I was at a LFS yesterday and I noticed on a tank with some Jags was also marked "Carpintus" (AKA Green Texas cichlid), which I had been looking for. I asked the owner if there were any in there hiding, but there were none except a very pale, sort off looking fish that looked like it could be a sickly Carpintus. The owner said he would not sell me the fish because of this, but that he would give it to me if I wanted to try to nurse it back to health. So I took it.
When I got home I set it up in a 10g quarantine aquarium, put some PraziPro in and added some salt. When I took the fish I figured it had parasites because it's belly is sort of sunken, but also that it might be slightly deformed, because the face and mouth weren't quite right - the mouth looks a little crooked. But looking at the fish at home, suddenly the horrible thought dawns on me that maybe I just brought home a fish with fish tuberculosis, not just one that is slightly deformed and has parasites. I noticed that one of his sides is slightly curved outward. I wouldn't say spine looks significantly deformed, but on one of his sides there is a definite protrusion, or curvature that is not natural. (In addition, on the opposite side there is a little something sticking off of him, which could a scale (he was pretty terrified of the Jags he was with at the store), or possibly anchor worm or lice. There is no visible wound there though, it is only visible looking at the fish straight on.) I am pretty certain he is a Carpintus, but he currently very pale, with a little blue marbling on the face, and dark-ish blotches/stripes on the lateral line.
Is there any way to tell what is going on with my little guy? Despite, his slightly odd look, he is kind of cute, and if possible I'd like to try to save him, though I know if it is actually fish TB I am better off not to. Also, if this helps, he is acting completely normal, as far as I can tell. He hides in the cave I gave him and watches me, but if I take it out he will swim around and seems active. BUT, he has not seemed interested in food thus far, but then, it has only been 24 hours.
What do you guys think?
When I got home I set it up in a 10g quarantine aquarium, put some PraziPro in and added some salt. When I took the fish I figured it had parasites because it's belly is sort of sunken, but also that it might be slightly deformed, because the face and mouth weren't quite right - the mouth looks a little crooked. But looking at the fish at home, suddenly the horrible thought dawns on me that maybe I just brought home a fish with fish tuberculosis, not just one that is slightly deformed and has parasites. I noticed that one of his sides is slightly curved outward. I wouldn't say spine looks significantly deformed, but on one of his sides there is a definite protrusion, or curvature that is not natural. (In addition, on the opposite side there is a little something sticking off of him, which could a scale (he was pretty terrified of the Jags he was with at the store), or possibly anchor worm or lice. There is no visible wound there though, it is only visible looking at the fish straight on.) I am pretty certain he is a Carpintus, but he currently very pale, with a little blue marbling on the face, and dark-ish blotches/stripes on the lateral line.
Is there any way to tell what is going on with my little guy? Despite, his slightly odd look, he is kind of cute, and if possible I'd like to try to save him, though I know if it is actually fish TB I am better off not to. Also, if this helps, he is acting completely normal, as far as I can tell. He hides in the cave I gave him and watches me, but if I take it out he will swim around and seems active. BUT, he has not seemed interested in food thus far, but then, it has only been 24 hours.
What do you guys think?
