# Diagnose This Disease: Brown Body Growth on Diamond Tetra



## PetMaster (Aug 19, 2009)

Dear members of the fish pet-keeping community,

I am glad to have finally joined this forum. But sadly, I do so in the hopes of finding a cure to my fish's disease. My diamond tetra seems to have an unsual brown growth at his dorsal fin and the top part of his eye. I thought at first that it was just an injury caused from interaction with another fish or from hitting one of the decorations and that the brown matter on him was his tissue. However, after observing him for three days, the brown growth is still there, thus confirming that it was not an injury, and that it might be fungus or a parasite. The diamond tetra seems healthy. He eats well, like the other tetras, and swims like he normally does. However, I just want to know how to treat the disease before it proves more serious. 

Thank you in advance.



1. Size of aquarium (# of gallons) - 20
2. Is your aquarium setup freshwater or brackish water? - freshwater
3. How long the aquarium has been set up? – 13 years
4. What fish and how many are in the aquarium (species are important to know) - 
4 congo tetras
4 diamond tetras
4 yellowbelly barbs
3 black tetras
1 tinfoil barb
1 geophagus brasiliensis
5. Are there live plants in the aquarium? - No
6. What temperature is the tank water currently? – 70-78 degrees (estimation)
7. What make/model filter are you using? – Fisher 20
8. Are you using a CO2 unit? - No
9. Does your aquarium receive natural sunlight at any given part of the day? - No
10. When did you perform your last water exchange, and how much water was changed? – 
Today, 1/4th water changed (water has not been changed for 3 weeks)
11. How often do you perform water changes? – every 2 weeks
12. How often and what foods do you feed your fish? – twice a day, Tetra Color Tropical Granules
13. What type of lighting are you using and how long is it kept on? – Normal Luminescent 
Bulb, on for 10-15 minutes during feeding time
14. What specific concerns bring you here at this time? – Diamond Tetra has unusual, brown 
growth on body, by the dorsal fin and the eye
15. What are your water parameters? Test your pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. – pH is 6-7
16. What test kit are you using and is it liquid or test strips? - 
17. When was the last time you bought a fish and how did they behave while in the pet store tank? – Last month


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

You neglected to answer one of the most impotant questions. What are test results for ammonia,nitrites,and NitrAtes Perhaps fish store would test the water if you brought them a sample? Or is it possible to test them yourself? You have a lot of fish for twenty gal. Filter should be serviced every couple weeks.
Ammonia,and nitrites should test zero. NitrAtes should be kept under 30 with 20 or less being ideal. Weekly water changes of 25 percent will help your fish considerably along with vaccuming the gravel once a week and a different area of the bottom each week. Your fish need a variety of foods as opposed to just one. A good flake food,the pellets you are feeding, and once a week treat of frozen or freeze dried brine shrimp or bloodwworms. 
The congo tetras are ,or can be, nasty fish. Could be the damage to the fish was result of nipping. Combine that with possible need for water improvement and bacterial infection could be results.
Were it me, (and it ain't) I would keep the filter running at optimal levels with regular cleaning and perform twice weekly water changes for three or four weeks using a good dechlorinator such as PRIME or AMQUEL+ which both reduce ammonia,and nitrite toxicity. I would vaccum a small are of the gravel once a week and a different area each time. I would consider finding new homes for the congo tetras or reduce the numbers of your other inhabitants.You may even consider a larger filter for the tank.


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## PetMaster (Aug 19, 2009)

Okay. I will try to get the water tested for ammonia and nitrates at the store. The brown growth, however, doesn't seem to be the result of attacks from the congo tetras. The congos have never attacked anybody in the tank, not even each other. I believe the brown growth has to be a fungal, bacterial, or parasitical infection. I will try to constantly perform a 1/4 water change every week. In terms of updates, I forgot to mention that the brown growth has appeared at the upper part of his tail fin. If you consult the pictures, you will see what I mean. But my questions are these:

Should I buy any medication to treat the brown growth, and if so, are there any medication that are safe for the other fish?

Is Melafix antibacterial fish remedy safe, and is it good in treating fish diseases?

Is it necessary to quarantine the infected Diamond Tetra?

If I follow 1077's advice of weekly water changes, filter maintenance, and varied food diet, will the brown growth disappear?

I have posted some videos that you could download to have a better idea of what the brown growth looks like. They only take 15 seconds to download (only two 11 second videos). Observe the diamond tetra's dorsal fin.

MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service Fish Video 1 (11 seconds)

MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service Fish Video 2 (11 seconds)


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## Fishin Pole (Feb 17, 2009)

i would suspect its velvet from the pics, but its hard to say without seeing the fish in person...........I have seen velvet (not in my tanks) range in color from off white to gold to brown.............IMO, i think it depends on the fish, the tank, and the water parameters as far as the severity of this disease............Hopefully, im wrong, but it might be worth checking out.......Good Luck!


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