# White Bumps on my Bristlenose



## Fishy Goofin 5 (Feb 5, 2011)

I have a bristle nose Pleco that has large white bumps on her, they almost look like wounds. She is between 2.5 and 3" long. They are an her back and tail. She has been in hiding (I could see her in the log) but has recently stopped eating - when she did not go after the zucchinni I knew something was up. I did a water change yesterday. 

The tank is a 50 gallon community tank, she shares space with rainbows, clown loaches, a rather large Pictus (could that be the culprit?), tetras, a small black shark and tetras. Water tests good for nitrates/nitrites and ammonia and the ph is 7.0. They eat wafers, flakes, worms, pellets and veggies. Everyone else seems happy and active....an otherwise healthy tank.

I'll try to attach a picture, if it does not work I would be happy to email it to someone to look at.

Assistance needed...please and thanks!


----------



## fan4guppy (Feb 4, 2011)

Looks like fungus from the pictures that are in your post

Was this a recent addition to your aquarium?


----------



## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

fan4guppy said:


> Looks like fungus from the pictures that are in your post
> 
> Was this a recent addition to your aquarium?


+1, looks like fungus, not wounds.


----------



## Fishy Goofin 5 (Feb 5, 2011)

No, not a new addition at all - about 1 year or so. Talked to local (and reputable) aquarium store, recommended that it was bacterial of some sort and recommended tetracycline - I really want to save her but dislike the idea of meds, since she is the only one suffering I went ahead and in an effort to stave it off and hopefully save her and anything that might spread as a result. Any other ideas, insights welcome. Thanks bunches.


----------



## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

I disagree. The true fungus is very rare. This is bacterial infection but it is secondary usually to untreated wounds or parasitic infestation. I'm not sure I'd trust the pictus or black shark together with a more docile bristlenose pleco. Separation is in order. Try dissolving thoroughly a teaspoon per gallon dose of sodium chloride (no yellow prussiate of soda) in its hospital tank. My own 5-year old BN pleco is able to tolerate salt far too well in numerous instances I had to use salt against ich and other infections. Hope this one may tolerate it well. Keep water well aerated in its isolation tank as BN plecos are demanding of high oxygen supply. It's all we need at this point, clean water and salt.

Which antibiotics do you have access to? This is just in case this does not improve after a week. And you may lace the foods with garlic to entice it to eat. Provide a couple driftwoods for refuge as well.


----------



## Fishy Goofin 5 (Feb 5, 2011)

Unfortunately, I do not have a hospital tank - I do put some salt in the water with each change. I ended up using API tetracycline yesterday and will repeat dosage today and do a partial water change tomorrow. The pictus is on the way out - the black shark is smaller and actually pretty mellow. Wish us luck.


----------



## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

It does not have to be a tank. A rubbermaid tub will do it.

Do you really add salt every water change even when it is not necessary? The only time salt should be added is when you are battling health issues of your fish. Your BN pleco is fine without the salt. There are many kinds of salt that it is easy to confuse which one we should use. Is this sodium chloride? No NaCl for the pleco.


----------



## thewatson27 (Feb 5, 2011)

*How much salt can a Bristlenose pleco tolerate?*

I'm posting this on here because I have a similar problem. I found ich on my amazon puffer this morning. My clown loach is slapping himself on the gravel and is slightly lethargic. My three tiger barbs are lethargic and look peckish and my common pleco has white spots on him as well. The other two fish seem fine -my bristlenose pleco and zipper loach. The fish exhibiting symptoms of ich did not eat well this morning when they usually eat like pigs. I believe the outbreak stems from a batch of 50 snails I put in Monday. (like a fool I dumped the aquarium water in the bag into my tank) What's the max sallinity these guys can tolerate to cure ich. I've done a 50% water change and started increasing the temperature. So far I've added about three tablespoons of marine salt and threw the last three jungle tabs (ich cure) in the tank for good measure. The dosage only treats thirty gallons and I have a 75 gallon. I do not want to kill my fish. Am I doing it wrong? Did you save the bristlenose?


----------

