Is this Lymphocystis?

Reefer911 · Nov 13, 2023

I just lost a watanabei that was covered with Lymphocystis. I understand it’s a virus and you have to let it run its course.

Now I’m seeing a couple of spots on two of my other angels. On the lemon peel, there are two next to each other on the caudal fin, and on the coral beauty, only the one seen. Also on the lemon peel there are a couple of less noticeable spots on the dorsal fin.

Ideas?

MnFish1 · Nov 13, 2023

Yes - it appears to be - it would be more normal to be on the edges of the fins - and a picture in white light would help. If it is - assume you just got the fish - its a normal virus to contract for the fish - it is self limited

Reefer911 · Nov 13, 2023

Thanks…I didn’t have my blue filter on me and I didn’t expect the fish to pose for me so I had to take the only shot I could at that moment.

I’ve had the coral beauty almost two years and the lemon peel almost two months. Guess they got it from the watanabei. She looked horrible near the end and just died last week.

MnFish1 · Nov 13, 2023

Actually - that may go against lymphocystis - can you post more pictures under white light

Reefer911 · Nov 13, 2023

Doesn’t seem to show up as well. I’ll keep trying to get a better on of the lemon peel

Reefer911 · Nov 13, 2023

Reefer911 · Nov 13, 2023

The spot on the coral beauty is gone now. It certainly didn’t look like sand. Not sure what it was.

Jay Hemdal · Nov 13, 2023

Reefer911 said:
The spot on the coral beauty is gone now. It certainly didn’t look like sand. Not sure what it was.

That doesn't look like Lymphocystis to me, and you really never see that on fish that have been in your tank for more than a few months. I've also never had a fish actually die from Lymphocystis, could your Watanabe have had something else, or some other infection at the same time?

Jay

Reefer911 · Nov 13, 2023

Jay Hemdal said:
That doesn't look like Lymphocystis to me, and you really never see that on fish that have been in your tank for more than a few months. I've also never had a fish actually die from Lymphocystis, could your Watanabe have had something else, or some other infection at the same time?

Jay

I guess it’s possible. The spots in the Watanabe worsened over a few weeks. There were some along the fin edges and some on the face and lips too. They were larger than ich or velvet so I just figured it was Lymphocystis spreading.

I should have FW dipped the fish but didn’t even think about it.

She ate well and was active up until about a day before she died. When I noticed her appetite was suppressed, she was dead the next day

Reefer911 · Nov 13, 2023

For clarification, I had just received the Watanabe, maybe 3 weeks ago

vetteguy53081 · Nov 13, 2023

I see fin ray issue versus lympho and keep an eye on it over next 48 hours for either improvement or progression but can be sand grain on coral beauty

Reefer911 · Nov 13, 2023

If it progresses, what do you recommend?

Reefer911 · Nov 13, 2023

Never heard of fin ray though

Looked it up and see that it’s part of the fin. Learned something new

Jay Hemdal · Nov 14, 2023

Reefer911 said:
For clarification, I had just received the Watanabe, maybe 3 weeks ago

It does sound like your angel had something else going on - a fish should be able to live weeks without eating if all else is normal.

Just for a frame of reference, here is a picture of a regal angelfish with bad lymphocystis and it recovered:

Reefer911 · Nov 14, 2023

Jay Hemdal said:
It does sound like your angel had something else going on - a fish should be able to live weeks without eating if all else is normal.

Just for a frame of reference, here is a picture of a regal angelfish with bad lymphocystis and it recovered:

Thanks Jay.
My Watanabe did have spots like that on her fins but worse. The spots elsewhere on her body looked the same.
But I don’t disagree that there may have been something else going on.
She never flashed or shook her head as of to indicate flukes…at least within the last few weeks, that I saw. I had her a month and about the end of the first week I saw her shake her head once. That was it. And I spend a fair amount of time observing the livestock. Although it’s possible I could have missed any further behavior that would suggest something else was going on.