Sick Albino Cherry Barb?

[AceReject]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone can help me with a sick albino cherry barb please?

I noticed 3 days ago that it had buoyancy issues. Swimming head up, tail down in the water. On closer examination, I noticed a strange cream coloured area on its head. I’ve never noticed that before.

Dipped in Epsom salts and Methylene Blue for 3 days running and it’s swimming much better, but the mark on its head is still there.

Any ideas? Doesn’t look furry or fluffy for a fungus, seems too big for ich, which makes me think tumour? But if it is a tumour, why did the buoyancy issues resolve?

All ideas welcome.

Tank is 200L very peaceful community. There’s a good school of both albino and normal cherry barbs in there. NH3 and NO2 are 0. NO3 is about 5 (dosed by me to boost planted tank). It’s a new tank setup with old filter media, and there have been some challenges along the way. Still haven’t quite got the plants mature and settled, but at least water parameters are cycled!

Thanks all.

Sorry for LQ pics - hard to focus on a moving fish!

 

[Andy Sager]

A discoloration like that can be caused by an infection, an injury, a parasite, or just the fish trying to cover with body slime an area that is annoying him/her. ( Fish do this like we use Band-Aids. ) A tumor on the head is rarely that large coming out so I wouldn't worry about that just yet. Without seeing the evolution of the the area turning white, my best guess is that it was an injury that may have gotten a fungus which the Meth Blue killed off leaving behind the discoloration. In time and with a good healthy diet, that should recolor to " normal" eventually. ( You really can't put a timetable on this kind of recovery. ) As for what was causing the initial balance issue, possibly the fish got constipated or bloated because that's about all using Epsom salt would cure. Aquarium salt has a broader spectrum of healing. I'd just keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't turn fuzzy or bloody.

Hope this helps.

 

[AceReject]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate your response.

Would you recommend continuing the meth blue dips? And if so, for how long?

Thank you!

 

[Andy Sager]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate your response.

Would you recommend continuing the meth blue dips? And if so, for how long?

Thank you!

Not unless the area becomes fuzzy or bloody. Too much M. Blue can cause problems so you don't want to overuse it.

 

[AceReject]

Thank you