Coral Beauty has a lump on one side???

[Elizabeth]

Hi!

Just had my lights turn on, and my coral beauty emerged with a distinctive lump just on one side. Essentially, on the one side it looks like she has a distended belly while on the other side she's flat. I got her a week ago or so and she's eating great, she's in a quarantine tank now. Her behavior is normal, and up to today she's been eating like a champ (haven't fed yet today). What can I do for her, if anything? Is this treatable? She is in with other fish being quarantined from the same purchase (a flame angel and an oscillaris clown)...are they in danger? Don't worry about the angel-angel thing, there has been no aggression displayed between them thus far and the tank is of adequate size to accommodate both (they're juvenile, I'd estimate she's just on the shy side of fully mature, as is her flame buddy). Can't post a picture as I fail at life. Help please!!

[Elizabeth]

To clarify, all fish in the tank are being dipped for ich. There is also a VERY small boxfish present, he is doing just fine and has not released any toxin. Tank salinity is 1.024, and all levels I typically take (everything involving nitrogen, etc.) are normal as is calcium. There is algal growth in the tank, but not excessive. I use a UV sterilizer as well with this quarantine tank.

There are inverts present, but nothing that would attempt to attack/interact with a fish...mostly hermits and peppermint shrimp. If necessary I can list these guys out, but I've never seen them hurt any other fish before...

[Scream311]

Stumped on this one. Only thing I could imagine happeing is rushed and brushed up against some rock and cause an inflamation on one side

[justahobby]

Any damage to the outside flesh? How prominent is it? I would Google fish lump, marine fish lump, reef fish lump, etc and check Google images too. See if you can't find something similar or at least an example to show us.

[Elizabeth]

That's certainly what I'm hoping. I took a good long look at her just now, and her scales on that side are flawless, no damage to the skin......just bizarre.

[Elizabeth]

To respond to Justahobby (thanks for the suggestion!), I found this http://www.bostonreefers.org/forums/showthread.php?99140-lumps-on-tang. It looks similar to this, but with no shrinkage to the stomach itself. Literally just a random sizeable bump.......they suggest a freshwater dip...anyone have any experience on these? I don't want to kill her :(.

I am referring to the LARGE bump on the tang, not whatever is at the end of the arrow...not sure if that's just a poorly drawn arrow or what.

[justahobby]

Have you tried feeding yet? How is it acting?

[Elizabeth]

She is doing just what she always does (she has a pattern she likes to swim in, it's pretty cute). I have a feeding schedule, so they've had their first feeding (cyclop-eeze) but she doesn't usually go for that, she's a frozen brine shrimp kind of girl. I will update after feeding number 2 in 17 minutes ish.

[justahobby]

FW dips can be semi effective and relatively safe provided the fish is still acting healthy (appears strong and not half floating). However, if this is an internal parasite, and it doesn't seem to be external, (check closely in case...) FW dips won't help.

I found it interesting that his fish was also new. Maybe acclimation woes...?


PS. Kudos to you for doing quarantine!

[Elizabeth]

I learned the hard way on the quarantine, but hey, now I'm a better owner (I hope!). I did drip acclimate, but I did it quite quickly. These guys had been in bags, possibly for days. They were acclimated in about 5 days ago exactly as of now, and I haven't had any show problems that late, but hey, there's always a first.

UPDATE:::: Despite being a fat, fat fatty on one side, she is eating like a champ, as always. Also, a couple of people I've called have suggested Praziquantel containing foods...anyone know where I can find Prazi-pro or Ultra Cure PX in town?

[justahobby]

Great news on the eating. I wasn't trying to suggest poor acclimation on your part. I was referring to the stessful and multiple changes it goes through from ocean to settling into our displays. Maybe acquiring a gas bubble for example.

[Kristy]

I was thinking internal parasite as well. There are some medicated foods you can offer if that's what you confirm it to be.

[Elizabeth]

Oh, don't worry about it! I'm a newbie, I accept that I do things wrong regularly...it's how I learn! Anyways, how would i confirm internal parasites, and what foods would you recommend/are easy to find locally? As it is, the only other thing I see on her are mild remnants of marine ich. When I got her, she was definitely very infected, so the ich is currently looking better than ever but will probably be present until I finish treating her and her cohorts.