Hmmmmm, what is on my Rock Beauty Angel??????

[steri]

I bought a Rock Beauty Angel this past weekend. He is swimming in the tank great. He loves swimming through the LR. I have Angelfish food for him with sponge in it. He really hasn't taken to it yet, but he is eating the macro algae in my tank and he does constantly seem to pick at the LR, so I'm sure he's eating something (But I know he's still adjusting).

Anywho....

Yesterday I saw what I can only describe as a kind of pimple growth on his his right side. I tried taking a pic of it, but you can't see it in any pic b/c it's on a part of the Rock Beauty that is all black, and I just can't see it in any pic I take.

There is no white dot or anything like that. It is just a small area where it appears like the skin is raised to a small circular bump. I swear it looks just like a fish's body pimple.

What is this? Part of my just wants to pull him out and pop it for him, but he does not seem bothered by it at all, and I am not wanting to stress him out anymore. It does not appear to be affecting his swimming or regular activity, and he is quite active in my tank. I just don't know what it is.

Any ideas?

 

[Rondelet]

Might be nothing, might be a lesion of some sort. Could be "black Ich" which is caused by Turbellarian flat worm, or an encysted intermediate stage of some other type of worm. In these types of parasitic infections, the black is caused by a reaction from the fish to the parasite (aka hypermelanization). Although this may be a moot point as the lesion is located in a heavily pigmented area of the fish! Other thoughts that come to mind are the start of viral (such as lymphocystis) or a bacterial lesion. If it's very small, is showing no signs of infection (redness, or white margin with red centre) and the skin appears in-tact, I wouldn't do anything about it and just keep the fish under close observation. Often these types of things come and go, resolving on their own.

 

[steri]

Great. Thanks for the info Rondelet! I'll keep him under close observation then.