Fish.....cancer? What could this be?

[teebob21]

I have a black skirt tetra whose face is falling off.

When I bought him two months ago, he had a black bump on his nose and where his left pectoral fin met the body. It was cute - we called him Blacknose. When I was cleaning the tank this weekend, I saw his black nose had...ruptured. He literally has a hole in his face now.

Monday and Tuesday it looked like he was healing. Tonight, his lower jaw is "droopy" and the arch of the upper jaw appears to be detaching from his "face". He eats as normally as possible, and schools actively with the other tetras, occasionally dropping off to hide in the plants and chill out. It's like he's OK, but he gets tired easy. However, he's clearly not OK. The black bump on his "armpit" is angry like a patch of dry skin over a pimple, it's reddish and his left pectoral fin is GONE. I beleive the bump is going to rupture soon . As I said, it does not appear that he is in clear distress.

I took about 50 pictures tonight trying to get a clear example, only to find out that the memory card is MISSING!! I'll try to get some pics up ASAP if possible. What could this be? Has anyone seen something like this? Has anyone had a fish injured to the extent that the mouth area is deformed; did that fish recover?

Please advise. Thankyou thankyou thankyou everyone.

Cheers,
T

PS: 55 gallon tank: Water parameters are A-OK, and no other fish appear to have any issues. No ammonia/nitrite, nitrate 40-50 ppm with a city water value of 35 ppm. Last H20 change was 40% performed this weekend with a full gravel vacuum, HOB filter rinse, and ornamentation wash. Water temp: 79 F. Tank population: 6 green cories, 9 black skirt tetras (3 long skirt, 6 normal). Relative newbie to "big" tank care.

 

[Matt101905]

All I can say is if you can, put him in a QT tank. Maybe get some primafix or melafix. I'm not sure which one. Hope he gets better. Good luck.

 

[thebrandon]

there is such thing, but I have no idea how common it is.

Get those pics up asap so people here can help you out

Glad to see another AZ member on here

 

[teebob21]

there is such thing, but I have no idea how common it is.

Is this infectious?

I would rather not move this fish to my backup/QT tank (a 10 G) as it was recently tainted with pretty bad ich courtesy of PetSmart just a few weeks ago. I can't raise the temperature in that tank as I have an automatically regulated heater.

EDIT: The upper jaw arch has detached. The mouth has become the face, and vice versa. Unless I hear positive news, I will humanely euthanize this fish tomorrow.

EDIT #2: There is no growth visible on the fish. If there had been white stringies on him, I'd have QT'd and treated for a bacterial infection already (Flexibacter).

 

[thebrandon]

To be honest I have no clue

hopefully someone else can chime in

EDIT: also if you could get those pics it would really help a lot.

 

[LeahK]

This sounds really horrible. I'm so sorry that you're having to deal with this. You may have a trusted method for euthanasia already, but just in case, here's a link with details on how to use the clove oil and vodka method:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-most-humane-way-to-euthanize-a-fish.htm
Again, I'm really sorry about your fish, and about the stress this must be causing you as well!

 

[DrNo]

Any possibility of getting a photo?

 

[Cerianthus]

ALthough other tankmates are ok, how about testing for pH, NH3, NO2 just to eliminate the water as possible culpit? In case water is the possible culpit, can correct the condition to avoid further possible encounter with same problems.
If you would like to give a shot with no option for Q/T, how about any large clear plastic jar. Take water from tank and fill to half or 2/3. Figure out the volume. I would try Kanamyacin (KANAVYN by AQUATRONIC) or its equivalents, cut to proper amt for volume of water in container. could add gentle aeration when possible. Raising temp on bacterial/fungal infection is not good idea as pathogens can/will multiply faster.
Hope it is not too late for treatment..

 

[teebob21]

Tank water checks out ok. PH was 7.4. I've attached 4 pictures of the afflicted, plus a picture of one of my healthy tetras for a facial reference. The lower jaw is drooping more than before. This fish also has lateral line discoloration which was not present last night. Respiration is slightly more rapid than the other fish; that could just be from pain, assuming the mouth area in fish is innervated. He attempts to eat normally and with great vigor. It's almost comical how the food goes in his mouth and out his forehead, yet it's sad.

 

[madfox]

I'd humanely euthanize the poor fellow. I don't think they can regrow their mouths.