How should I go about "retiring" my jack dempsey?

[Carefree_Dude]

I have a very large EBJD. For a long time he was a breeder, but the female brutalized him horribly, and ripped up his lips and fins. I put a divider in their tank, and although he's alive now months later, he is still in poor shape. despite almost daily water changes, and adding salt, his fins are not growing back, his lips look they aren't going to grow back, and he has developed horrible case of hole in head. He still eats, but I know he will never be able to breed again.

I'm tempted to put him in my big tank, that has fairly peaceful cichlids, and various other things. I'm mainly worried that he may get picked on. Back before his breeding days, he had quite the fued with my goby, and my goby has gotten quite a bit bigger than him now. I'd love to set up a tank just for him, but I don't have room for it. For now I can leave him in the tank with her and the divider, but ultimately I'd like to get another male to put with her. Any suggestions on what I should do?

 

[mr.bigglesworth]

What fish are in the community tank besides the goby? And what kind of goby is it?

 

[Carefree_Dude]

It's a jade goby. He's a gentle giant, except for when it came with this one particular fish.

I've got a few severums, some geos, a black ghost knife, ornate bichirs, a fire eel, and a flagtail.

 

[mr.bigglesworth]

That sounds like a suitable stock for an ebjd. But first, how badly is he hurt and is the hole in the head going terminal or is it just minor?

 

[Carefree_Dude]

The hole in head is pretty bad, with 4 really deep pits right between his eyes. His fins are pretty badly ripped up, and they almost look scarred over or something and look like will never heal.

 

[mr.bigglesworth]

I wouldn't move him. Normally good water quality is enough alone to heal hith but I've heard on mfk theirs also a less common type of hith that is caused by a strain of bacteria? Might wanna look that up.

 

[Carefree_Dude]

I see, well hopefully he will heal up, or it'll stop getting worse. I hope his "spouse" doesn't catch anything, but she's been fine. And also trying to spawn with him still through the divider. I also have a UV sterlizer on this tank.