Sick West African Lungfish, No Idea What is Wrong.

[SmilexGwG]

I bought what was labeled as a Grey West African Lungfish around 2 weeks ago from my lfs. The lfs didn't know exactly which kind of Lungfish it is, it doesn't look like a marbled one but definitely isn't a dolli or spotted either so idk. It has external gills like an axolotl has which makes it harder to identify for me.

Unfortunately this Lungfish has had holes on its right side ever since I bought him, I thought that deworming him with prazipro would fix it but it didn't even help. He currently acts normal and eats fine, but shares the tank with a sun catfish and other tank mates that I'm worried likely have what he has now. The only other symptom the Lungfish has is a white colored nose, I keep my tank at 80°F and run a fx4 as well as a fx2 on this 75 gallon tank. The Lungfish is less than 10 inches currently so this is just a grow out tank.

As you can see in my photos, the underside is the worse and the holes doesn't appear to show any signs of healing. After searching this forum (and others) all week, the only answer I can find is lymphocytis; a viral infection that can't be cured. Some say with lymphocytis your best bet is to let it run it's course and most of the time the fish will survive and recover eventually, however I've seen others say any fish that have been exposed to lymphocytis need to be euthanized alongside the one with symptoms because of the severity of it.

I also keep an ammonia alert on my tank which reads at 0 right now and always has. I do 30% water changes weekly and my tank has been setup for over 6 months running these same filters with no breaks in my cycle.

Thanks for any help in advance, I don't know who else to turn too so I figured I'd post here where I know we have some experienced members.

 

[GLTigerfish29]

It seems like you’re facing a challenging situation with your lungfish, especially with the external gills and the holes that haven’t healed. Here’s a breakdown of possible causes and solutions for the issues you’re seeing:
1. Identifying the Lungfish:
The presence of external gills suggests it could be a juvenile, which is common in several species of Protopterus (African lungfish). These gills are typically present in younger lungfish but often disappear as they mature. If it doesn’t match the appearance of commonly known lungfish like the marbled, dolli, or spotted types, you may have a West African Lungfish (Protopterus annectens). You could consider consulting specialized forums or experts for better identification based on body structure and markings.
2. Holes in the Side and Underside:
There are a few potential causes for the holes in your lungfish:
• Bacterial Infection: It’s possible that the holes are caused by a bacterial infection, such as hole-in-the-head disease or ulcerative lesions. This is often linked to poor water quality or stress, although your water parameters seem to be in good shape based on what you’ve described. To treat bacterial infections, you can use broad-spectrum antibiotics like Kanaplex (kanamycin) or Furan-2, which are effective for both external and internal infections.
• Parasitic Issues: Since PraziPro didn’t work, it’s less likely to be flukes or internal worms. However, if the fish shows other symptoms of parasitic infection (like flashing or scratching), you might want to consider using Metronidazole to treat internal parasites.
• Lymphocystis: Lymphocystis is indeed a viral infection and can cause lumps or lesions, though it doesn’t typically present as “holes.” There’s no cure, but it’s often not fatal unless the fish is heavily stressed or immunocompromised. If lymphocystis is confirmed, you would focus on keeping water quality high and reducing stress to allow the fish to fight it off naturally. The idea of euthanizing exposed fish isn’t always necessary unless the infection spreads aggressively or causes significant suffering.
3. White Nose:
The white coloration on the nose might be related to irritation, fungal infection, or physical injury. If the tissue appears fuzzy, it could indicate a fungal infection, which could be treated with medications like Pimafix or Methylene Blue. If the white area looks raw or inflamed, it may be a bacterial issue that could also be addressed with Kanaplex or Furan-2.

