, brought on most probably by 'new tank syndrome', as she had recently been rehoused. She was hospitalized shortly after, but I had to move her back into the main tank after the hospital tank became increasingly difficult to maintain (I put this down to inexperience and a lack of resources on my own part). Since then, the growth has continued the advance, and in the past month alone, has doubled in size. I have recently purchased a topical treatment known as 'Io-Sal' ( see http://www.absolute-...om/prod526.html), and propolis to seal the treatment. I have had no problem applying the treatment, but I am unable to remove the growth/infection as directed by the instructions on these products.
I have just placed her back in the hospital tank as recently, as she has become a target of fin-nipping from the other fish (which is highly unusual, as i have owned all of my fish for two years, and not once have they displayed this aggression before). I will simply have to do my best to keep the hospital tank operational, but in truth, this seems like a wasted effort, consdering that I cannot even diagnose this illness to begin with.
Any insight would be much appreciated as this 'abnormalty' only seems to be becoming more aggressive with each passing day.
(please note: The white 'film' over the scales and affected area of this fish is actually a layer of propolis which was applied just before these photos were taken)
This 'growth' started around october (6 months ago) when she was rehoused into a large, new aquarium. At first it appeared to be a simple fungal infection, brought on most probably by 'new tank syndrome', as she had recently been rehoused. She was hospitalized shortly after, but I had to move her back into the main tank after the hospital tank became increasingly difficult to maintain (I put this down to inexperience and a lack of resources on my own part). Since then, the growth has continued the advance, and in the past month alone, has doubled in size. I have recently purchased a topical treatment known as 'Io-Sal' ( see http://www.absolute-...om/prod526.html), and propolis to seal the treatment. I have had no problem applying the treatment, but I am unable to remove the growth/infection as directed by the instructions on these products.
I have just placed her back in the hospital tank as recently, as she has become a target of fin-nipping from the other fish (which is highly unusual, as i have owned all of my fish for two years, and not once have they displayed this aggression before). I will simply have to do my best to keep the hospital tank operational, but in truth, this seems like a wasted effort, consdering that I cannot even diagnose this illness to begin with.
Any insight would be much appreciated as this 'abnormalty' only seems to be becoming more aggressive with each passing day.
(please note: The white 'film' over the scales and affected area of this fish is actually a layer of propolis which was applied just before these photos were taken)
