Growth on Pyramid Butterflyfish

[HossPilot]

Fellow Reefers,
I have a problem that I could not find listed anywhere. In the attached pic you will notice a growth on the “forehead” of my Pyramid Butterfly. I got him at reef-a-palooza NY last month and he has and continues to be active and eating well. He has been like this for about 5 days. Has anyone seen anything like this before? Any help, insights, or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[blaxsun]

#fishmedic

 

[ReeffHusbWifey]

Bump interested

 

[vetteguy53081]

Fellow Reefers,
I have a problem that I could not find listed anywhere. In the attached pic you will notice a growth on the “forehead” of my Pyramid Butterfly. I got him at reef-a-palooza NY last month and he has and continues to be active and eating well. He has been like this for about 5 days. Has anyone seen anything like this before? Any help, insights, or suggestions would be appreciated.

This looks like Lymphocystis which these fish are susceptible to. Lympho is a condition and not disease. Often its associated with water quality issue as simple as elevated ammonia or nitrate and can be that of water from LFS and not yours. Assure to provide Good water quality monitored by a reliable test kit and feed nutritious food with fats such as LRS nano frenzy and mysis shrimp.

 

[fishguy242]

Hi welcome to the reef...

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[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Fellow Reefers,
I have a problem that I could not find listed anywhere. In the attached pic you will notice a growth on the “forehead” of my Pyramid Butterfly. I got him at reef-a-palooza NY last month and he has and continues to be active and eating well. He has been like this for about 5 days. Has anyone seen anything like this before? Any help, insights, or suggestions would be appreciated.

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Although it looks like Lymphocystis, I’ve never seen that grow on a fish’s forehead like that.

Has it grown slowly over time, or did it show up all at once?

Jay

 

[MnFish1]

I was going to say I see other spots - but I think those are on the glass? To me this looks like an injury - with hyperkeratosis (I don't know the fish word) - since its a new fish and looks otherwise healthy - I would also agree with potential lymphocystis (and there are many (but not the vast majority) of pictures on the net with lymphocystis on weird places. I would as suggested - watch carefully for worsening, or changes in other fish. I would also watch for other spots on the fish. Here is a nice article on lymphocystis - mostly because of the pictures. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FA181

 

[HossPilot]

Showed up all at once inside of 24 hours. My tank is 210 g with a Triton 44 sump. I am going to do a large water change, thinking 60 gallons today. And another 60 on Sunday.

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Although it looks like Lymphocystis, I’ve never seen that grow on a fish’s forehead like that.

Has it grown slowly over time, or did it show up all at once?

Jay

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Showed up all at once inside of 24 hours. My tank is 210 g with a Triton 44 sump. I am going to do a large water change, thinking 60 gallons today. And another 60 on Sunday.

Lymphocystis is a virus that gets inside fish's skin cells and causes them to grow in size. Because it relies on the skin cells to grow, and that takes time, the lesions don't show up overnight like that. I would say this is a growth of bacteria (or more rarely fungus) as a result of some injury.

Has it grown larger today?
Do you have a treatment tank available?

Jay

 

[MnFish1]

Lymphocystis is a virus that gets inside fish's skin cells and causes them to grow in size. Because it relies on the skin cells to grow, and that takes time, the lesions don't show up overnight like that. I would say this is a growth of bacteria (or more rarely fungus) as a result of some injury.

Has it grown larger today?
Do you have a treatment tank available?

Jay

Agree if it came up that quickly, lymphocystis would be lower on the list.

 

[HossPilot]

Lymphocystis is a virus that gets inside fish's skin cells and causes them to grow in size. Because it relies on the skin cells to grow, and that takes time, the lesions don't show up overnight like that. I would say this is a growth of bacteria (or more rarely fungus) as a result of some injury.

Has it grown larger today?
Do you have a treatment tank available?

