# large white bump on rasbora espei near the eye...what is it?



## cmc29 (Jan 10, 2010)

I've recently noticed a large white bump on one of my rasbora that i've had for 2.5 years, i've posted a picture here. I recently had a bout with ich in my tank, but i cleared that up a 2 weeks ago by raising the temp to 84 slowly. The white bump is different though. I need to know what it is and what to do about it....advice please.


----------



## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

Can you please post your tank stats? (size, current water temp, filtration, maintenance and feeding schedules, etc.) and extremely important is water params for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH to be sure its safe enough to use a proper medication...

The pictures are a bit blurry, please tell me if the bump appears "fuzzy" or is that just shadow/blur in the photo?

The more info you can provide the faster someone can help you.


----------



## cmc29 (Jan 10, 2010)

My tank is a 29 gallon live planted tank with a black flourite substrate with white silicon base marine sand as the top layer. My current water temp is 81 F. My filitration is a hang on aquaclear 20-50 gallon with a three stage filtration. I use Carbon as one of the inserts, as well as some peet, along with the biological filter. I change the carbon every two weeks, the biological filter once every 3 weeks. I do 20-40% water changes weekly. The ammonia levels are 0, nitrite 0, nitrates 5-15ppm, and p.h. 6.8-7.2 (depending what time of day). I feed small amounts of food 2-3 times a day (freeze dried blood worms, frozen brine shrimp, and vegetable flake). 
The bump isn't fuzzy, the picture just makes it look so....he won't stay still..lol.
my tank contains the following fish:
3 kuhli loaches
3 striped otocinclus
3


----------



## cmc29 (Jan 10, 2010)

3 cardinal tetras
red tailed shark
2 pristella tetras
7 hatchet fish
8 tiny ghost shrimp
4 rasbora espei
my plants are java ferns, amazon swords, horwort, a purple looking broad leafed plant, and some grasses
thank you for your help


----------



## cmc29 (Jan 10, 2010)

I recently lost 3 cards to ich....:-(...but plan to get 3-5 more in another month or so


----------



## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

How long has this tank been set up? When was the last addition of fish?
Can you keep trying to get a clearer photo? Maybe a video if you have a zoom would be easier? You could post it on something like Youtube or photobucket with a link here. I can't suggest a med until we know what needs to be treated and at this point that is very unclear. 

Also, when is the last time you did a water change? How much at a time and how often? And how long after the last change did you perform the water testing for the above results? 

Can you please describe in as much detail as possible the appearance of this lump? Does it resemble cottage cheese? How long has it been there and has it grown since you first noticed it?

The more info you can offer the faster we can get an accurate diagnosis. I need to determine if this is viral, bacterial, or fungal before we can go any further. If it is viral there isn't anything that can be done to treat it, it just has to run its course, but may infect other fish in the process.

Do you have a quarantine tank set up? If not, you may want to consider a 10 gallon quarantine with a sponge filter and some decoration to help ease stress levels. It can be filled directly from the main tank during a water change, a heater put in set for the same temp as the main tank, and once the temp is stable for 24 hrs you can just move the fish right over without much for acclimation (5 min float). 

I'll keep checking in to catch your next post as soon as possible and will do all I can to help. Hang in there and don't rush into anything. Patience right now is vital.

My next post I'd like to discuss your population and some potential issues I can already see, but I have to run for now.


----------



## cmc29 (Jan 10, 2010)

The tank has been set up for 3 years, but only as a live planted tank for a little over a month. I was careful to preserve my healthy bacteria during the change over. The last fish i added were 3 rasbora espeis about a month ago. The bump looks smooth, it looks like a third eye, directly beside antoher eye. It doesn't look like cottage cheese, rather like a pimple that needs popped; almost as if there were skin growing around the bump and you could scoop the lump out of its setting. It hasn't grown since i've noticed it. I did a water change 3 days ago, i always do at least one a week (20-40%). The levels test the same even days later...the nitrates are closer to 20 ppm is the only difference a few days after the change. Incidently, i took my 2 pristella tetras to my LFS to find another home. I do not have a quarantine tank. My LFS guy told me it was probably a cancer of some kind, and that there was nothing to do but wait and see what happens, but i'm curious by nature, and want to continue to try to find the answer...i appreciate your time, and would love to discuss my population, and address concerns.


----------



## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

From the sounds of things this is very possibly a viral infection, in which case there is no medication to treat it. Viral infections have to run their own course, like the human flu virus, all you can do is to treat the symptoms until it goes away on its own. If your fish is acting and functioning normally I would leave it alone at this point, but keep a close eye on it for changes and watch the other fish who may contract it.

In regards to your population... that tank is way too small to maintain a red tailed shark, especially with fish as sensitive and small as cardinals. A red tail shark should have a minimum of 55 gallons because they are aggressive, territorial, and grow to 6 - 8 inches. Red tail sharks are not compatible with small fish, as the small fish often become food before long.
7 hatchets... what kind of hatchets? Most hatchet fishes also will get too large to keep 7 of them in a 29 gallon.

I hope this helps.


----------



## cmc29 (Jan 10, 2010)

I agree that the RTS is going to get to big for the tank...but as of yet he is not aggressive to my fish and loves his home between the java fern and some driftwood. He even shares his java fern with one of my kuhli loaches, and doesn't ever chase him. When he changes behavior I will let him go to my LFS and pick a new centerpiece fish. Right now he's my favorite. The hatchets I have in there because i intend to add more rasbora espeis later. I have them just to maintain my bio load, to make the transition easier (i'll take out 7 fish and replace them with the smaller espei's to have a larger school). They are hardy fish and stay mostly at the top of my tank, allowing my cards and espei's the middle to rule. The hatchets i have in there right now are the silver ones with a little black on them. Your responses are always helpful and appreciated.


----------



## cmc29 (Jan 10, 2010)

The bump is still there, fish is still acting normal and schooling, no change in size or texture though


----------



## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

Viral infections can take quite a long time to run their course. Stay on watch. If anything changes let me know... otherwise the only thing I can tell you is to keep the water really clean, temp stable, and let it run its course.


----------

