Rare Disease - L240 extremely sick

Matan Geva

New Member
Sep 18, 2014
3
0
1
Israel
Hello everyone, My name is Matan and i'm new to this forum.

I came here because i'v been searching for a long time a place where i could find
experts about pleco rising and caring. this came after my L240 got extremely sick
and no biologist/veterinarian could tell me what should i do about it.

so the thing is this.

i bought him from a local store at the 8 of august this year, in the beginning i haven't seen him eating at all, all the other fishes was jumping on the food but him.
then after 3 week +-, i notice one morning a little knob on his head, at first i wasn't worry about it because i though maybe one of the fish bites him and it's a fungal or something -

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3h3wxg4hf1qrqj4/IMG_2861.jpg?dl=0

then it began to grow up and more of them began to accrue but only in the area above the head, after taking samples to a lot of expert in the area where i live,
they gave me a wide rage of medicine based on something called "FMC" (it's blue!) but it didn't helped at all, now the situation is worst, non of the biologist/veterinarian knows what this is, and i don't know what to do anymore.
i'v moved the fish into a different aquarium making sure water quality is the best.
took care of my primary tank with salt, gravel vac and water change.

he was living in an 476 litter aquarium filtered by an fx5
water changes and gravel vac on a weakly basis.

and this is the situation now, he have a white film on his tail starting to expend

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kqp3mtqa5b00cab/IMG_2790.jpg?dl=0

Please advise!!:cry:

Thanks a lot!
Matan.
 

Bigjohnnofish

Global Moderators
Staff member
Apr 15, 2010
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Perth, Western Australia
hmmmm tough one... if vet has had a good look at it and cant identify it then i feel im only taking a stab in the dark....

i would treat for bacterial infection... use quite a heavy hitting treatment seeing its an established issue... oxytetracylene with high % concentration or similar...

and follow up with

an antibiotic like dmz (Dimetridazole) or something similar...

if that doesnt get you any results then i'm not much help....

more photos you can get the better people can diagnose and help
 

leisure_man

Member
Mar 24, 2014
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3rd Rock from the Sun
I had a L262 male with similar growth on the head (between the eyes). It was a single nodule instead of a cluster like yours. Obviously the L262 male was WC. I was able to 'cure' the problem where the nodule would strunk and disappeared. However, it reappeared at the exact same spot weeks later. This time, instead of a growth/nodule, it was a sore spot. At that point, I realized the problem cannot be fix and the fish was dead in a few weeks. During the whole time, the L262 male was eating fine, it was only when the problem reappeared the fish would stop eating.
I remember seeing the growth on his head (smaller at the time) even when I was buying it as it was a definite male L262 in the group of 30 or so. Since then, I have seen other WC pleco with similar issue and I avoid getting those fish knowing that they will eventually died.
 

Matan Geva

New Member
Sep 18, 2014
3
0
1
Israel
hey guys, thanks for the answers.. i assume bacterial infection too.
but because there's some white film appear on his tail i started a treatment with JBL Ektol fluid Plus® and see if it might help a bit... i read on the internet that if it's and a bacterial infection it might won't work but i'll try my best anyways..

here's a link with all my pictures:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qcn54gxvzbkcpg5/AAAmXa5v8POrHBj5cTGMsd5ma?dl=0

i would be glad for more information regarding people experience of such disease.

Bigjohnnofish -you said oxytetracylene with high % concentration.... i have no idea where i can get this anti-biotic medicine, i'll find a way, how much milligram should i put into a 40 litter tank (my hospital aquarium)??

same about Dimetridazole...


thanks a lot !!

Matan.
 

leisure_man

Member
Mar 24, 2014
218
0
16
3rd Rock from the Sun
Forgot to mention that I used a combination of two different broad spectrum antibiotic to treat my L262 male. Like I said before, it 'cured' it and the fish looked normal for awhile before a sore developed at the same spot.
 

Irene0100

UK Support Team
May 14, 2009
4,271
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36
Norfolk, UK
so sorry, if it is an infection then the best thing i would try is ESHA 2000, it cures many things. but if it is a cancer there is not much you can do
 

Bigjohnnofish

Global Moderators
Staff member
Apr 15, 2010
1,399
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36
Perth, Western Australia
i get them from our local veterinarian - if they are available in australlia then im sure they are available in every other country as we have strict laws and rules governing medications.....

if its a tumour i heard medical marijuana is working wonders on brain tumours in humans.... not much help really.... :cry:

pity such beautiful fish with their huge dorsal fin... not many in australia unfortunately.... hopefully someone breeds them soon :)
 

Matan Geva

New Member
Sep 18, 2014
3
0
1
Israel
Thanks for the answers guys. i'm testing all of your suggestions and i'll update later.

right now the only update is that the moles on his head getting tiny and the damage to his tail's skin is spreading.

i'll update asap.