symptoms
external symptoms
- Growths on fins and body surfaces
- Swelling due to internal tumors
Behave
- Fish become sluggish.
- Fish are weak.
internal symptoms
- Growths on internal organs
photos
Photos: Jutta Tittl
L 137 with tumors (possibly Lymphocystis). The photos do not clearly show whether the tumor consists of many individual nodules.
The tumors were opened with a cotton swab. Then the catfish was placed alone in a 54 liter aquarium. The temperature was raised to 30° to 31°C and a teaspoon of salt was added to the water. After about 3 weeks the fins had healed and the catfish was put back in the large tank with its fellow catfish. So far no new growths have appeared.
Photo: Carsten Zoehrer
Butterfly cichlid with tumor (possibly Lymphocystis) on the mouth. The photos do not clearly show whether the tumor consists of many individual nodules.
Photo: Gerd Harren
Labidochromis yellow with tumor in the mouth
Photos: Helmut Utzig
Hara hara with a tumor on the fin
Photo: Mathias Grewin
Rainbow fish with a tumor at the base of the tail. Here, too, the clear cauliflower shape raises the question of whether it is Lymphocystis. The photos do not clearly show whether the tumor consists of many individual nodules.
More photos
Photos: Gabriela Grinnus
Cochliodon soniae with tumor on the fins. Here, too, the clear cauliflower shape raises the question of whether it is Lymphocystis. The photos do not clearly show whether the tumor consists of many individual nodules.
Photos: Robert Christman
Catfish with a tumor on its mouth
Photos: Eva Little
Scalar with a tumor on the mouth
Photo: Merlin
Possibly a tumor or ulcer. Further information on the fish species, the exact position of the structure etc. is not available.
Photos: Joe
Cardinal mullet, probably with a tumor on its mouth. Only one animal in the tank was affected.
Photo: Oliver Zischg
Cockatoo dwarf cichlid with possible Lymphocystis.
Heros cichlid with possibly Lymphocystis. The starting point was a slight reddening at the base of the pectoral fin, which resembled a wrong coloration. Redness is too defined. It was actually almost nothing. Since it did start to grow, the fish was separated. No other animal was infected. The water parameters were perfect for this cichlid species. The first symptoms appeared about 4 weeks before admission.
The knots were like several hard pimples. The base of the fin was swollen. Only one side was affected. The rest of the animal was completely normal. In the picture you can also see sand on the animal.
A Tetra broad spectrum agent recommended by the pet shop was used without success. Even after a high-dose salt bath, the symptoms remained unchanged.
The symptoms shown can also occur in germ density under stressful conditions, especially in cichlids. Similar to stress pimples in humans. It seems that the base of the fin is always affected. Discus, scalar and geophagus are also affected.
The cichlid pictured was easily disturbed by everything and was constantly under stress. In addition, Hero’s cichlids suffer alone in quarantine. Especially if they are weaker animals. He was more of the weaker of the pair.
If the symptoms are discovered relatively quickly and the housing conditions are improved according to the “character”, rapid relief can be achieved by changing the water and adding more salt. After the animals were given to a new owner, nothing more was heard of further illnesses.
Heat is said to be unsuitable for treatment. Possibly because many germs multiply faster in warm conditions.
It is unclear whether these stress symptoms are completely independent of Lymphocystis, or whether stress is a triggering factor for Lymphocystis. For the second speaks, for example, that cichlids are considered susceptible to Lymphocystis, that Lymphocystis can apparently inexplicably disappear and that the fins are often affected.
Photos: Sinti
Emperor cichlids with black scales. In places the scales looked as if they had been thrown up, ie the scales stood out slightly. Ulcers kept appearing on the black spots, but they quickly went away. Sometimes no ulcers developed, but rather warts. Other animals had small blisters. Warts and blisters always disappeared quickly. The affected fish ate and courted.
A study at the University of Bern found sarconomas in the skin and multiple granulomas in the stomach and kidneys. Sarcomas are malignant tumors. Granulomas are nodular new tissue formations.
