Fight After-Math. What Next?

[Dr_Shakalu]

Hey everyone. Well, after having small and large gray river stones for a substrate, I changed out the rocks with blue, red, and white gravel. After seeing the fish in their new colorful environment, I which I had done this the first place. I changed it 2 days ago and yesterday, I noticed that my 2 large SRD's were digging in the gravel on each side to get at each other. I piled the gravel back on and thought all was well. I just went downstairs to look at them and saw both of them in the larger one's side. I guess because the rocks were heavier, I never thought that the fish can't get underneath the divider. Wrong!!! Gravel is a lot lighter. Anyways, the larger one has some nipped scales but my smaller one has some skin off it's kok and scratches on the right face and eye. I'm worried about infection, especially from the skin that was damaged on his head. What should I do? The tank already has salt and is in about 87 degrees of water. Right now they are separated and the lights are off. Should I just wait and do water changes every other day or should I treat it for future infections or sickness?

 

[Rosemead626]

is your water conditions good?no need to treat other infections if it is but bettter to be safe. i would do around a 20% water change and add salt. maybe two times from now til next week.mines usually take a week or so to heal.yours maybe a lil longer because they look pretty bad.and is it me or the first one has cloudy eyes?

 

[Source310]

Why did you put the temp so high, its gonna be harder for him to breath,

The injuries are not that bad, keep his water real clean and oxygenate his water.
I would also drop the temp down slowly to 78-80 degrees

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[petspoiler]

Aside from health issues: do you not realize that many cichlids become more aggressive at higher temps? sometimes if they're being rowdy, just lowering temp a couple degrees also lowers aggression.

 

[Dr_Shakalu]

is your water conditions good?no need to treat other infections if it is but bettter to be safe. i would do around a 20% water change and add salt. maybe two times from now til next week.mines usually take a week or so to heal.yours maybe a lil longer because they look pretty bad.and is it me or the first one has cloudy eyes?

I'm planning to do a 25% water change everyday and I already use salt. I'll also drop the temperature a little. The lady at my LFS that's helped me every time I have a problem suggested that I use Rid-Fungus, salt and water changes. You're right. The right eye is scratched. I wonder how long they were fighting for?

 

[the animal guy]

Never let your FH with pearls on the head get his head dug in like that. If it's deep the pearls will not come back for a long time or not at all. And there can be scars.
Hope he heals back nicely.



But all he really needs is clean clean water and and some aloe vera stress stress zyme/coat. Melifix is not really needed. It only helps very little or none at all. Idk. But I use it for torn fins and open wounds.


If that was my fish, I'd throw in more stress zyme/coat to help sooth the pain. After a couple days, I'd treat Melifix for a couple days.. Clean water is a must..
All that just to know I care & for my peace of mind and to prevent any other disease that can lead to. FHs like this kind can sick E Z if stressed. Be aware of that and GL

 

[Dr_Shakalu]

Never let your FH with pearls on the head get his head dug in like that. If it's deep the pearls will not come back for a long time or not at all. And there can be scars.
Hope he heals back nicely.



But all he really needs is clean clean water and and some aloe vera stress stress zyme/coat. Melifix is not really needed. It only helps very little or none at all. Idk. But I use it for torn fins and open wounds.


If that was my fish, I'd throw in more stress zyme/coat to help sooth the pain. After a couple days, I'd treat Melifix for a couple days.. Clean water is a must..
All that just to know I care & for my peace of mind and to prevent any other disease that can lead to. FHs like this kind can sick E Z if stressed. Be aware of that and GL

Thanks for your advice. I'm going to be doing water changes everyday for at least a week. I already have salt in the water but I am putting in some Rid-Fungus as a preventative. Thanks for wishing me luck, Ed.

 

[Water]

Melafix really doesn't do much of anything at all, it's pointless to add that. Like many others posted, clean water is a definite must. The medication isn't really needed but if you feel thats the way to go then go for it. Salt is optional. Good luck!