How do I treat a boil on a fish?

[Midory]

My female green severum has what looks like a boil.. yesterday it was discharging pus. today its not discharging but it looks like there maybe more pus in there as the area is still raised. She is happy and eating. My water parameters are all good. I have a feeling that she could have sustained an injury a while ago when I first introduced her to the male. They have paired off now. They are in a brackish water 55 gallon tank with a bristle nose and an algae Eater and a tiny other male severum. I am a nurse and it looks like a topical boil to me. How do I treat it? I have read that people treat fish topically but I am nervous of trying to do that in case I cause further injury handling her. She is almost fully grown but very shy.

 

[duanes]

A photo would help.
In many cases fish will present a systemic problem with a localized area fungal or bacterial infection site, but very hard to determine by a description such as simply a boil.
You can treat topically using an antibacterial ointment, but best to get an idea of what you are treating for first. If it is from an injury, it could be fungal.
Severums are not brackish water fish, they tend to prefer softer, low mineral content water infused with tannins to help prevent infections, they may have less immunity to. If you have added salt as treatment, time will tell.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

My female green severum has what looks like a boil.. yesterday it was discharging pus. today its not discharging but it looks like there maybe more pus in there as the area is still raised. She is happy and eating. My water parameters are all good. I have a feeling that she could have sustained an injury a while ago when I first introduced her to the male. They have paired off now. They are in a brackish water 55 gallon tank with a bristle nose and an algae Eater and a tiny other male severum. I am a nurse and it looks like a topical boil to me. How do I treat it? I have read that people treat fish topically but I am nervous of trying to do that in case I cause further injury handling her. She is almost fully grown but very shy.

....why are any of those fish in brackish?

Plecos aren't fans of salt in my experience, and severums certainly don't come from waters with any salinity that I know of.

We'd need pics as Duanes said to discern what you are dealing with.

 

[Midory]

A photo would help.
In many cases fish will present a systemic problem with a localized area fungal or bacterial infection site, but very hard to determine by a description such as simply a boil.
You can treat topically using an antibacterial ointment, but best to get an idea of what you are treating for first. If it is from an injury, it could be fungal.
Severums are not brackish water fish, they tend to prefer softer, low mineral content water infused with tannins to help prevent infections, they may have less immunity to. If you have added salt as treatment, time will tell.

OK thanks I will try and get a photo. The water isn't brackish sorry I'm new to this I haven't added salt it's just infused with tannins.