severum help

[preciouss]

my gold severum developed a bump on her side today. It looks like a boil or tumor, how can I be sure and what do I do to help her? She is in a 55 w/ a green severum, plecko, 3 dino eels, and 5 other eels (tire treads, zig zags, etc)

 

[Lupin]

Any photos of your fish's bump? What are your water parameters?

 

[preciouss]

I havent been able to get a pic that shows it well. Its not raised up that far. There is no discoloration whatsoever. Its about the size of a dime, and bumpy. If shes flat to the tank glass you cant see it all.
Nitrate - 0
Nitrate - 0
pH - 6.4
Amm - 0

I havent treated her with anything yet. I havent change their diet (alternating with: brine shrimp, blood worms, cichlid sticks, grapes, spinach, and strawberries), she's eating well. My green seems to be a bit more defensive and likes to keep her corraled, but he doesnt seem to have done any damage so far.

 

[japes]

Is there any scale damage around the lump?

I also suggest you either redo your tests, or get better test kits, because a Nitrate reading of 0 isn't normal. Is your pH always 6.4, hasn't been any changes in it?

 

[preciouss]

no scale damage thus far and no change in size or color of the lump. My pH will fluctuate between 6.2-6.6, but its usually 6.4. On this tank, my nitrate has hardly ever hits 5.0. Its a 55G, with (2) 110 filters on it and I do a 25% water change every week simply cuz I have such big kids in there.

 

[Mij]

Ph of 6.4 is a bit low imo. I would try to keep it at a neutral 7.0. The lower the ph the less buffering capacity you have, which I have found leads to more disease and stress.

 

[preciouss]

ok. thx. anything else I can do to help her?

 

[Bobears]

Where exactly is this growth? I would also like to know the hardness of your water, KH, GH? Could it be an intestinal obstruction?

 

[nomadofthehills]

A weekly 25% water change will NOT keep nitrates below 5.0.

You need new test kits.

 

[fishoverlivingspace]

A weekly 25% water change will NOT keep nitrates below 5.0.

You need new test kits.

I second that. Depending on how big the fish actually are, I'd be surprised if your nitrates were below 50 w/ 25% a week. Filters get rid of NH3 and N02 very well, but they don't really do anything for NO3... which is why you remove it through water changes. If you're certain your test kit isn't expired and its a liquid reagent test kit, make sure you're shaking it well before testing. The NO3 test in particular can be off if it's not well shaken.

That'd be cool if you could put a picture up. Bumps in fish are like bumps in humans... they could be completely benign and meaningless, or they could signify some pretty serious problems..