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scott
04-05-2003, 8:54 PM
About six months ago I got a Black Belt Ciclid and about three months ago she got a white spot on her fin. I pulled her out and put her in a hospital tank and treated for a fungus and nothing happened. I put her back in the tank. It never went away and never spread. I figured it might be scar tissue from a squabble with one of the other fish. Skip to two weeks ago. I got a Vieja Synspilia. When I first introduced the fish it got a good pecking from my convict (who has since gone back to the store). Five or so days later he mated with my black-belt. The next day I noticed a white spot on his fin. It seems silly but the first thing that popped into my head was fish STD. :rolleyes: Agression raised he was swapped with my oscar in another tank. Two days ago I noticed a white zit looking thing on the black belt's side (she is so beautiful I want it to go away:( ) I have been looking around and I think that it is lymphocystis from the description on skepticalaquarist, however he says that it is not contagious. Is this just a huge coincidence that the two mating fish have it, or what appears to be the first sign. The oscar and a JD have both shared tank space with the infected fish. There is no flashing/mucous, appetite normal etc. Also given the proper environment aren't viruses highly contagious in people I do not understand why they would not be in other animals. And yes I understand there is no cure for a virus. He also says that it is "not particularly virulent", wetman if you read this can you explain what that means, I would think something would either be a virus or not. If it is not particularly virulent does that mean maybe the symptoms can be treated (like getting rid of that ugly wart!)?

wetmanNY
04-05-2003, 10:32 PM
Now, you'll have to check me with a www.google.com search "lymphocystis"-- but my understanding is that this virus is not particularly contagious-- that is, you won't find it spreading like wildfire among your fish-- nor is it particularly virulent-- meaning that it doesn't kill fish.

Sometimes (often?) it just goes away after a few months-- like a wart, which is also caused by a virus.

Very rarely, I understand, a fish with a lymphocystis growth develops another one or more.

Of course pathology texts have some scary photos of extreme cases.

scott
04-06-2003, 1:35 PM
Thankyou for the explanation. The wart analogy as a virus really helped me. I don't know why I didn't think of connecting wart and wart. By the way thank you for such a great website and all of the info!