4. Tank and Water Quality:
Your tank setup seems ideal in terms of filtration and water changes, with 30% weekly changes and stable water parameters. However, consider checking your nitrate and nitrite levels, as lungfish are sensitive to high nitrate levels over time. Keeping the nitrate below 20 ppm is crucial, especially when dealing with a compromised fish.
5. Tank Mates:
It’s worth considering whether the other tank mates, such as the Sun Catfish, could be stressing or injuring the lungfish, especially at night. Since lungfish can be territorial and may clash with other bottom-dwelling or nocturnal species, it might be worth moving the lungfish to a quarantine/hospital tank for observation and treatment.
6. Next Steps:
• Isolate the Lungfish: If possible, isolate the lungfish in a quarantine tank to minimize the risk of spreading the infection (if it’s bacterial or viral) to other tank mates. This will also allow you to treat the lungfish without affecting the whole tank.
• Medication: Consider treating the lungfish with a broad-spectrum antibiotic like Kanaplex or Furan-2 for bacterial infections. If you suspect parasites are still involved, a treatment with Metronidazole might be worth trying.
• Maintain High Water Quality: Continue with your regular water changes but perhaps increase them to 40-50% weekly while monitoring your water parameters closely.
Since your lungfish is eating and behaving normally, that’s a positive sign. With the right treatment and a stress-free environment, there’s a chance for recovery, especially if it’s a bacterial issue or a mild viral infection.

Let me know if you need advice on setting up a quarantine tank or medication dosages!

 

[Fallen_Leaves16]

It seems like you’re facing a challenging situation with your lungfish, especially with the external gills and the holes that haven’t healed. Here’s a breakdown of possible causes and solutions for the issues you’re seeing:
1. Identifying the Lungfish:
The presence of external gills suggests it could be a juvenile, which is common in several species of Protopterus (African lungfish). These gills are typically present in younger lungfish but often disappear as they mature. If it doesn’t match the appearance of commonly known lungfish like the marbled, dolli, or spotted types, you may have a West African Lungfish (Protopterus annectens). You could consider consulting specialized forums or experts for better identification based on body structure and markings.
2. Holes in the Side and Underside:
There are a few potential causes for the holes in your lungfish:
• Bacterial Infection: It’s possible that the holes are caused by a bacterial infection, such as hole-in-the-head disease or ulcerative lesions. This is often linked to poor water quality or stress, although your water parameters seem to be in good shape based on what you’ve described. To treat bacterial infections, you can use broad-spectrum antibiotics like Kanaplex (kanamycin) or Furan-2, which are effective for both external and internal infections.
• Parasitic Issues: Since PraziPro didn’t work, it’s less likely to be flukes or internal worms. However, if the fish shows other symptoms of parasitic infection (like flashing or scratching), you might want to consider using Metronidazole to treat internal parasites.
• Lymphocystis: Lymphocystis is indeed a viral infection and can cause lumps or lesions, though it doesn’t typically present as “holes.” There’s no cure, but it’s often not fatal unless the fish is heavily stressed or immunocompromised. If lymphocystis is confirmed, you would focus on keeping water quality high and reducing stress to allow the fish to fight it off naturally. The idea of euthanizing exposed fish isn’t always necessary unless the infection spreads aggressively or causes significant suffering.
3. White Nose:
The white coloration on the nose might be related to irritation, fungal infection, or physical injury. If the tissue appears fuzzy, it could indicate a fungal infection, which could be treated with medications like Pimafix or Methylene Blue. If the white area looks raw or inflamed, it may be a bacterial issue that could also be addressed with Kanaplex or Furan-2.

4. Tank and Water Quality:
Your tank setup seems ideal in terms of filtration and water changes, with 30% weekly changes and stable water parameters. However, consider checking your nitrate and nitrite levels, as lungfish are sensitive to high nitrate levels over time. Keeping the nitrate below 20 ppm is crucial, especially when dealing with a compromised fish.
5. Tank Mates:
It’s worth considering whether the other tank mates, such as the Sun Catfish, could be stressing or injuring the lungfish, especially at night. Since lungfish can be territorial and may clash with other bottom-dwelling or nocturnal species, it might be worth moving the lungfish to a quarantine/hospital tank for observation and treatment.
6. Next Steps:
• Isolate the Lungfish: If possible, isolate the lungfish in a quarantine tank to minimize the risk of spreading the infection (if it’s bacterial or viral) to other tank mates. This will also allow you to treat the lungfish without affecting the whole tank.
• Medication: Consider treating the lungfish with a broad-spectrum antibiotic like Kanaplex or Furan-2 for bacterial infections. If you suspect parasites are still involved, a treatment with Metronidazole might be worth trying.
• Maintain High Water Quality: Continue with your regular water changes but perhaps increase them to 40-50% weekly while monitoring your water parameters closely.
Since your lungfish is eating and behaving normally, that’s a positive sign. With the right treatment and a stress-free environment, there’s a chance for recovery, especially if it’s a bacterial issue or a mild viral infection.

