HELP!

[blkmjk]

My la Cieba yellow head male got into a scrap with my red tail cat. They both wanted the same cave. Cat fish is gone now but my male got a spine through the mouth. And now his mouth looks infected. Any good suggestions for an under shin infection? Looks like its leaking puss from the wound. I'm super worried he isn't looking great. I need to stop the infection and get him treated quick. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Drew

NO GOOD DEED SHALL GO UNPUNISHED!

 

[blkmjk]

Btw it happened a few days ago. Its just turning for the worse now.

Drew

NO GOOD DEED SHALL GO UNPUNISHED!

 

[Greengirl]

I don't know about drugs, but it would be best to separate him him into another tank and constantly do daily water changes. You don't want the infectious bacteria hanging around. Cleanliness is always the best first step, for land and sea creatures.

 

[tug]

Maybe someone can say if this is a bad idea but this seems to me like one of those times for adding a little bit of salt. What are you seeing that makes you think the mouth is infected? Are you seeing white fuzz?

 

[jonclark96]

Isolation, lots fo water changes, and the melafix/pimafix combo isn't a bad start. I'm not experienced with using other medications, so maybe one of our more experienced members will chime in.

Good luck with him. Hopefully he recovers.

 

[chriscoli]

Do you know if part of the spine may have broken off in the wound? I still wouldn't have much advice on how to treat it, but I'd think that fact could change the treatment and outlook.

 

[dogofwar]

I agree with the Mela / Pimafix combo and clean water.

If that's not cutting it and fungus seems to be creeping in, something like Maracyn Plus might be in order...

Matt

 

[Andrew]

Drop the temperature slowly down to 72-73 degrees. Melafix/Pimafix.

Does the would look like it has fluffy cotton around it? Or does it look like slimy, dying flesh? In the first case you need an anti-fungal; I would use acriflavine. In the latter case you need a strong antibiotic; kanamycin would be my first choice.

 

[tug]

Ouch! A spine in my lip - fish piercings and supply.
Herbal tinctures and botanical remedies.

I don't know much about the, "yellow head" other then they're handsome looking fish. I have a little time to say something in the way of agreement of what's already been said. Yes, tea tree oil is antibacterial. I've used it as a hand oil for abrasions and I've taken salt water baths too for those days of scrapes and pains. One sticks to your skin, one soaks your skin.

Isolation, sounds as if you did that - good idea. If the fish can take the lower temps, lowering the temperature,75-76ºF should be fine. This will slow down the infection and allows for higher levels of Oxygen in the tank. Be careful, look to see if water flow is overpowering the injured fish. They're ill, so be careful. Strong flow and disturbing the water too much, is stressful.

Start a sponge filter, take your established filter out when/if you can. I try to keep a few sponges floating in a tank, for times I need an established filter. Bad and good bacteria can get into the filter, some medications as well. Until then, frequent water changes, pro re nata (prn.)

+1

Does the would look like...

 

[tug]

The most important factor in determining the severity of infection depends upon the virulence of the strain if it's a Flexibacter, white fuzzy stuff. One strain has a virulence that is low and it takes a few days to kill the fish. On the other hand, the highly virulent strain will kill a fish in under 24 hours. If your fish has the highly virulent strain, there is not much that you can do to stop what is already in motion and these fish often die quickly. He may not even show any outward signs of infection but your situation doesn't sound that bad.

• Fish exposed to Flexibacter, kept at a 0.1% salinity (one teaspoon salt per gallon) had mortality rates reduced by one third, while those at a 0.3% salinity (one tablespoon salt per gallon), experienced no deaths.*
  
• In the freshwater control group (salinity= 0.03%), there was virtually a 100% mortality (except goldfish, which had a 67% mortality).

*Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures at Auburn University in Alabama​

 

[tug]

Flavobacterium columnare - most bad bacterium, are Gram-negative. Since likely it is Gram-negative, Erythromycin (Maracyn) should work. If the fish is eating, another preferred medication is food containing Oxytetracycline.

Aeromonas ubiquitas*, another gram-negative bacterium, will often become a secondary bacterial infection in Flexibacter-infected fish and is thought to be the cause of death in many cases of Flexibacter infection. Therefore, treatment should also be aimed at this bacterium.

If you are already using kanamycin (Kanacyn) in the water to treat the Flexibacter, it will also treat the Aeromonas. If you are using either erythromycin (plain Maracyn) or tetracycline, then treat simultaneously with minocycline (Maracyn-Two) for the Aeromonas.

Both kanamycin and minocycline are antibiotics, which are considered not to be harmful to the biological filter, but at high dosages, kanamycin can harm the bio filter.

When it comes to aeration do not underestimate the effectiveness of stirring the water a couple of times a day or daily water changes, Be sure to remove all activated carbon when treating with antibiotics in the water.

I would like to see this one grow to big the big bully he was always meant to be.

* The latin for omnipresence is a contrived one, Aeromonas is something very real however. ​

 

[Becca]

Isolate, daily water changes, salt (1 tsp/ gal).

Months ago the uglies fell very suddenly ill (I strongly suspect my husband got a little overzealous with feeding and did not match his water changes accordingly). One just turned up dead (which I initially attributed to old age) and the next day another was looking like he was soon to follow. For his weakness, the other 3 had picked on him a bit.

J gave me the saddest look and pleaded for help. Into a 5 gallon bucket he went with air pumps, salt, and several small water changes over the course of 24 hours, the next day we did fewer changes but kept the salt level the same. We kept this up for about a week, offering him really good foods in small amounts after 2-3 days (shrimp on a skewer so we could easily remove if not eaten).

It took about 2 weeks for him to be ready to go back in the tank with the others, but that ugly is still around.

 

[tug]

I so agree with Becca. I would have liked to have stayed away from mentioning anything other then salt. But, while we're talking amongst ourselves about their uses. Tetracycling and the others are meant to be dosed over a minimum of ten days, maybe longer. I can tell you, if you don't already know, how it can do a number on you. If a salt bath will fix it - I'm all in. Old ugly has got it good.

... this seems to me like one of those times for adding a little bit of salt. What are you seeing that makes you think the mouth is infected? Are you seeing white fuzz?

 

[blkmjk]

Thank you everyone! I am heeding the advice that has been given to me. He is doing ok I guess. In a QT tank ATM. We will see. I will take pictures of the carnage later tonight.
Thanks again

Drew

NO GOOD DEED SHALL GO UNPUNISHED!

 

[DiscusnAfricans]

Sorry to hear about the carnage Drew, hope your boy pulls through.

Did the RTC not survive the attack, or did you find a new home for him? I've always liked those guys, didn't realize they were so territorial.

 

[blkmjk]

Yeah the RTC survived but looked battered. Moved him out to the LFS I bought him from. Neither specie had been particularly aggressive in the past. And I don't think the catfish attacked as much as he flopped around ignorantly. This sux. Looks like he has the infection all the way to his nose now. White puss stuff coming out of there now. And it looks extremely swollen.

NO GOOD DEED SHALL GO UNPUNISHED!