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Lymphocystis-
Lymphocystis is caused by a virus and can affect the cells of both saltwater and freshwater fish. This virus manifests itself by small white or pink spots on the fish that closely resemble ich. Usually these spots are on the tail and fins although sometimes they appear on the gills. Once the virus moves into its later stages it resembles cauliflower and is much larger.
In some extreme cases the fins will become so swollen that the swelling will cut off circulation to that area of the body and that fin will die and fall off, but this is only in extreme cases where the immune system of the fish can not fight the virus. If this swelling is on or near the gills, the gills may become swollen shut and the fish will suffocate.
As to date there is no cure for Lymphocystis and only a few options for the infected fish. There are products that will help the fish fight the disease and help the swelling go down but keep in mind that the fish is still infected even though you can not see any visible signs. The first step that needs to be taken with this virus is to quarantine the infected fish. Lymphocystis is a virus so it can be transferred from fish to fish within the same tank so separating the fish is the best option. Once the fish is secluded make sure to thoroughly clean the net that was used to transfer the infected fish, and any material that the fish may have come in contact with, use a good cleaner such as Net Soak to make sure you get the job done. The next step is to let the immune system of the fish take over and fight the virus. Many cases of this viral disease go into remission and the swelling will subside and completely disappear until the next outbreak.
The best thing that can be done to help a fish with Lymphocystis is to give the fish any assistance that you can. Adding salt to the water or adding natural enzymes to help the fish produce its natural slime coating will help the immune system of the fish. Another option is to make sure that you feed your fish a well rounded diet to ensure it receives all of the nutrients that it needs.