Very sick E.B.A's please help!! Anyone know what this is??? 3 e.b.a's with lumps & bumps, fast growing - no other fish in comm. Tank are effected :(

[Sarah t]

Have you tested your water?

Yes

If yes, what is your ammonia?

0

If yes, what is your nitrite?

10

If yes, what is your nitrate?

0

If I did not test my water...

1. ...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.

Do you do water changes?

Yes

What percentage of water do you change?

31-40%

How frequently do you change your water?

Every two weeks

If I do not change my water...

1. ...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.

 

[phreeflow]

Could be a virus called lymphocystis which causes similar looking bumps. It’s pretty benign and comes and goes but there’s no cure. It’s usually triggered by stress or unfavorable water conditions.

Is this the first time you’ve seen them like this?

 

[Sarah t]

Hi, this thing is fast and NASTY. It's basically forming lumps, then eats away until there's no flesh left. I had the parents of these guys die of the same thing. Waited and cleaned tank, filters etc, then put these guys in this tank and about 2 months later - same issue with these 3 e.b.a's.

 

[Sarah t]

I have treated with blue planet multi cure, now pimafix. Water changes, cleaned filters, daily dosing pimafix. Nothing seems to be helping

 

[duanes]

There are diseases that are species specific, so having only the Acara's infected is not a surprise, especially if other Acaras were infected before.
It may be that in between time, the phage became inert but was re-awakened when new Acaras were added..

I cannot tell what the disease is.
If its Lymphocystis, no meds will help, because Lymph is viral.
Only a much more stringent water quality regime will help
If its bacterial, you may need a specific antibiotic, so general cure type meds, my not be enough.

But beyond that, I find a 40% water change a very lax water change regimes, in fact I find a 40% water change only once per week quite lax.
Since this disease is not new for you, you may want to consider revamping your entire regime.
I do 30% to 40% water changes on my 300 gal system every other day.

 

[phreeflow]

Flesh being eaten away could be a secondary bacterial infection like aeromonas. Those bumps looks like lymphocystis but not sure. I’d do what Duanes said and just keep the water pristine through lots of water changes. I’d also switch from Pimafix to salt or if it gets worse, Kanamycin or Nitrofurazone