Severly Beat up Red Texas - Advise Please

[Nathan43]

I have two red texas cichlids. When I got them, one was beat up real bad on the back side down to the flesh. Picture below is a month and a half old, will try to get an updated photo tonight. I have been treating him constantly (month & half) with melafix and 2-3 water changes a week and there is some fin growth coming back (black on the edges) but I don't really see any scale growth. What kind of recovery in the long term can I expect for this fish? Can I ever try breeding him in the future or will these battle wounds always put him in a much too risky situation?
Thanks

 

[Totskie]

I think the scales should grow back, but it'll just take time. I've had a ZZ who got beat up bad like this and recovered. I use salt in my tank and the temp is at 80, so that might help it also. As far as breeding goes, getting beat up shouldn't make your fish impotent but you're dealing with an SRT, so you'll have to wait till it's ready or it could be infertile. I would say try it with a female, maybe a parrot or a KKP.

 

[SilkyPimP]

sorry if old but i have some very stupid friends who "fought there fish" alot around here when i first got in the fish game.

needless to say i have taken most there fish from them for there misshandling!

i have healed up way worse (wish i took pics,just a few weeks ago i had a veja who was white filet sided!)

anyways he will heal up but it will take a while,the pearls will be weak there for a while also. i never use anything more than melafix/salt.
i would put a maxi jet or some kind of other current in there for his tail......when it regrows it will grow in nice from the work out.

breeding the fish? shouldnt pass the scars in the frys bro


goodluck, PM me if you need anything.

 

[Nathan43]

Thanks alot for your advise, I will put in the powerhead right away for the tail. As for the spawning side, I was concerned about the female beating his already exposed body up making him more suseptable to illness, not so much his potency which the jury is still out on.