Jay

I have attached a video I just took where I zoom in a few times and I think it shows the spot better than the pictures. I also used my daytime lights. To me, it looks like it has grown a tiny bit. I was thinking a bacterial infection or a wound from another fish. I just spoke with my wife and she told me that she pulled the fish out of the tank the day the growth appeared and managed to pull alot, not all, of the stuff off. It has since grown back. That would lead me to conclude that this is an infection, not necessarily a wound. That being said, I am still unsure what would be the best to treat it. Would Melafix work or is there something else that might work better?

 

[HossPilot]

Lymphocystis is a virus that gets inside fish's skin cells and causes them to grow in size. Because it relies on the skin cells to grow, and that takes time, the lesions don't show up overnight like that. I would say this is a growth of bacteria (or more rarely fungus) as a result of some injury.

Has it grown larger today?
Do you have a treatment tank available?

Jay

Jay,
I has grown a tiny bit, but yes it has grown since yesterday. I just posted a reply and video about 20 min ago. Also, yes I do have a 20 gal iso tank that I can setup. Thank you for your replies. They have really helped in trying to determine what is wrong with my Pyramid.

 

[MnFish1]

Unfortunately - I can't see the pictures - if it's grown - I would suggest a hospital tank - with a broad spectrum antibiotic - like kanaplex, neoplex or maracyn II. Unfortunately - If it's a fungal infection - those will not treat it. Can you re-post the picture - or if a video - on YouTube?

 

[HossPilot]

Unfortunately - I can't see the pictures - if it's grown - I would suggest a hospital tank - with a broad spectrum antibiotic - like kanaplex, neoplex or maracyn II. Unfortunately - If it's a fungal infection - those will not treat it. Can you re-post the picture - or if a video - on

Unfortunately - I can't see the pictures - if it's grown - I would suggest a hospital tank - with a broad spectrum antibiotic - like kanaplex, neoplex or maracyn II. Unfortunately - If it's a fungal infection - those will not treat it. Can you re-post the picture - or if a video - on YouTube?

sorry, having display problems. Here is a youtube link: https://youtube.com/shorts/TUOxV3wE-mY?feature=share

YouTube?

 

[HossPilot]

Unfortunately - I can't see the pictures - if it's grown - I would suggest a hospital tank - with a broad spectrum antibiotic - like kanaplex, neoplex or maracyn II. Unfortunately - If it's a fungal infection - those will not treat it. Can you re-post the picture - or if a video - on YouTube?

Youtube link: https://youtube.com/shorts/TUOxV3wE-mY?feature=share

 

[albano]

I just spoke with my wife and she told me that she pulled the fish out of the tank the day the growth appeared and managed to pull alot, not all, of the stuff off. It has since grown back.

WHAT ????
She’s a Keeper!!!!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Youtube link: https://youtube.com/shorts/TUOxV3wE-mY?feature=share

Since it is regrowing fast after removal, I think this is a rare fungal infection. I’ve only seen this a few times, once on a pyramid butterfly. I was able to treat that fish with daily 75 ppm one hour formalin dips. Formalin is toxic to people and hard to get.

Do you have access to methylene blue?

Another option might be ruby reef rally pro at a higher concentration, 3 hour dip.

Jay

 

[HossPilot]

Jay,
Thanks so much for your insight and recommendations. I have a good buddy of mine that has been reefing longer than I have, I will reach out to him and see if he has the meds.

 

[HossPilot]

Since it is regrowing fast after removal, I think this is a rare fungal infection. I’ve only seen this a few times, once on a pyramid butterfly. I was able to treat that fish with daily 75 ppm one hour formalin dips. Formalin is toxic to people and hard to get.

Do you have access to methylene blue?

Another option might be ruby reef rally pro at a higher concentration, 3 hour dip.

Jay

Jay,
Is this what you are recommending?

 

[HossPilot]

Jay,
Is this what you are recommending?

Recommending might be the wrong word, maybe suggesting a possible solution that still might not work.