Please help! saddled bichir with white spot on his head

[Zach0113]

One day I turned my light on and noticed this white spot on his head, ever since it has been getting slightly bigger and worse looking. My saddled bichir is 12" and he is in a temporary 75 gallon tank. any feedback is appreciated.

 

[ocellatus]

How long have you had the fish? Any change in his environment, tank mates, unguarded heater etc?
What have you tried so far? Water parameters ?

Its an odd location. Troubling to see red around the edges.

O

 

[Burbotman]

How long have you had the fish? Any change in his environment, tank mates, unguarded heater etc?
What have you tried so far? Water parameters ?

Its an odd location. Troubling to see red around the edges.

O

X 2. Very concerned with what I see on the red, screams infection. Wish I had more to offer. Highly recommend pm RD

 

[jaws7777]

Possibly heater burn thats showing signs of infection.

Any sharp decor or heaters in the tank ?

 

[Polyaddict86]

Looks like it got stuck in between some rock or decor, then it got out and slime coat came off.
You can see some visible injury on top off the head.

 

[twentyleagues]

Looks like it got stuck in between some rock or decor, then it got out and slime coat came off.
You can see some visible injury on top off the head.

+1
or tried to wedge behind heater and got burned. I agree with what everyone else is saying looks like a wound from some thing in tank may want to get something to treat infection.

 

[Zach0113]

I have had him for around half a year and only changed the Decore once and that was a couple of months ago, I have a aqueon 200 watt heater. Any ideas of something to treat the infection with?

 

[Zach0113]

His tank mates are: a 4 inch common pleco, a 7 inch l24 pleco, a 6 inch featherfin synodontis, a 9 inch rope fish and a 5 inch false jaguar catfish. Keep in mind this is just a temporary tank for the larger fish until I get a larger tank in the near future. Thanks for all the feed back.

 

[Polyaddict86]

I would do a aquarium salt first if not infected yet, provide a new picture so we can see the difference from your first post and now, so other can chime in.

 

[ocellatus]

If that aqueon heater doesn't have a plastic guard, I'm leaning toward it being the culprit,w especially if the injured area is not spreading . If the heater hangs vertically only an inch or 2 above the substrate that would account for the circular shaped injury.

Agreed that preventing infection is most important at this stage.

O