UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African cichlid?

We have an african cichlid whose name is Jaws. We have had him for over 3 years.

He just developed this big bump between his eyes, it is huge. It just came out of now where.

I am really worried.

UPDATE 1/9 - I just wanted to let you all know Jaws is doing okay. The bump kinda exploded, I actually kinda did it by accident.

In our tank we have magnets that clean the tank (does anyone know what I mean?) and I went to go move it out of the way to take better pictures of the bump and it knocked the bump and kinda exploded. All this yucky stuff came out and we think a piece of a fish.

What we think happened is one of the live fish that he ate was infected with something or somehow got stuck in his nose area.

Honestly, it was realy weird.

The bump is down and the hole is healing. He is acting fine. I check on him all the time and he acts like the same old aggressive Jaws.

Phil has been putting meds in the tank from day 1, so I think that helped when the bump exploded. The meds got into the bump where I am assuming the infection was.

Message edited 1/9/2007 8:52:27 PM.

Re: Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African sicklets?

usually cichlids in general get a 'hump' between their eyes when they reach a certain age (10 years or so). I dont know much about African cichlids, but i had a regular cichlid for about 10 years and she got that.

Re: Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African sicklets?

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African sicklets?

bumping, I added pics

Sorry, I am really worried.

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African sicklets?

Have you tried asking at the fish store? The people that work there are usually pretty knowledgable (we have a 75 gallon tank)....hope he is doing ok

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African sicklets?

I really dont know anything about fish, but I know you are worried and I know what its like to worry about your pet. Hope he's ok.

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African sicklets?

Posted by MrsTC

Have you tried asking at the fish store? The people that work there are usually pretty knowledgable (we have a 75 gallon tank)....hope he is doing ok

Message edited 1/6/2007 11:16:46 PM.

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African sicklets?

Definitely take the pics to your pet store...my sister has had huge success with that.

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African sicklets?

Found these two answers online...maybe it'll send you in some sort of direction??


1) Indentifying a mysterious bump or skin growth on any fish is very difficult. But I can try to offer a few suggestions.
-Nodular disease causes off white to yellowish cysts anywhere on a fishes body, and is caused by various Microsporidian and Myxosporidian Parasites. The life cycles of these parasites are poorly understood. Small level infestations may occur unnoticed by the aquarist. Unfortunately there is no reliable treatment for this type of disease. It is best recommended to isolate the infected fish to prevent any spread to the others.
Now I'm definitely not saying this is what your African Cichlid has but it is only a guess.
I have never dealt with this disease so I cannot say for sure.
-Lymphocystis is caused by a viral infection and symptoms are characterised by raspberry or cauliflower like growths on the skin and fins. It often begins as small white cysts which gradually increase in size over weeks or even months.
-Fish pox is a viral infection causing white, grey, or pink growths appear on the skin and fins. They can appear as small waxy-like growths or bumps on the skin. It is sometimes confused with Lymphocystis but it has a rougher raspberry like growth to it. Fish pox has no reliable treatment this disease most often affects coldwater aquarium and pond fish, in particular, Koi. There is no reliable treatment. I really don't think this is what is affecting your African cichlid. Like I've mentioned before, these are all just guesses.
-Tumors are something I've dealt with before and they of course cause swellings similar to what you described. The fish may behave naturally for quite a while. Then the tumor may cause the poor thing to suffer or it may cause organ failure and end the poor fish's life early. Unfortunately as you know there is no treatment for this illness. The best you can do is give the fish the very best care possible and try to make him as comfortable as possible.

Because it is so hard to know exactly what is ailing your African cichlid I can only recommend that to continue with the pimafix (Melafix may be better since it tends to target bacterial infections or sores better than Pimafix which tends to target fungus infections) Using these two medications together will give the most effective treatment. Also, I would begin daily to at least every other day 50% water changes as part of the treatment. I tell you, there is nothing better that you can do for a fish than good water changes. Make sure the temperature is suitable for his species and feed him the best and healthiest food possible. Variety also is important of course.



2) This sounds like one of two things. Body ulcers or hole in the head disease. I would go more twords hole in the head. Hole in the head is an internal bacterial infection that is very nasty. It simply makes a little sore and hole in the head area. Gone untreated, it will kill the fish. Here is what to treat with.

