Lymphocystis

Empress · Mar 27, 2017

Seems like so many fish have lymphoma lately. Exactly what is it, where does it come from, and how are the fish getting it? Do the fish in the ocean have it?

Empress · Mar 27, 2017

Actually to answer my own questions; I found this really good link http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa181. It's from the University of Florida. It goes on to tell you which fish species are susceptible, signs of disease, what the nodes look like under a microscope, and a bunch of other excellent information. But it doesn't say if the fish in the ocean get it or not.

Humblefish · Mar 27, 2017

Empress said:
But it doesn't say if the fish in the ocean get it or not.

Every fish disease originated in the ocean, and I've read that Lymphocystis is pretty wide spread. Its just that many fish never show symptoms or the virus remains dormant inside their body.

125mph · Mar 27, 2017

If I see a spot that looks like lymph but then it disappears in a few days or a week, could that still be lymph or something else?

Empress · Mar 27, 2017

Humblefish said:
Every fish disease originated in the ocean, and I've read that Lymphocystis is pretty wide spread. Its just that many fish never show symptoms or the virus remains dormant inside their body.

^^^
Until the fish stresses out.

When people stress out some take an anti anxiety pill. If only we could do the same for fish. I'm just glad that most fish won't die from lympho unless it's really severe. Thanks Humble. [emoji245]

Humblefish · Mar 27, 2017

125mph said:
If I see a spot that looks like lymph but then it disappears in a few days or a week, could that still be lymph or something else?

If it disappears within 4 days or less, it could be velvet. 7 days or less, it could be ich. Greater than 7 days is most likely Lympho or possibly a bacterial infection.

Monkeynaut · Mar 27, 2017

Humblefish said:
If it disappears within 4 days or less, it could be velvet. 7 days or less, it could be ich. Greater than 7 days is most likely Lympho or possibly a bacterial infection.

If the fish didn't have a spot at the store and none of my fish have spots. Does it make it more likely to be one thing more than another? The guy only had it at his store for 24 hours before I brought the fish home.

Also, since I don't see any fish with it in my tank except the one Hippo. Should I remove it before the spots drop off? Or should I let it be and see what happens? I don't know if its presence in my tank has already made it too late.
Should I see daily changes in the spot size if it is lympho?

Humblefish · Mar 27, 2017

Monkeynaut said:
If the fish didn't have a spot at the store and none of my fish have spots. Does it make it more likely to be one thing more than another? The guy only had it at his store for 24 hours before I brought the fish home.

Also, since I don't see any fish with it in my tank except the one Hippo. Should I remove it before the spots drop off? Or should I let it be and see what happens? I don't know if its presence in my tank has already made it too late.
Should I see daily changes in the spot size if it is lympho?

Symptoms of Lympho can be somewhat erratic. Typically (but not always), the nodule starts out small and then grows in size before mysteriously just disappearing. My assumption is that the growth just falls off at some point.

Can you post photos of your Hippo showing the Lympho?

Monkeynaut · Mar 27, 2017

Humblefish said:
Symptoms of Lympho can be somewhat erratic. Typically (but not always), the nodule starts out small and then grows in size before mysteriously just disappearing. My assumption is that the growth just falls off at some point.

Can you post photos of your Hippo showing the Lympho?

I will have to try for better pictures when I get home. It is difficult for me to get anything that is clear.

It has only had the white dots on its fin for a few days. So the jury is still out what it is.
If it is ich. And it didn't get it from my tank. Can i keep it from spreading into my tank if I remove the fish before the dots fall off?

Monkeynaut · Mar 27, 2017

This is the best picture I have right now.

leahfiish · Mar 27, 2017

Is he scratching against rocks or glass or anything like that?

Humblefish · Mar 27, 2017

Looks like Lympho, so I would just wait & see for now. If its still there after 7 days, it's Lympho.

leahfiish · Mar 27, 2017

I agree it looks more like lymph...but that doesn't mean that he doesn't have ich.

Empress · Mar 27, 2017

Would it be too troublesome to move him to QT? Better safe than sorry just in case. Move before spots fall off. Is he scratching at all or swimming in front of the power head?

Monkeynaut · Mar 27, 2017

No scratching, no strange jerky moves. Just cruising around like any other Hippo. I even have a cleaner shrimp, the other Tang goes up to it (that tang is clean in appearance) but this Hippo hasn't bothered to go for a cleaning.

Monkeynaut · Mar 27, 2017

Empress said:
Would it be too troublesome to move him to QT? Better safe than sorry just in case. Move before spots fall off. Is he scratching at all or swimming in front of the power head?

I'm considering it. I didn't want to move it again if it wasn't going to do me any good for the other fish. That is why I asked about whether it would be worth doing. If I believe it didn't come from my tank and it is ich. Then is it possible to keep the ich or velvet from spreading to my tank if the fish hasn't dropped any of the spots yet?

Empress · Mar 27, 2017

That's a really good question. It's possible that some of the spots already dropped off without you knowing about it. If that's the case your tank is probably already infected.

But like HF said, its just lympho if the spots have been there for 7 days or more and no new spots have shown up and you don't see any other signs.

Maybe just wait and see, but be ready to quarantine if need be. Have it ready.

Hope it's just lympho. [emoji886]

Monkeynaut · Mar 27, 2017

So if spots haven't dropped, which I am certain they haven't. Then the conservative thing is move him because the tank isn't contaminated until the spots drop.

melypr1985 · Mar 27, 2017

Monkeynaut said:
So if spots haven't dropped, which I am certain they haven't. Then the conservative thing is move him because the tank isn't contaminated until the spots drop.

If he has ich now, then the whole tank has it. Moving him now won't do anything because no matter what you'll have to move everybody. Wait and watch the spots. Be sure you are looking at the same spots to observe if they fall off or get bigger. It's a wait and see moment. I agree that it looks like lympho if that helps.