Gymnothorax fimbriatus with a VERY sudden white spot

[Plasticmask]

The spot was NOT there yesterday.
But suddenly as he was eating this afternoon, I noted that he's a white spot on his head that I can't determine what it might be.
It's not fungoid, it's almost a sudden lack of pigmentation on his head. Like skin got scraped away.

I'm going to post some pics if I am allowed to, here, since I'm so new, but you simply have to see it to understand it and possibly diagnose it, ONE of you must have seen it before at some point and have an idea what it is, and what it might mean for him.

All I can tell is that it appeared literally overnight because as I've already pointed out, it wasn't there yesterday.
It hasn't affected his appetite, that's for certain. Anyway, let me try some pics for you guys.
After looking at them, I wonder how many will agree that it's weird as hell and probably not fatal. At least, the latter part is my fervent hope.

 

[kno4te]

Looks like a scrape.

 

[Plasticmask]

It's simply never happened before, in I don't even know how many years we've had him in that tank, nothing new in the tank, suddenly he scrapes himself. Bugs me. I added some more Prime to his tank to help him with his Slime Coat, in hope that it will help him to heal a bit more easily.
Thanks for your opinion, I appreciate it a lot. I was a lot more concerned than I was before hearing from you on this topic. Shalom.

 

[Go_redfish]

Looks like a scrape.

Are these likely to atemp escape? I have a friend with a salt water snowflake eel who had a somewhat similar injury recieved trying to escape the tank

 

[kno4te]

Are these likely to atemp escape? I have a friend with a salt water snowflake eel who had a somewhat similar injury recieved trying to escape the tank

I believe most eels. I assume similar.

 

[Plasticmask]

I've read that they're "escape artists" but I have an Octopus lid on the tank so I am thinking he scraped his head elsewhere. Any thoughts/experience with this? Will he end up with a scar, or heal normally? Thanks by the way

 

[john_lord_b3]

The spot was NOT there yesterday.
But suddenly as he was eating this afternoon, I noted that he's a white spot on his head that I can't determine what it might be.
It's not fungoid, it's almost a sudden lack of pigmentation on his head. Like skin got scraped away.

I'm going to post some pics if I am allowed to, here, since I'm so new, but you simply have to see it to understand it and possibly diagnose it, ONE of you must have seen it before at some point and have an idea what it is, and what it might mean for him.

All I can tell is that it appeared literally overnight because as I've already pointed out, it wasn't there yesterday.
It hasn't affected his appetite, that's for certain. Anyway, let me try some pics for you guys.
After looking at them, I wonder how many will agree that it's weird as hell and probably not fatal. At least, the latter part is my fervent hope.

View attachment 1333389 View attachment 1333390 View attachment 1333391 View attachment 1333392

Oy oy oy, poor eel. From what little I have seen, it might be a scraped injury. Maybe the eel poked its head into an opening which turned out to be too small. Please watch closely its head for several more days. If the white blotch keep expanding or appearing in other location, either it is infected, or it is fungus. It is rather rare for muraenidae to catch fungus, but it is possible if the body-immunity system is disturbed for some reasons; eels are very easily stressed (even simple water changes could make them stressed) and stress could somewhat lower their body-immunity system.

But if the blotch is simply a scrape-injury, it will heal by itself, with good diet and good water quality, eels will self-heal.

 

[Plasticmask]

Yeah I was going to write yesterday actually and let you guys know that it is already half-gone, the 'white spot' had to have been exactly what you suggested - some manner of scrape. He's healing very quickly it seems to me. The Wife and I were talking about it just yesterday.
Thanks again for the help, glad you were right, we'll miss him sorely when he dies and we want it to be from old age not from some weird thing suddenly growing on his head. Anyway thanks again. Shalom

 

[john_lord_b3]

Yeah I was going to write yesterday actually and let you guys know that it is already half-gone, the 'white spot' had to have been exactly what you suggested - some manner of scrape. He's healing very quickly it seems to me. The Wife and I were talking about it just yesterday.
Thanks again for the help, glad you were right, we'll miss him sorely when he dies and we want it to be from old age not from some weird thing suddenly growing on his head. Anyway thanks again. Shalom

Borukh haShem. Glad to hear!

 

[Plasticmask]

Just wanted to show you guys: Tiny is healing very quickly! Thank you again for putting my mind at ease, regarding that mark looking like a simple scrape. Yesterday I took these shots, it's almost as though he never hurt himself.