Butterfly pleco needs desperate help

[bRoOKlyNFiSHGuY]

Butterfly pleco has mouth disease
Hi guys iam new to this site, but I have done all my research through here.. My 55 gallon tank has been running perfectly for a year and a half and toward the end I have planted many plants..so as I researched having a planted tank I stumbled upon some people saying to never vacuum your gravel cause you would be taking out nutrients and what not.. Thought it kinda mad sense until I noticed my hi fin butterfly pleco growing something on his mouth.. Looked like colliflower to the t, I yanked him put him in QT tank with aquarium salt 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons,and treated with jungle fungus clear full treatments did nothing, wc then treat with E.M. ERYTHROMYCIN full treatment did nothing.. Mind you the whole time I been medicating him it's been growing.. Now I goto the same LFS guy that's been trying to help me and he's stumped.he said clean the qt tank take a fist of aquarium salt along with pimafix and melafix..Iam on my second day of that..I just wanted some ideas because everyone that I talked to never seen this before and iam not sure how much longer this guy has before he is unable to eat or stresses from all this medicine treatment that's going on... Any input is appreciated, it's growing more and more everyday thanks guys

 

[Brookster123]

Hi guys Iam new to this site, but I have done all my research through here.. My 55 gallon tank has been running perfectly for a year and a half and toward the end I have planted many plants..so as I researched having a planted tank I stumbled upon some people saying to never vacuum your gravel cause you would be taking out nutrients and what not.. Thought it kinda mad sense until I noticed my hi fin butterfly pleco growing something on his mouth.. Looked like colliflower to the t, I yanked him put him in QT tank with aquarium salt 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons,and treated with jungle fungus clear full treatment did nothing, wc then treat with E.M. ERYTHROMYCIN full treatments did nothing.. Mind you the whole time I been medicating him it's been growing.. Now I goto the same LFS guy that's been trying to help me and he's stumped.he said clean the qt tank take a fist of aquarium salt along with pimafix and melafix..Iam on my second day of that..I just wanted some ideas because everyone that I talked to never seen this before and iam not sure how much longer this guy has before he is unable to eat or stresses from all this medicine treatment that's going on... Any input is appreciated, thanks guys

ohh boyy, that looks bad.. So you've never vacuumed gravel? I think that rule only really applies to a tank so heavily planted that the substrate is not even visible?? Add some API General cure only to your qt..

 

[bRoOKlyNFiSHGuY]

Cool have that on hand.. So should I stop the pimafix and melafix?

 

[bRoOKlyNFiSHGuY]

Yes always vacuumed but I slacked for a month and a half.. As soon as I caught it I qt him and vacuumed my main tank.. And ohh boy is right so much stuff came out of gravel never again..

 

[Brookster123]

The "fix" Duo seems pretty lite duty.. You need the big guns.. Do a 100% wc in qt and start gen cure!

 

[bRoOKlyNFiSHGuY]

Very good on that right now.. Thanks I'll keep posted

 

[venymae]

Wowie. That looks bad. So, I found this link. Scroll down and under viral infection/tumors, there is a disease listed as cauliflower disease. It essentially says that the fish have to fight it on their own, so keep the water clear to give it the best chance. >_<

 

[venymae]

Lymphocystis

 

[venymae]

Apparently meds don't help....

 

[Supergummy]

It looks like cauliflower desires to me. You can't cure it. Had this happen once, it's bad the fish have to win there own fight.

 

[Mifsud]

It looks like your pleco has lymphocystis. Lymphocystis is a viral infection and cannot be cured, like cold sores are for humans. (Herpes virus)

I recommend gravel vacuuming to improve this fish's QOL, increase the plecs ability to fight off secondary infections, and recover.

Typically this virus isn't fatal, but can be if not managed at all.

 

[Brookster123]

Sorry op.. Good luck!!

 

[bRoOKlyNFiSHGuY]

Ohh man so I did the water change added general cure I'll try this out.. If not I'll just provide him the best water I can I guess.. If It gets to the point it's covering his mouth I guess I'll euthanize him. : ( thanks again guys I'll let You's know the outcome

 

[Brookster123]

A bare bottom qt could be the best thing ! Daily 30% wc's as well!

 

[bRoOKlyNFiSHGuY]

Thanks a lot guys again.. This really stinks at least I gave it a try.. I'll keep my fingers crossed

 

[bRoOKlyNFiSHGuY]

So one more question being that he developed this in my main tank should I use the pimafix and melafix in my main tank being that those are a weaker medication. No one is showing any signs of anything. I been vacuuming and doing wc my floor is nice and clean.. Everything seems fine

 

[Supergummy]

Have Hope!

 

[Delapool]

Can't say I've seen that before - how quickly is it growing and is it on both sides? What salt level are you up to now?

It seems you are running out of options unfortunately but maybe somebody will know. This is what I have (bearing in mind the meds in Australia are hopeless).

erythromycin - primarily gram positive antibiotic

Erythromycin for Aquarium Fish


The melafix and pimafix - you may get lucky but these I have tried and regard them for mild cases. If no luck I would try something like triple sulpha or a gram negative anti-biotic. Keep up the salt and water changes. The colliflower description is a worry as that suggests a virus - did the lfs think it was a virus or bacterial / fungal?

Melafix - The Free Freshwater and Saltwater Aquarium Encyclopedia Anyone Can Edit - The Aquarium Wiki

I've included another link below whch has info on medications and baths FYI.

Aquarium Medications and Treatments | How they work & Use

 

[Supergummy]

Look up cauliflower disease for fish. You can't cure it.

 

[BillD]

If you look up cauliflower disease, you find it has never been reported in catfish.It usually cures itself in fish that are afflicted, and since it is viral, there aren't any medicines for it. My experience with Erthromycin is that it is useless for anything but blue green algae.