Jungle medicated food for bacteria
Jungle Hole in the Head cure guard.

You can find both of these at the following websites.

For the food....

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=12788&Ntt=medicate...


For the medication


http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=4821&N=2004+113017


Definitely do both of these. I did both just last week for a treatment and nothing works faster. Medicated food and medication is just about as strong as you can get.

If you can, e-mail me these pictures you took. It can help me allot. Thanks. Me e-mail is...

[email protected]

Message edited 1/6/2007 11:42:07 PM.

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African sicklets?

Thank you so much for the information.

I think it maybe hole in the head. But I am not sure.

I am going to email you the pics.

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African sicklets?

Sent you an FM.....that's not my email...that's the guy's who answered the original question about bumps on the head.

I'm thinking it's not hole in the head only b/c I found a bunch of other pics on the internet....and nothing really resembles your fish's new bump.....to me it sounds like it's a bacterial or parasitic infection of sorts, but haven't made a conclusion yet. Will keep searching.

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African sicklets?

nah it isnt hole in the head. hole in the head looks like their little nostril holes all over their head.

here is a pic of a discus and what hole in the head looks like (outlined in red).



I think it is external parasites or fungus.

here is a website with pics. your pic looks a lot like external parasites. JMO. definitely bring the pic and show them at the fish store. they have tons of medicine. I even cured my cichlids of ich and that is a hard one to cure. cichlids are hearty, but i am not sure about africans. i think so, so long as you have your water conditions ok.

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African cichlid?

I'm bumping this thread up to show my DH, he's extreamly knowledgeable about African Chiclids.

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African cichlid?

I asked my husband and he first thought it could be a hump that develops to show a male fish's dominance....which isn't dangerous at all.
But after looking at the pictures, he changed his mind because the bump is lower than it would be if that were the case. He said there's not much you can do about it, so just keep an eye on it to see if it breaks open.
Good luck!

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African cichlid?

Peabody - what happened at the store? I was reading the replies and I think the advice of using the parasitic and fungal medication while changing half the water is probably the best idea for your fish. My sister has had great success with that when her koi have gotten sick. She always feels it's better to overmedicate a tiny bit than not attack the right problem. She's done really well with her koi and has had them for a few years now with no deaths.
Good luck!!!

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African cichlid?

Is it a parrot fish or a flowerhorn? They develop a natural bump as part of their maturity.

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African cichlid?

peabody, what happened? hope he is ok

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African cichlid?

bumping with an update!

Thank you everyone for your advice and concern.

I know it's only a fish and to be honest, I never really liked Jaws because he killed and ate all the other fish in the tank.

But when I saw this happening, I just couldn't acccept him not being in the tank.

He may be mean
and he may try to bite me all the time and he may have eaten my albino catfish
and suck our snails from their shells
and pull out the bubble wall
and broke the thermonitor,

but he is my Jaws!!!!

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African cichlid?

How is he doing?

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African cichlid?

UPDATE 1/9 - I just wanted to let you all know Jaws is doing okay. The bump kinda exploded, I actually kinda did it by accident.

In our tank we have magnets that clean the tank (does anyone know what I mean?) and I went to go move it out of the way to take better pictures of the bump and it knocked the bump and kinda exploded. All this yucky stuff came out and we think a piece of a fish.

What we think happened is one of the live fish that he ate was infected with something or somehow got stuck in his nose area.

Honestly, it was realy weird.

The bump is down and the hole is healing. He is acting fine. I check on him all the time and he acts like the same old aggressive Jaws.

Phil has been putting meds in the tank from day 1, so I think that helped when the bump exploded. The meds got into the bump where I am assuming the infection was.

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African cichlid?

Hey....Jaws is not "JUST A FISH!!!"

He's YOUR version of our furbabies! He is a loved one attached to your family! And we ALL worry when our loved ones aren't feeling well. So, don't call him "just" a fish. Pets come in all shapes, sizes, and skins....just cause he swims in a 5x5 tank all day, doesn't make him any less of a family member!

Best of luck Jaws!! Feel better!

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African cichlid?

Re: UPDATED w/ PICS - Does anyone or anyone's DH know anything about African cichlid?