# Harlequin Rasbora with a visible white tip on mouth...



## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

You can try 1ml-2ml of h2o2 per gallon every week.
I use that to clear unidentified external conditions.


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## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

Keep a VERY close eye on that. It could be nothing, it could be something simple to treat, it could wipe out your whole tank. I am recovering from an outbreak of columnaris that took out 23 out of 28 of my fish. The first symptom of the first fish that appeared sick was white "fungus" looking stuff around the mouth of one of my black neons. Once that appeared, it was three days of death and destruction in my tank.


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## Leah (Jun 28, 2011)

How long ago did you first notice it? What size tank, filter, planted, water parameters, tank mates, and what is your usual tank maintenance routine?

i have the same thing happen periodically with my rasboras. I am too new at this to give any definitive advise, but I will say that I treated it with medication one time, and another time I just did a water change and turned off the lights for a few days (Irene was coming through and I wasn't going to feed them in case I lost power, and didn't want any treatment for the same reason). It went away with medication, but it also went away the second time. 

There are a couple of threads here on columnaris that you might want to look at now in case it turns into a difficult situation. The advise above to use hydrogen peroxide mirrors the advise that you will see in one of the threads to use that or Maroxy. You will also see advise to use strong antibiotics, though. 

I hope you will get advise from people who know more than I do (actually, you already have), but if I were you I would get prepared to treat with antibiotics but I would not do so yet. If there is any question about the water parameters, I would do a WC. If I decided that treatment was necessary, the first thing that I would try would be Maroxy or hydrogen peroxide. Opinions will vary about treating the individual fish in a QT setup or treating the whole tank. I don't know how potentially disruptive to the whole tank the Maroxy/H2O2 treatment is. 

Please keep us posted!

Leah


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## astrosag (Sep 3, 2010)

Thanks for all your replies. 

I am very new to aquariums and fish as well so its a bid difficult for me to diagnose anything.

The fish in question has had this for quite some time. Another rasbora also had it but he jumped out of the tank a while back. In terms of specifics, I'll list them here.

- Fish has had this for months now (not sure if column has an incubation period or a slow infection rate).

Water parameters: 20G, Low tech, no Co2, dose excel and flourish comprehensive. 
Temp: 75-82F
pH: High, 8.0 +
KH: High, 300 ppm
GH: High, 300 ppm

Tank mates: Neon tetras, bloodfin tetras, bubble ram, african dwarf frog, amano shrimp, badis badis, SAE, golden ottos, bumblebee gobys, 1 danio and 1 chili rasbora.

Like I said, it's been here for a while and the fish seems to be doing fine - can't even tell it apart except for that white thing. Wish I could take the fish out and examine it more closely..perhaps dip it in a clove oil mix or something?

I will dose H202 just in case and see what happens. Thanks!


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## jedimasterben (Aug 21, 2011)

mistergreen said:


> You can try 1ml-2ml of h2o2 per gallon every week.
> I use that to clear unidentified external conditions.


Won't hydrogen peroxide harm plants?


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## astrosag (Sep 3, 2010)

I don't think so. People have been recommending spot dosing H202 for algae for years I believe.


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## FlyingHellFish (Nov 5, 2011)

Hey, hopefully your still around to answer but I too have the same problem with one of my Harlequin Rasbora. He is rather large compare to the others and doesn't seem to act any different, in fact I actually think he is the leader.

Anyways, I notice the white tip gets smaller or larger randomly. My levels are normal with Nitrate being 0.5 - 0.10 

Fluval Edge 
5 x Harlequin Rasbora 
6 x Amano Shrimps 

Heater with adjustable temp at 75 - 77 ' F 
Two live plants.


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## wheatiesl337 (Mar 30, 2011)

I had just this described white tissue appear on the nose of a couple of my harlequins. It didn't spread, and I eventually ruled out fungus or parasite. This really stumped me for a while until I talked to a LFS. They asked if I had any rock or other abrasive surfaces, and that the white tip could actually be scar tissue. This seems like a reasonable possibility considering the condition did not spread or worsen.


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## touch of sky (Nov 1, 2011)

Interesting. I have seen this, as well, with no progression to serious disease.


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## bangkokfishtank (Nov 8, 2009)

I just want to go ahead and say that I also have a harlequin rasbora with a bit of white on his nose just above the mouth. He is the biggest one of the 7 I have and also has the most color. The fish doesn't seem sick :fish1:


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## Beahou (Feb 3, 2020)

I too have rasboras with this white bump issue. Funny thing is that it's also effecting my largest most colorful males and the smaller less colorful rasboras don't have the bump. Mine have had this for months also and still act & eat totally fine. I've been doing 50% water changes weekly for a few months and bumps are still there. I've read on many forums, this exact same issue is effecting the same type of fish. Not sure if anyone has gotten any type of definitive answer on this issue? Scar tissue? Maybe this type of fish is sensitive to it?


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