# Harlequin Rasbora - Is this some kind of disease?



## jcmv4792 (Jul 15, 2015)

I noticed one of my harlequin rasboras has a very faint white area on it's side. It isn't really a "white dot" like I've seen in some ich photos. What could this be?


----------



## Betta132 (Nov 29, 2012)

Looks like possibly an injury of some kind. If it's acting normally, I wouldn't be worried. Just keep the water clean and it'll heal fine.
Ich looks like someone salted the fish.


----------



## jcmv4792 (Jul 15, 2015)

Betta132 said:


> Looks like possibly an injury of some kind. If it's acting normally, I wouldn't be worried. Just keep the water clean and it'll heal fine.
> Ich looks like someone salted the fish.


Good to hear. I'll keep an eye on it. If it's an injury, would dosing some seachem stressguard help? Would stressguard have any effect on the beneficial bacteria in the tank? I just read on another thread that most medications kill off the good bacteria as well.


----------



## Betta132 (Nov 29, 2012)

I'm not certain about the exact effects of most meds, but that looks to be a very minor wound, so I'd suggest just leaving him alone for the most part. If anything, I'd suggest adding some Indian almond leaves in. Those release tannins and anti-bacterial compounds that can help fish heal, but they won't harm anything and they're gentle.


----------



## WaterLife (Jul 1, 2015)

Yeah, it's not ich.
It could possibly be an injury, but I have seen similar spots in rasbora and other fish and they were, or turned into a disease. Watch it over the next couple of days. If it either bubbles/lump up or turns into a open flesh wound with or without cottony, fuzzy white growth (fungus), a disease is definitely present and you should treat it.

If the fish starts to not swim with the rest of the group anymore, it's body becomes a bit deformed or if it barely swims anywhere and/or stops eating, it is very sick and would need meds pronto.

Certain meds that are very safe, like Melafix can be used to deal with minor/early disease infections and also aid the fish in healing damage. Indian almond leaves and alder cones also can help heal sick fish like Betta132 mentioned.

Some meds can kill off some of the beneficial bacteria (actually shows the med does work as it is supposed to kill bacteria which is how it treats the fish by killing the disease), but it's usually doesn't kill much of the BB and so it doesn't cause any big problems.


----------



## Vasco (Jun 8, 2015)

I would not do anything. It looks an injury. Just keep the regular maintenance.

Sent from my LT30p using Tapatalk


----------



## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

I would isolate the fish and pray other's did not develop similar symptom's or worse (ie) Columnaris.
I am optimistic with this sort of thing but err on the side of caution if fish is in community tank with otherwise healthy fishes.
Just sayin.


----------



## Vasco (Jun 8, 2015)

By the way: that's not an Harlequin rasbora (Trigonostigma heteromorpha) but a T. espei, also know as Lamb chop rasboras.

Source


----------



## klibs (May 1, 2014)

+1 that is not a harlequin

Looks fine though - maybe just an injury like others mention. Behavior is an easy way to tell - if it is acting fine then don't worry about it for the most part.


----------



## HDBenson (Jan 26, 2015)

Just an FYI.. that fish has a spinal deformity. I've been seeing this a LOT lately in Trigonostigma sp, especially in T. heteromorpha(more so in this species) and, T. espei. Anyone else noticed this?


----------



## Irish-n-Zwack (Aug 10, 2015)

I have a school of 18 Pork Chop (is that the same as Lamb Chop?) Rasboras, and none of them have any spinal deformities. They all look straight, and as healthy and happy as a herd of tiny little adorable horses .


----------



## big b (Jun 3, 2015)

Yeah, I don't think that it is a disease. It looks like it bumped into something hard and it left a mark. Or like he got stuck between 2 things and squirmed until he got free but he.... I'm not sure how to say it but it looks like when you bend plastic over and over and it leaves a white mark where you bent it.


----------



## Daisy Mae (Jun 21, 2015)

big b said:


> I'm not sure how to say it but it looks like when you bend plastic over and over and it leaves a white mark where you bent it.


That's a really good way of saying it! Did not leave any doubt in my mind as to what you meant.


----------



## big b (Jun 3, 2015)

Thanks . I didn't know how to finish the sentence so I just said that to show what I meant.


----------



## Vasco (Jun 8, 2015)

How's the fish?

Sent from my LT30p using Tapatalk


----------

