# Dorsal and Pectoral Fin Growth



## marinerm10 (Feb 2, 2010)

Hello,

One of my Cichlids a Herichthys Carpintis has several red growths on his fins.

He has also started to grow the same things on his Pectoral fins both sides.

They are red and are ball shaped on the dorsal fin and on the pectoral they appear to be more spread. Another one has started to develop on his side. They have only started to develop right on the border where the fFin touches the body, not on the fin itself.

He is still acting his normal self, swimming around as normal and is eating very well. My water test showed that the water was fine. I have removed him to a quarantine tank but another growth has appeared over night and the growths seem to be getting bigger and are spreader wider.

Can anyone offer me any advice on this issue? I have tried to take a photo but he will not remain still.

Thanks


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

Hi *marinerm10*,

I unfortunately am having the same issue with my H. Carpintis. However, it is only on the dorsal fin. Exact same description you gave; however, when it first appeared if looked at closely it looked like a cluster of small skinny cylinders protruding from the skin right where the dorsal meets the body.

My H. Carpintis had one; I treated the tank with salt and did large water changes. It began to subside and reduce in size, but never went away. Then shortly after moving all inhabitants to a new larger tank, a second wound appeared right next to the first, larger and more inflamed.

My cichlid still acts normally and rules the tank.

I too was unable able to get any images, but will try again.

Thanks,
Matt


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## Chekboy2 (Feb 5, 2011)

Was this a recently purchased fish?


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

Mine is approximately two years old.

Thanks,
Matt


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## marinerm10 (Feb 2, 2010)

I will have owned mine for exactly a year in March this year - I have had him since he was half an inch so I have seen him grow. He didn't have this issue at first but I would say around 3 months ago he developed a single growth on his dorsal fin. This was there for a while and was only small.... then within the last 3 - 4 weeks he has developed them all along his dorsal and larger ones on his pectorals.

It seems to be very odd - none of my other cichlids have ever had this issue in the last 3 years of owning them - so it can't be the conditions I am providing for them.

Now that Mlancaster seems to have reported a similar problem with his, could this be an issue that seems to affect the Carpintis breed or is this fairly common among all species? There would be no reason why he could have gotten injured and had a wound infected as he has been my dominant fish in the tank for a while now and rarely is bothered by other fish.


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

Hi all,

Another fish in the tank has unrelated wounds from aggression on his pectoral fins.

This made me think perhaps it would be worth it to treat the tank with API Melafix.

Would anyone recomend treating the tank with medication based on the wounds on the H. Carpintis? Or continue with water changes and adding salt?

All fish are acting normal and eating well.

Thanks,
Matt


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

Hi *marinerm10*,

What is the status of your H. Carpintis? Have you tried any treatment? Has it improved?

The red wound on my H. Carpintis has gotten worse. The two sores have merged into one. In addition, it appears to be moving up the fin ray slightly.

Furthermore, my new concern is a wound has appeared on the other side of the dorsal where the fin meets the body; it is in the same location as the first wound, almost like it has grown through its body/fin.

I should also note a piece of the red wound broke off the other day; there was red wound underneath.

After looking at the website below:

http://www.fishyfarmacy.com/fish_diseases/fins.html

I believe item "D) Bloodworms (Philometra sanguinea)" most closely describes my cichlid's wound. Unfortunately, the website states there is "No treatment known". I guess the good news is "in the aquarium there is no danger of any spread of the parasite".

Does anyone have experience or advice for dealing with this?

Thanks,
Matt


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