Bumps on tail fin

[bardies]

So on top of all the water ph issues, now I've got bumps on my largest fish's tail fin. Not carp pox, shouldnt be broken ray's. Yesterday, I swore I saw a thread like thing sticking out, but then the fish wouldnt stop moving and I did not bowl for a closer look (deep into pond construction in the garage). Caught a good look this am and saw several bumps...with some redness development, but no thread things. Only thing I can figure is anchorworm post worm?
Havent unpacked my koi books. Will try and post a pic later.
Bumps are good sized - probably about 3mm across.

Thanks!
Kim

[bardies]

Bowled and photo'd. Not just bumps - now looking more like ulcers. Have antibacterial food. Have trichloricide. Am using melefix and pimafix. Help - way worse than how it looked!

[rockman]

Kim,

I think one of my fish might have the same problem?...

Seeking advice - shiro utsuri with red spot on fins

I put the fish in a sick tank...I took a scrape of one of the spots, didnt see anything..Not sure if it might be just trauma, I tried anti-bacterial agents for a week...After that didnt work, I tried anti parasite medication that I happened to have, and that didnt really work...I ahve the koi at 75 F and 0.2 to 0.3% salt, still the spots are there, seem to be gettgin a little better perhaps, it has been about 3 weeks.

I think it might be viral. The koi is acting just fine, very active in fact. I have looked and it might be "lymphocystis" and a possible treatment might be acriflavine, but, according to one source it might work...

KoiVet.com - Lymphocystis

but according to the AKCA it is a "flim-flam"...

Koi Diseases

I am by no means an expert, in fact I am still a novice, so take my coments with a grain of salt please. This is probably not helpful for you, but I can at least symphathize with you...I am still wodnering what else I can do for my shiro, if I come up with anything and have any results I will let you know.

[bardies]

So getting ready to the next phase of pH adjustment, and staring at the residual crap in my hopper tank, and notice a bunch of little white things - like tiny tiny capsules with thread attached to them....too small to photograph - there were a few in pairs. There is little doubt in my mind that they are anchor worm egg sacs. Treating the pond with trichlorocide. Will up the salt to help with the infection too.
Wonder if frogs carry the things....
Thanks for the replies so far!
Kim

[Steve Nguyen]

not an expert but from looking at the pictures, it looks like ulcer in the works. this can get worst quickly if not treat properly.

Steve

[PapaBear]

When the pro's finally chime in I'd like to know if Hydrogen Peroxide gel might be beneficial for something like this. I never hear it mentioned, but I was wondering...

[MikeM]

I have no idea as to the cause. I'll ramble on with some thoughts in hope something gives you an idea.

First, the symptoms sure look like a bacterial infection with fraying of fin edge and internal corruption. This is usually related to water conditions and stress on the fish, but can also have a parasitic injury involved. Essentials are clean water without organic pollutants. (Absolutely no ammonia or nitrite and preferably nitrate down to 10ppm or less.) If water temps have been excessively high, they need to be brought down to around 75F so immune system functioning at high level. Try shading the pond. (If water was cold, it would be time to try to raise the temperature to 68+F.) If the fish is eating, medicated feed should help, but never can know whether getting a proper dose. If the fish is not eating, and you are not prepared to inject antibiotic, I'd recommend using an inexpensive antibiotic, erythromycin, dissolved in the water containing the fish. Will likely need a 'hospital tank', since repeat dosing daily for 7-10 days is required. (Erythromycin is readily available for aquarium use. Find a bulk source. The price per tab at retail pet shops is ludicrous.)

But, while treating the infection, need to get to the bottom of why there is a problem. Healthy fish in good water fight off these things all the time. Why isn't yours able to ward off the infection? If you had anchor worm infestation, I think you would have noticed. ...very distinctive. I've seen similar secondary effects from flukes in high water temperatures... I think due to immune system being depressed by heat and parasitic injuries resulting in all sorts of skin and infection problems. I've also seen it when fish coming out of cool/cold water undergoes shipping stress and goes into less than ideal warm water.

I'm thinking there could be stress from high metal content of water inhibiting immune system, lots of changing conditions with the pH issues/ acid additions, etc.

Those are some thoughts for whatever they are worth.

Good luck getting to the bottom of it.

[ppp]

I noticed this on one of my tosai's tail fin 3 months ago after it arrived from Japan and was still at my dealer's centre. A whole cluster of these "bumps", in fact. As it happened, Shigeru Mano from Dainichi chanced by one weekend so I took the opportunity to ask him what it was and how to get rid of it. He said it's a parasite and whilst not altogether common, he has seen this on his koi in Japan before. He wasn't sure what the English name of the parasite was, but he said it was "not a big deal". One apparently has to wait for the "bumps" to harden and turn whitish, then scrape them off with a scalpel or fingernail. If you scrape them off before they harden and turn white, they will come back again. As to how long it takes for them to harden and turn white, I'm not sure and I'm still waiting myself. Apparently this parasite is localised and does not affect the health of the fish, nor does it do long term damage to the tail fin. Kind of like barnacles!

Just my 2 cents worth, I'm no expert on these things. Perhaps the experts can chime in?

[Russell Peters]

I think if you wait too long to treat the infection will get worse and you will loose part of the tail. I would put the Koi to sleep and clean all of the wounds with Mercurochrome and then treat the Koi with antibiotics.

[Cody Turtle]

I could be wrong but that is sort off what my odinium looked like. It was not easy to see under the scope. I thought I saw it once but was unsure, eventualy had to have the help of a kha. Be ware if it is odinium it will just eat away at your fish untill they go into shock and die