Help my bangai Cardinal!

[alliecat]

I've had this fish for about 4 years and he's otherwise fine but sometimes I notice he gets these weird little lumps. He's the only fish in my tank that gets them not even the female bangai has them. He's eating and breeding fine (just caught him carrying a brood last month- babies didn't make it) however being that they're isolated to his gills I feel like it must affect his breathing. His gill plates kind of flare out like a betta.

He would only let me get one side of him but it's on both sides and the other side has a larger lump more on his body than his gills. I'm assuming they're some kind of tumors?

 

[Humblefish]

Looks like Lymphocystis, a relatively harmless virus. Many fish have it, and it will come & go over the course of their life. I've found soaking fish food with vitamin supplements (ex. Selcon, Zoecon, Vita-chem) seems to expedite the going away process when flare-ups occur. The virus doesn't normally become fatal until the fish gets really old, or if it grows too much over a vital area which prevents feeding or breathing. I think your cardinal is fine for now, but if it starts spreading over his gills too much then you may have a problem.

Further reading: FA181/FA181: Lymphocystis Disease in Fish

 

[alliecat]

I noticed he does get flare ups sometimes it goes away then it comes back I'll try that thabks