# Apisto has a pimple on the top of his head



## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

My male apisto came out to feed yesterday morning and he had a white pimple (for lack of a better word) right on the top of his head. It's seems too large to be ick (and there are no other spots anywhere on anyone). With my reading glasses and a flashlight on him to get a better look this morning, it looked a bit "cottony" for lack of a better word. Not bigger, though. No one else is affected (tetras, cories, BN pleco, female apisto). I assume this is a fungus or bacterial growth of some kind. I'll get him to a hospital tank tonight. But I don't know what to treat him for. Any ideas?

Temp, pH, etc., all are normal. Tank has been quite stable for a long time. He's probably been in the tank (with his girl) for six months or more. No ammonia or nitrite. The nitrate before the weekend water change was about 10. All the rummynoses' noses are nice and red!

At home, I have Jungle Parasite Clear and Quick Cure. Will either of these work?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I have the exact same thing going on with a brichardi male right now...In his case, I'm honestly believing it's stress related...Everytime he and his girl get ready to spawn, he winds up fighting with another large male. After the fights start, the pimples show up... :-?

I've treated him for this 3 times by using Melafix and daily water changes, it heals every time, and the next time the tank gets a bit stressed, he does it again. I'm planning to use antibiotics the next time, but I will have to remove him to do so because of all the fry.

So...I would try the Melafix and daily water changes, but if it comes back, you might want to consider removing him and treating him with antibiotics.

The good news is that it hasn't been contagious in my tanks.

It could be anchor worm, in which case the JPC would work. Is it red around the base?


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

No, does not appear red around the base. His "girl" is yellow/golden right now and that apparently means she's ready to spawn. but I have not had any babies from this pair. He isn't eating great, but not sure what would stress him out. There are only cories, a BN pleco and tetras (pristella, rummynose) in the tank . . . I'll do water changes and Melafix and see what happens. I'll go ahead and leave him in the main tank for now, I guess, since moving him is likely to stress him more. Do you agree? If I were to treat in a hospital tank, what antibiotics do you recommend? I've never had to use them before . . .


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Yes, I would leave him in there for now rather than stress him by moving him.

When this has happened with my brichardi, he's behaved totally normal. He might be a bit hesitant at feeding time, but I never know if they are guarding eggs/fry or not, so I usually blame his hesitancy on that.

If there isn't a red ring around the base of the pimple, then I don't think it would be anchor worm.

When I don't know what I'm up against, I seem to fare pretty well with sulfa. (That's what I plan to use the next time it happens with my guy...)

Let me know how things go!


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

I added Melafix last night. This morning, he was hiding in a java fern and did not come out to eat. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to catch him and put him in a hospital tank. It does not look good, so I don't have high hopes. It's disappointing. I have not had great luck with apistos, unfortunately . . . The girl is doing great, though.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

hollyfish2000 said:


> I have not had great luck with apistos, unfortunately . . .


Me, either. 

And for some strange reason, it's always been the males that I have problems with...The females will live forever.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

He was lying on his side in the gravel last night, so I fished him out and euthanized him. Very sad . . . No more apistos for me. It's a bit humbling as I'm fastidious about my tanks and thought I'd have no problem with apistos. The girl is great, though and I do like her. She's always been spunky. She's going to be a single gal now, though. None of the other fish are showing any signs of decline. All the rummy's noses are bright red. So whatever it is, doesn't appear to have infected the tank.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I know how you feel...Sorry that you lost him...

I gave up on them, as well. The female that I had lived for a couple of years, but she finally died, too. I had 3 different males and lost every one of them. I think the longest one lived was about 3 months. I kind of blamed myself for trying to keep them in with some Bolivian rams, but no one was breeding at the time. :-?

I would watch the other fish closely for any signs of problems, but I'm sure you're doing that.


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## guitargod01 (Nov 8, 2007)

I had that happen to my Apisto. A fish expert I know told me to use Nitrofurazone. And it worked!! he was sick for days not eating just sitting there witha white spot hole thing on his head. I put him in a quarantine tank. Then I did as the fish expert suggested and that is; crush two tablets for ten gallons, put both in tank. Then wait two days then put one more tablet in for a ten gallon tank. three- four days after starting the treatment my fish was healthy and cured.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

Guitargod -- as you know, I lost that apisto. But I'm curious, what diagnosis your fish expert gave for it?


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