# Red Tailed Shark - Large White Spot on Forehead



## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Info:

*1. Size of aquarium (# of gallons)* 30 gallons
*2. Is your aquarium setup freshwater or brackish water? * Freshwater
*3. How long the aquarium has been set up?* Almost three months
*4. What fish and how many are in the aquarium (species are important to know) * 7 fish (2 Kribs, 1 RTBS, 1 female betta, 3 Red Wag Platies).
*5. Are there live plants in the aquarium? * Yes.
*6. What temperature is the tank water currently? * 79 degrees
*7. What make/model filter are you using?* Penguin 150; Marineland
*8. Are you using a CO2 unit? * Yes
*9. Does your aquarium receive natural sunlight at any given part of the day? * Early daylight hours, but not in a direct spot (across the room from the windows).
*10. When did you perform your last water exchange, and how much water was changed? * Today, 15%.
*11. How often do you perform water changes?* Weekly
*12. How often and what foods do you feed your fish? * Tropical Flakes, Freeze-Dried bloodworms, Shrimp Pellets. I feed twice a day.
*13. What type of lighting are you using and how long is it kept on? * Perfecto light strip (unknown of watts). 10-12 hours a day.
*14. What specific concerns bring you here at this time? * While changing my filter cartridge, I noticed my shark has a good-sized white spot on his forehead. He is still acting normally; scavenging for food and swimming around "exploring."
*15. What are your water parameters? Test your pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.* pH: 6.8-7, ammonia: 0, nitrite: 0, nitrate: <10ppm
*16. What test kit are you using and is it liquid or test strips? * API Master Test Kit
*17. When was the last time you bought a fish and how did they behave while in the pet store tank?* Thursday. Bought 2 Kribs (1M 1F) and a female betta. The Kribs acted normally in the tank; swimming together with the common cichlid scuffle. The female was the liveliest of all, no deforms, showing vertical lines (ready to breed), etc.

My shark was purchased last Saturday, very healthy. His color, diet, and "activities" have all been the same. Busy scavenging for food and exploring the tank, and eats normally. This spot does not seem to be affecting him, yet. This is the only spot. No signs of fungus.

I will try to get a picture of him soon.

Any ideas on what it is? I want to say Ich, but isnt there numerous spots for that?

Thanks.


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## herefishy (Dec 14, 2006)

Sounds like Euroglopin brain wart. Always fatal. It is too late for your fish, I am a fraid, What you see is the "bite" mark of this creature. It has laid its eggs in the brain of your fish. There is no need to look for the creature as it dies soon after laying its eggs. This is very rare in the hobby nowadays. I haven't heard of anyone's fish having it in over 20 years. RBS's are very susceptible to the parasite. Fish will act very normally until the eggs hatch and the young "wart" begin devouring the brain of the infected fish. No known cure. If the tank is infected, all fish must be euthenized, the tank emptied, cleaned, and disinfected.

ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ......... Just practicing my April Fool's jokes!!!!!!!!

Back to being serious, I don't have a good pic of your fish, but I would guess that he has an injury that has developed a fungus or some other infection. Use PimaFix and MelaFix in combination.


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Ah, scared me there.  

Well, this is very odd. This mark has now disapeared and there is little evidence of it being there. What the heck?

Should I still dose with Melafix & Pimafix?


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## Flashygrrl (Jan 18, 2008)

He had me going there for a second too :shock:


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