Fully cycled 100 gallon aquarium (cycled for years)
7 goldfish of varying sizes, no new additions in over a year
30% wc weekly
pH: 8.2
pH out of tap: 7.6

About a month ago my ryukin was injured somehow, never figured it out. Scales were scraped off both sides (dont have ornaments other than old, soft driftwood in there). Lately there has been breeding behavior and my small male fish got injured so thats where Im pointing fingers.

He seemed to heal fine (iso'd in a floating basket) but then developed a strange gray lump under a scale. I watched a few days, didnt get worse. Finally iso'd him in 10 gallon hospital tank, fed Medigold (12 days now) and treated with Maracyn and Maracyn 2 (at the same time). The lump is larger now. Its not fungus, its almost a large gray mass which looks like if you popped it something would come out. Its growing out from under his scale and has a couple tiny black specks in it. To me it looks bacterial which is why I treated w/ Maracyn.

Hes acting fine aside from being in an uncycled tiny hospital tank. I have no idea what to do and am including photos. Please give me any advice! I love this fish and have raised him since he was really small.

Another pic, side view.

More.

And another one. I know its hard to tell with his calico coloring but its definitely odd looking.

Jenny I am sorry to hear about your fish. I don't have alot of advice, but some thoughts. Could the "black specs" you are seeing be blood? If it is an old injury and had any type of bruise this could show up as black spot where the blood is.
How is he acting?

It is possible, but Im just concerned because it seems to be getting larger. You know, staying the same is fine but when it starts to grow then its time to worry!

He is acting fine, and eats great. I am also afraid though that the 10 gallon is stressing him out. Hes swimming around going, what happened to the other 90 gallons!?

Im just worried that these antibiotics arent strong enoguh and I also dont want to wait so long that its too late to treat. But at the same time I worry about treating when I dont know specifically what it is! Thats why I tried the M/M2 because that always seems to cover all the bases. Im getting really worried.

Js I don't know this doesn't look like what Dede had with white ###### stuff coming out of the scale....I personally would email the photos to Rick Hess and see what he has to say....Let him know your from kokos he will help you Hun. Please let us know what is going on...this to me is something very serious

I emailed it to this address: goldfishconnection@lb.bcentral.com Do you think thats okay?

Hi jsrtist,

IMHO, it looks like a blister to me. It could be something like a splinter got under the skin and it got infected.

Hi! Thanks for your insight. Ive read a lot of your posts and youre always really helpful so I know I can trust you! Its possible that something did get under there, even a piece of skin or scale. He was pretty chewed up when it first happened. Strange I kept an eye on him and didnt see anything weird till a week or two later.

So if it is a blister what should I do for it? I know youre not really supposed to pop things but should I do that and put peroxide or somehting on it? Or does he need more meds? Gosh I hate just tossing in meds!

Hi jsrtist, thanks for your kind words. Most undeserving, I can assure you.

Unfortunately, we are not sure what is causing this at the moment. When he was injured, a parasite might have got in via the open wound as well. Can you see anything moving in there? I know it sounds awful but it is possible to have small fish worm growing in a blister as well. Can you have a really good look at it?

You have done all the right thing in terms of the medicated food and antibiotics. It is a tough call whether you should pop the blister. I certainly won't pop it while the fish is in the tank just in case whatever is in the blister is highly infectious.

The only other thing that I can think of is salt and warming the tank to around 80*F gradually.

Koko, any advice from upon high?

Well hes still in his hospital tank. Im worried thats stressing him out too. I was afraid that if this was bacterial it could spread and I just cant afford to treat a 100 gallon!

The mass looks solid and I couldnt see anything moving in it. Ive gotten a lot better at identifying parasites and it doesnt look like anything Ive seen. The only thign Ive noticed on it are a few black specks, but they didnt seem to be moving.

Hi Jenny

Could the reason for it being grey be because of the coloration of your goldie? I mean, i can see that it already has a matte to it in the white spots. Knowing that black pigment under a white matte looks gray, could this be what your seeing? Kind of like the swelling is causing the coloration under the gold or orange to peek out from underneath?

If that is so, then the mass inside could actually be any other color like off white or something. In that case, could it be one of these mystery ailments that cause unknown swellings?

Really, I have never dealt with these unknowns so, my experience here is limited and I'm just adding observations.

paul

I would email him at "rick@goldfishconnection.com " Much faster.....You could also call him and see if he would look at this thread Hun

As for my opinion. I would raise the temp and add Epsom salt to the tank this seems to help with swelling. I'm not to sure what to make of this mass its not something I have seen on any fish

I'm with CaptK on something probably got under the skin and the body has walled it off--an abscess. If it pops be propared to express as much pus as you can and clean it out well with peroxide. Triple antibiotic creme would also be good if it pops. I'd also keep feeding the medigold.

Update: the lump is still there. I just looked at it and felt it. Its soft and fleshy. The coloring is not part of his natural coloring, although at first I thought it was. The whole area around it is darker now. It does almost seem like a bruise, but with somethign gross growing out of it!

Do you think I should try to pop it or lance it? It doesnt seem firm, like its pus-filled. The texture and consistency reminds me exactly of a wen.

It doesn't have to be pus filled. If it is a blister, it will be more watery liquid.

Did you try to pop it yet, Jen? Remember, popping always outside the tank, you don't want whatever is in there oozing all over the tank water and contaminating the rest of the fish....

I was hoping that this would clear up for you. I wonder what it is???


I highly suggest that you put your goldie under with oil of cloves should you try to lance it. If you push the blade through and you start to get blood but no other fluids, DONOT continue. Swab with iodine or peroxide and dab some triple antibiotic ointment on the cut. Blood with no pus or other fluids is consistant with a tumor and removing a tumor is an altogether different surgery.

Hopefully, this thing just pops and clears up for you.

I don't think I'd lance it given your description.

Still watching the lump?

I have a ryunkin who has an opaque film on his side for months before it started to grow. I diagnosed it as a tumor and had it removed by vet (it was a tumor - fortunately benign). That was over 2 years ago and we haven't had a recurrence!

I'd be afraid to lance it or cut it open, personally. Especially if it's growing and unidentifiable!

Good luck.