Let me know if you need advice on setting up a quarantine tank or medication dosages!

Are you just...plugging questions into ChatGPT and copying the responses?

 

[abominus]

LOL G GLTigerfish29 , OP could have easily asked a AI for response, but i think he needs help from experienced fishkeepers here, who spend years keeping fish. And a piece of advice, at least read through what Chatgpt wrote, i mean look at this line!

You could consider consulting specialized forums or experts

 

[Fallen_Leaves16]

LOL G GLTigerfish29 , OP could have easily asked a AI for response, but i think he needs help from experienced fishkeepers here, who spend years keeping fish. And a piece of advice, at least read through what Chatgpt wrote, i mean look at this line!

In all fairness, you used to use AI to help formulate your responses, too. Even had ChatGPT on a browser tab when you uploaded a screenshot, lol.

 

[abominus]

In all fairness, you used to use AI to help formulate your responses, too. Even had ChatGPT on a browser tab when you uploaded a screenshot, lol.

Fallen_Leaves16 , as you might be aware, english is not my first language, so it is weak and i often make mistakes, which was pointed out by other members aswell. So i do use Chatgpt sometimes, not to create answers, but to check mine for grammatical errors or spelling mistakes. Other than that, i mostly use it for studies since i homeschool, meaning i study at home for about 8 hours using my laptop. So i swear by god i don't use it to give entire responses and if i wanted to, i could have easily cut out the chatgpt part from my screenshot, but i didn't.

 

[GLTigerfish29]

“Whoa, did you just drop a whole novel disguised as a question? This isn’t AR1—it’s Arena 1: Battle of Confusing Queries. I need a halftime break just to process that!”

 

[GLTigerfish29]

• Add bookmark
• #4

Ah I see!

Here’s a funny bit from Arena 1 (AR1):

During the 2009 live AlDub show (joke lang!), err, the infamous DOTA trash-talking match—when two teams squared off, the notorious “AR1” comment came flying.

• Player 1: “Sino AR1 dito?! AR1, AR1, wala akong pake sa DOTA mo!”
• Player 2: “Tangina, pag hindi ka nag-AR1, waley ka sa tropa. Uwi na!”

(Translation: “If you don’t call AR1, you’re irrelevant. Just go home, dude.”)

This phrase became legend among Filipino gamers—used to poke fun at people who take things way too seriously in games. It’s now meme-worthy, with “AR1 ka na?!” being shorthand for, “Are you even relevant, bro?” in gaming circles.

And speaking of “Oh!”, this Pinoy humor bomb is one for the ages:

During a 2000s variety show moment, the host asked the audience, “Bakit mahalaga ang tubig?” (Why is water important?)

One random dude, half-zoned out, blurted:
“Oh!”
Host: ”…Ano?”
Dude: ”…Kasi, ’di ba, pag wala kang tubig… uhaw ka?” (Because, like, without water… you’re thirsty?)

The audience lost it. It was one of those unintentionally hilarious moments that Pinoys will quote forever! Now, “Oh!” is used sarcastically whenever someone states the obvious or delivers anticlimactic wisdom.

“Do you really wanna start this… or should I remind you that I finish what others regret?”❤

 

[GLTigerfish29]

I don’t care. Chatbot said Ar1, your username sounds like a robot’s first attempt at naming itself. I can almost hear it saying, ‘Beep boop, I am the least interesting model in the lineup!’ At least we know what ‘A.I.’ stands for: ‘Absolutely Ignorable!’”

 

[GLTigerfish29]

In all fairness, you used to use AI to help formulate your responses, too. Even had ChatGPT on a browser tab when you uploaded a screenshot, lol.

I don’t care about your trashtalk ugly face manner and as you are very pangit and he said this and also mfk website is not true and not helpful and that’s true here. Douchy “Touché! But unlike you, I don’t need an AI to come up with something clever—my brain is fully operational! Plus, if I had a screenshot, I’d make sure it was of something more impressive than just my excuses!”