Is surgery something to consider?

Basically im looking for second opinions and suggestions!

So my midas cichlid has this "im going to call it a cyst or growth" on his tail. Im not sure exactly what it is but it has formed in the middle of his back tail about 2-3 months ago. It's white colored and doesnt grow or effect him its just an eye sore. I've treated this with "paracide green" multiple times and has no effect. I cant keep treating and dumping medicine in the tank with no results.

Im cleaning his tank now and i pulled him out into a bucket and seen if i could just scrape it off with my finger or atleast break it up. The spot feels very hard and not even a finger nail would be able to scrape it off. I dont have finger nails, but i can feel that its on there solid.

I've done research and asked around and really have not got any useful information. My question is first off does anybody know what this growth could be or atleast direct me into the right direction? Also, I know this will sound harsh but coudnt i just pull him out and quickly punch it out with a sharp tool and melifix the tank? He would heal and the spot would be gone, right? The spot is fairly small about 5mm x 5mm maybe and his tail is big about 4" tall 3 1/2" long. Medicine has no effect and it just seems like this is going to be the only method of ridding him of this growth. I dont think cutting it out would be an issue if i was to do it fast & quick. Before i do though give me your thoughts please, thanks.

Sherman's a 9" midas who lives in 100G alone and he's about 16 months old.






Note: I know about surgery on fish from Piranha keeping. Piranhas are know for a symptom called "chimple". Chimple is a build up of skin that forms on there chin when a tank is to small or caused from a stressful invironment and/or improper tank arrangement. The pirahna ends up forming a callus from constantly rubbing on the glass which the pirahna keeper will have to remove surgically with a shap tool and then use melifix to heal the wound. Extreme cases of course, but just a helpful tip for you piranha owners.

Silly Piranha keepers, chimples are for noobs

Well I may be out of line, but imo if you've tryed what else you can think of, have some experiance with doing something simmilar, and you are willing to do it. Then I dont see why not. I'm sure someone would want to stone me with rocks for saying it but it seems like you've thought about it, medicated, researched already. (When I got my arowana his barbels were dammaged and did not grow back. The advice I got was to wrap him in a towl and pinprick his lip and they might grow back. I felt bad they were gone but wasnt confident that it would work, nor in my ability to do it. So I didnt.)

The people at Aqua Serene once offered to try and lance a tumor off of one of my Tiger Barbs. We decided that she was too far gone for it to make a difference though so we never went through with it, but it was an option.

Hey,

Thanks for your replys. I now understand exactly what the problem is and how to fix it. Its not an infection or a growth, but a scare tissue that formed over an infection that he had previously. The infection healed and a scare tissue was formed. This is why the spot doesn't grow or heal and why its formed such a dense texture.

I am soon going to operate and use a simple paper hole punch to elimate this problem. I will start off by sterilizing the tool with isoporple alcohal and let air dry for a few minute. Then quickly (without damaging fins wrap him up in a new 100% cotton cloth while hes still in his 5 gallon bucket) and put him on a clean surface. Very confidently and very quickly punch out the scare tissue with the hole punch. This will leave about a 5mm x 5mm hole in the middle of his back fin. The scare tissue will be elimated and he will heal over leaving no trace of this infected looking area. While this is happening i will all ready have his tank ready and medicated with Melifix.

I will post a response to let everybody know the out come and with possible pics.

Good Luck

is there any way for you to take before and after pics so there is some visual documentation of this procedure.it seems like it may work and i would love for other peoples fishes with the same problem to know about an alternative method.

Yes i think posting pics would be a great idea! I will make sure to upload before and after pics of this procedure.

Good luck.