The skin changes were recognized as tumorous changes in the connective tissue or the pigment cells. The cause could not be determined. According to the literature, such changes may be triggered by viruses in other fish species.
The granulomas were probably caused by flagellates (Cryptobia sp.). Tuberculosis as a cause was considered unlikely because no acid-fast rods were found in the stomach and kidneys.
In addition, the animals were obese and a low-protein diet was recommended.
Photos: Birgitt Wernery
Neolamprologus brichardi with large tumor.
causes
Tumors often develop on the skin or on the lips of the fish. These are tissue growths that can be caused by various causes. These include genetic defects or hereditary causes, chemicals and viruses. Hereditary z. B. the melanoma occurring in some breeding lines of platies and swordtails, which are formed by proliferating black pigment cells. Sometimes such growths are also desirable, such as B. the goldfish called goldheads, or the flower horn chichides. Desired growths of this kind often lead to impairments in the fish, so that they can no longer swim normally. The limit to so-called torture breeding is quickly crossed.
Thyroid nodules are tumors that grow on the thyroid gland.
Lymphocystis
Lymphocystis, also known as nodular disease, is caused by a virus called Lymphocystivirus. Viruses stimulate the cells to overgrow.
The fins and skin of the fish are usually affected. Initially, small, white or translucent nodules appear that grow into cauliflower-like growths over the course of weeks or months. In early stages or when there is a light infestation, the fish body looks as if it has been sprinkled with salt. The fins are often affected first. This can result in a single lump or many small nodules that can make the skin feel rough when you run your hand over it. If the gills are affected, this can lead to breathing difficulties as the oxygen-absorbing gill tissue is destroyed. The individual nodes are between 0.3 mm and more than 2 mm in size. The knots can be cream, pink, or gray in color.
After 4 or more weeks, depending on the species of fish infested, the temperature and other factors, the proliferating cells rupture or fall off, releasing new viruses into the water. There, the new viruses infect fish of the same or related species by penetrating broken skin or tissue. If viruses get into the bloodstream, internal organs can be affected. After contracting viruses, it can take anywhere from a week to more than a year for visible damage to appear. At around 25° C, new nodules become visible after around 10 days. Again, the exact times depend on the species of fish infested, the temperature, and other factors. It is believed that the viruses can survive in the mud for years before infecting new fish.
While according to some sources all fish species can be affected by Lymphocystis, according to other sources tetras, catfish and carp-like fish (e.g. barbel) are not affected. Especially cichlids and gouramis are susceptible to Lymphocystis.
Infected fish usually do not die directly from Lymphocystis, but from bacterial infections or fungal infections that occur as a result.
Images of Lymphocystis on the web and in books show smaller, transparent vesicles (mostly German-language sources) on the one hand, and large nodules (mostly English-language sources) on the other. When such larger nodules are composed of many small nodules, it may be Lymphocystis. Otherwise they are probably tumors due to other causes.
Lymphocystis is not to be confused with bubonic disease, also known as nodular disease.
Lymphocystis can look similar to Epitheliocystis and Ichthyo.
treatment suggestions
A treatment of tumors is usually not possible. In larger animals, the vet can excise tumors that are only superficially growing. Fins affected by Lymphocystis can be cut off, depending on where the tumors are growing. However, this may only be carried out by a veterinarian, otherwise the Animal Welfare Act will be violated. New tumors often grow back after some time after cutting them off.
Since tumors cannot be cured, animals in distress should be killed. This is especially true if the tumor grows in the mouth area and the fish are in danger of starving.
Fish infected with Lymphocystis should be isolated. Once bacterial infections or fungal infections occur, they should be treated.
Lymphocystis itself is not curable. Since the nodules can fall off over the course of development and thus disappear, it can give the impression that the disease has been cured. However, viruses are usually still present in the aquarium.
The only way to prevent it is to avoid injuries and avoid stress factors that weaken the immune system.
According to one report, treatment with Ektozon can reduce symptoms. Such experiences would be very interesting.