HELP! Flowerhorn has huge ulcer on head...PICS included

[silverlude15]

Alright here's what's going on...


a while ago i started noticing a small amount of slime on my FH's head...it would still be somewhat active and still ate pretty good. I didn't really think much of it...but it would sometimes awkwardly float near the top of the water. I thought something strange was going on...

fast forward to a few days ago...i notice that the fish always hangs at the top of the water and i noticed a huge sore on the top of the fish. It would hang its head out and the sore would be exposed to air. The sore is like an ulcer and it looks like its eating away at the flesh and the flesh seems to flatten out his head (whereas his head was round before) and there is still slime around the area. Now I'm getting worried so I do a water change (50%) and then head to the local specialty aquarium.

Now fast forward to now...I went to the local aquarium shop and they said tetracycline may help. so what I did was I added 2 treatments of tetracycline, removed the carbon filter, and added aquarium salt. I slowly introduced melafix after the second treatment. The fish still seems to not have improved at all. Here are pics. The water is yellow due to the tetracycline powder and the removal of carbon filter. water change was done less than several days ago. You can start to see the flesh is starting to wither away so much that there is some bone exposure (white areas).

Here he is right now laying at the corner of the tank just floating...exposing his ulcer to the air.

you can see there is nothing else wrong with him right now except for this huge ulcer on his head...he has also gotten skinnier from the lack of appetite.



I've looked all over the internet and couldn't find a solution because nothing fits this exactly...All I can really do right now is continue to treat with tetracycline and hope that it will heal...but I wanted to ask you guys before it's too late?


I saw a thread about something very similar but the guy never checked back in with what happened to his fish...
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2523086

If you guys have any ideas that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[mshill90]

First of all, what's the water temp? And the water parameters?

Secondly- tetracycline, salt, AND melafix is an overload of so much stuff.

Do water changes to get the tetracycline out.

Then what you want to do is raise the temp to 86F- Fh's prefer warmer temps anyways. After that, raise the salinity in the tank to .03%- this is the salinity in which promotes healing. Use Aquarium Salt, which is also solar salt in the blue bag at Lowe's for $6 (it's what I use)- make sure it is the 99.9% pure type. 1 cup treats 100 gallons, so you will need to know how big your tank is before you can figure out the equation.

Get some iodine, and swab his wound once a day. Do not touch his wound with your hands, that will introduce germs.

Also, add an airstone in the tank to help with breathing/stress.

Is there any idea as to how he got the ulcer? Did he hit it on something?

 

[silverlude15]

water temp is good....i set it around 85....

water parameters i would have to check with my kit...but i would assume is good since i do water changes pretty often...besides...i dont think this is caused from poor water conditions..


there has always been an airstone in the tank...

dont think he could have gotten the ulcer from hittting anything since there is nothing in the tank except the necessary filter, heater, and airstone... no rocks or decoration except the substrate

really confused right now...

 

[mshill90]

water temp is good....i set it around 85....

water parameters i would have to check with my kit...but i would assume is good since i do water changes pretty often...besides...i dont think this is caused from poor water conditions..


there has always been an airstone in the tank...

dont think he could have gotten the ulcer from hittting anything since there is nothing in the tank except the necessary filter, heater, and airstone... no rocks or decoration except the substrate

really confused right now...

Ulcers can be caused from bad water conditions... how long was your tank set up before you added the FH?

When we ask for your water parameters, it's because we are trying to help you... you're water can tell a lot about the issue/cure.

Just because you do water changes does not mean that it's "good". Your tank could be cycling, or something could be off.

My flower horn is always anxious to get food and occasionally bumps his head on the top of the tank.

 

[silverlude15]

i have had this flowerhorn for about 4 years. ever since it was a young fry and about 1 inch long. the tank was set up long ago before adding the FH, once inhabited by oscars.

this flowerhorn is usually very feisty to get food too. very active and aggresive fish usually

 

[mshill90]

i have had this flowerhorn for about 4 years. ever since it was a young fry and about 1 inch long. the tank was set up long ago before adding the FH, once inhabited by oscars.

this flowerhorn is usually very feisty to get food too. very active and aggresive fish usually

Ok, that still doesn't mean the water quality couldn't be off.

Also, what size tank is this, and any other tank mates?