Ecat help please

[johnnytaboo]

I've had my e cat for a long time now. Just tonight I noticed a lot of what looks like extra slime on his sides.

Tank conditions:
Standard 90 gallon
Temp at 81F
0 nitrite
>20 ppm nitrate

Only recent changes to the tank have been an upgraded canister filter and the addition of a school of 10 very healthy tetras.

I know some cats produce excessive amounts of slime when they are stressed, like my Lima did, but I have no idea what could have stressed him out, or IF this is even his natural slime coat. Pics below. Any help is greatly appreciated.




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[johnnytaboo]

Update from this afternoon:

Ran home from work to check on him. Most of the excess slime coat seems to be gone, but I noticed a scratch on his side, which must have been self inflicted. I also noticed that the top opening to the log decoration in his tank seems to be covered in a white film (which could be him skin/excess slime coat).

Do catfish shed their skin?!?!?! I seem to remember a thread about Rob's goonch catfish exhibiting a similar behavior?

 

[koltsixx]

Some catfish do shed/slough their skin what seems like excess slime. I've observed this in my Trachycorystes, Apurensis, and Red Tail. I believe it happens specifically to naked/scaleless catfish during growth spurts, or by irritation to the skin from a wound, rapid change in water parameters(such as due to ph swings during water changes) or disease. The fact that it seems to be gone now probably means that their was something irritating the E-cats skin and he used the log to alleviate what ever it was. I'd still keep my eyes out because it could be a temporary relief from the condition. Just check that the wound is definitely a wound and not a parasite or something else. I'd also look for any other signs that something could be wrong, such as listlessness or loss of appetite just too err on the side of caution.

If you'd like I could move this to disease if you think you'd get better answers there. If you do want it moved just pm me and I'll be happy to move it for you.

 

[crenicichla444]

My old one did that once after fighting with my old male jag. It goes away shortly, u shouldn't have any problems just clean water as usual


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[johnnytaboo]

My old one did that once after fighting with my old male jag. It goes away shortly, u shouldn't have any problems just clean water as usual


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Thanks for the input. You kept an e cat with other fish?!? How did the jag fair after that fight? I've watched my e cat partially paralyze a cichlid when he was about half his current size.

Also, all the "white slime" has now disappeared from my cats skin, but I definitely see a few cuts, like he was scratching himself. Is there an additive I can use with his water changes to help heal? I know not to use salt, but is there something safe for scaleless fish?

Pics of the cuts below. Just want to see if this provides any more insight.




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[johnnytaboo]

Some catfish do shed/slough their skin what seems like excess slime. I've observed this in my Trachycorystes, Apurensis, and Red Tail. I believe it happens specifically to naked/scaleless catfish during growth spurts, or by irritation to the skin from a wound, rapid change in water parameters(such as due to ph swings during water changes) or disease. The fact that it seems to be gone now probably means that their was something irritating the E-cats skin and he used the log to alleviate what ever it was. I'd still keep my eyes out because it could be a temporary relief from the condition. Just check that the wound is definitely a wound and not a parasite or something else. I'd also look for any other signs that something could be wrong, such as listlessness or loss of appetite just too err on the side of caution.

If you'd like I could move this to disease if you think you'd get better answers there. If you do want it moved just pm me and I'll be happy to move it for you.

Thanks kolt.

Now that you mention it, he definitely has lost his appetite. He hasn't eaten in 2 days, while while hardly life threatening, is still unusual for my fat catfish.

I turned on the UV sterilizer in his tank last night, just as an added precaution.


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[crenicichla444]

Yeah just him and the jag in a 75 temporarily i was going to trade the jag in to my lfs. They fought so hard in the morning the ground around the tank was wet and u could hear splashing occasionally throughout the night. The jag was indeed partially paralyzed on his lower half and i had to move him to a ten gallon to recover. The ecat had cuts and lacerations and ragged fins... He got the slime and stuff but was just fine afterwards. The jag recovered just fine after maybe 1 or 2 weeks i don't remember how long it was this happened a few years ago. He could swim fine and was then promptly traded in to my lfs. My ecat was however very placid and only ate nightcrawlers wouldn't take feeders or pellets or anything else just earthworms. The jag probably started the problems so ecats aren't really aggressive is what I've noticed. Mine was a 10 inch thick sausage.


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[thebiggerthebetter]

I've had my e cat for a long time now. Just tonight I noticed a lot of what looks like extra slime on his sides.

Tank conditions:
Standard 90 gallon
Temp at 81F
0 nitrite
>20 ppm nitrate

Only recent changes to the tank have been an upgraded canister filter and the addition of a school of 10 very healthy tetras.

I know some cats produce excessive amounts of slime when they are stressed, like my Lima did, but I have no idea what could have stressed him out, or IF this is even his natural slime coat.

What's the ammonia? Between the slime, the scratching, the appetite loss and the new filter, I'd hazard a guess that the tank is going through a mini-cycle... or a macro-cycle. Gotta measure NH3.

What does >20 ppm NO3 mean? A hair over 20 or could it be 40, 80, etc. ppm? I'd get it below 20 ppm as measured by a liquid API test kit.

What test kit do you use?

What's the pH? Is there enough aeration?

Yes, some cats go through slime coat shedding. My ecat has never shown such behavior.

This is not a cut or an abrasion. Looks like an imprint, a deep one. Looks very strange, Johnny.

 

[johnnytaboo]

Sorry TBTB.

In regards to the NO3 reading, I meant to say it was less than 20ppm (which in hindsight should have been written NO3<20ppm).

I will have to check the pH, but I never use any buffers on my tap water, and that's what I've been using for my water changes for years (and I've had this fish since he was about 3" long). I also try to keep the water aerated, but this fish literally pushes the air stone out of the water. I re-secured it last night, but have little doubt that he's already removed it

Are you sure about the imprint? He does frequently poke his head out of the top of his resin "log". He could have gotten stuck in there for a while which stressed him out. That would explain the imprint, but would it also explain the slime?

Perhaps it's time I remove the log and replace it with some large diameter PVC piping that's smooth on all sides. The tank will take a hit aesthetically, but he shouldn't be able to hurt himself anymore.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

In regards to the NO3 reading, I meant to say it was less than 20ppm (which in hindsight should have been written NO3<20ppm).
*** No problem. Got it.

I will have to check the pH, but I never use any buffers on my tap water, and that's what I've been using for my water changes for years (and I've had this fish since he was about 3" long).
*** pH is one of the first parameters to be checked at the onset of any problem IMHO. Also, tap water can change, temporary or permanently, as a result of a work on the main (they dump lots more disinfectant when done) or an update/change in the municipal tap water source/handling.

I also try to keep the water aerated, but this fish literally pushes the air stone out of the water. I re-secured it last night, but have little doubt that he's already removed it
*** I'd add another filter, e.g. HOB, or add a powerhead to see if it makes a difference.

Are you sure about the imprint? He does frequently poke his head out of the top of his resin "log". He could have gotten stuck in there for a while which stressed him out. That would explain the imprint, but would it also explain the slime?
*** If he was twisting to get out of a small abrasive hole and the deep scratch is on the widest part of his body, that would fit the injury. If he was stuck for a while, yes, it could explain the stress.

*** Johnny, you have not said anything about the ammonia, NH3? Are you avoiding it?