Electric Blue Jack Dempsey with mass on side

T

Towely

AC Members
Feb 1, 2017
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I have a 1.5" EBJD that has developed a sizeable bump on his right side over the past two days. I thought I may have noticed something yesterday but on second look didn't see it. Today it's definitely noticeable. It's located about where the back of his rib cage would be halfway up. Almost looks more like his ribs are being pushed out than a bump outside the skeleton but it's tough to say. I also noticed today when I turned the light on he started "itching" his sides and bottom a lot for a good 30 seconds.

I've noticed a few fish here and there itch their sides and have been on the fence about treating for flukes but I just started using MetroPlex to treat a GT also in the tank that's showing signs of a possible intestinal parasite. Any idea what this may be?
 
More info please...

tank size
how long established
detailed and exact stocking
current tank parameters from a good liquid test kit
a new addition? did you qt?
pictures?
 
210 gallons

78 degrees
pH 8.1
Ammonia 1ish
Nitrite 1ish
Nitrate 28ppm
Alkalinity 16
GH 18

Alkaline and GH levels spike a bit when I do water changes as we have very hard water here but a lot of driftwood in the tank.

2 Oscars
1 JD
1 EBJD
2 Green Terrors
3 Salvinis
2 Convicts
3 Firemouths
1 Sun catfish

There are all around 2-4" at the moment, planning on splitting them up a bit once I get the new tank setup. I did QT him in the same tank, I'm not sure if I should put him through the stress of a move at the moment?

Edit: The tank has been established for about three weeks now. Took a filter out of one of my other tanks and ran it in their, along with a bunch of decor/substrate etc to get it going. The EBJD we put in last week.
 
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That ammonia level worries me. It shouldn't be that high if the tank is established.
It could be an internal parasite? But hard to say. First thing is you definitely need to do a water change.
 
That was before the water change. Went a little longer than I would have normally gone with a change due to an out-of-town death in the family and had one of our filters turned off for a few days while treating with metroplex.

(also found a big deposit of sun cat poop hiding underneath one of the pieces of driftwood. Finally found his toilet, so that probably wasn't helping any).
 
In a cycled tank though, ammonia shouldn't get that high even with going extra between water changes. It should remain zero if your BB is established.

Any changes on the EBJDS with the bulge?
 
No changes. His color never was brilliantly bright. He seems a bit pale at times but then later on the color returns to his normal levels.

Aside from that and the bulge there are no changes in behavior. He eats fine, no change in aggression, still very active. The bulge appeared seemingly out of nowhere overnight and the size has not changed since.

Edit: I had to do some research to find out what the "1" actually meant and came up empty. Got a new test kit(API) in the mail today. That tested ammonia at 0 or 0.25, and nitrites at .25. The old test kits were listed 1-10 with no explanation what the number meant.
 
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