Oscar injury

[Kvandy]

Well today my Oscar basically ripped his own forehead off on the center brace of the tank. Not sure if he thought he seen food or what. I’ve treated injuries in the past with daily water changes but nothing this bad. He has a deep gouge that goes across his entire forehead from just above his eyes all the way to his dorsal fin. Any tips besides daily water changes to get him to heal up the best he can?

 

[DawnMichele]

Hello. My Oscar Big Boy use to tear his skin up all the time!!! I just did water changes and kept the water pristine and he always healed up nicely. My BEST to him!!!

 

[Rocksor]

See post # 5, with just water changes..

Best Medicine for Monster Fish? (and it's natural/herbal based)

First let me clarify a couple of things: a) Fortunately few of the fish I have owned have faced serious health issues in the past, so I'm not at all an expert or even well-versed when it comes to medicines and treatments, which I have mostly viewed with some skepticism and only used when...

www.monsterfishkeepers.com

 

[LBDave]

Well today my Oscar basically ripped his own forehead off on the center brace of the tank. Not sure if he thought he seen food or what. I’ve treated injuries in the past with daily water changes but nothing this bad. He has a deep gouge that goes across his entire forehead from just above his eyes all the way to his dorsal fin. Any tips besides daily water changes to get him to heal up the best he can?

If it was me I would add these 2 products and keep an eye on him/her.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001F0KX06/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/Boyd-Enterpr...ita+chem&qid=1554388629&s=pet-supplies&sr=1-1

Check out this video also:

 

[Poseidon2.0]

Would be good if you could post a pic or two of the damage so we can really get a better sense of the extent.

From my own experience with this I've always been amazed at how well and fast my oscar healed up with just simple water changes. He used to do the same thing on the edges of the HOB and I would find huge gashes in his forehead. Does the aquarium have a HOB? Could be from the edges of that.

Mine is more than five years old now and I have never had to give him medicine. I would personally try to see how yours does with just the water changes. But would be good to have pics to better assess.

I would note that mine stopped doing it on the HOBs after he was about two or so and so doesn't cut himself any more, had a learning curve with that. He still bangs the lid though out of boredom from time to time and but thankfully doesn't injure himself anymore.

 

[SwampFins]

I am much too familiar with this situation. I have an O that likes to try to jump once in a while and injures himself.

Like the picture below from a few months back.

For me I've always added a little salt to the tank combined with some melafix and have had wonderful results. In a few days or weeks he will heal.

The salt promotes healing and the production of slime coat while melafix also has some healing properties but its main thing is to prevent any infections from the open wounds.

Hope he gets better soon!

 

[RD.]

Regarding Melafix, a study that I posted in 2015 …..

Melafix Sudy - 2015

Not overly conclusive by any means, but interesting nonetheless. Both Dr. Edward J. Noga and the North Carolina State University, College of Veterinary Medicine are well known for their work with fish. Noga's book on fish health/illness is pretty much the bible for anyone who is seriously...

www.monsterfishkeepers.com

 

[SwampFins]

Regarding Melafix, a study that I posted in 2015 …..

Melafix Sudy - 2015

Not overly conclusive by any means, but interesting nonetheless. Both Dr. Edward J. Noga and the North Carolina State University, College of Veterinary Medicine are well known for their work with fish. Noga's book on fish health/illness is pretty much the bible for anyone who is seriously...

www.monsterfishkeepers.com

Interesting. I tried to access the full article but it looks like it's no longer available, unfortunately. I was interested in seeing the details on how the test was carried out and what known pathogens were put to the test.

That said, I guess it's not very surprising for an over the counter remedy. I figure something highly efficient at treating something is probably going to very specific as far as what it is meant for and how it is administered. Not something that most people will have access to or have the know how to diagnose properly in order to get it in the first place.

 

[Coryloach]

It sure has some effect, possibly due to the Phenolic Compounds and Flavonoids it contains but one can just use some almond leaves and the likes with the same effect.

Antioxidant, antibacterial activity, and phytochemical characterization of Melaleuca cajuputi extract

https://eurekamag.com/research/057/215/057215562.php

The results revealed that both extracts had significant antioxidant and free radical-scavenging activity. Both extracts had antibacterial activity against S. aureus, S. epidermidis, and B. cereus. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activities could be attributed to high flavonoid and phenolic contents identified using GC/MS and LC/MS. Therefore, M. cajuputi could be an excellent source for natural antioxidant and antibacterial agents for medical and nutraceutical applications.

Efficacy of commercially available products against Gyrodactylus turnbulliinfections on guppies Poecilia reticulata

In particular, a combination treatment of Melafix® and Pimafix® was highly effective at reducing in vitro survival of parasites from 15 to 2 h and eradicating 95% of gyrodactylids in vivo. The unexpected high efficacy of this combination treatment is likely explained by the high content of terpenes and phenol propanoids in the cajuput and West Indian bay oils, as well as the anti-helminthic properties of the emulsifier

 

[RD.]

It sure has some effect, possibly due to the Phenolic Compounds and Flavonoids it contains but one can just use some almond leaves and the likes with the same effect.

In the first link that you posted, unless I missed it, in that particular study that was not Melafix that was used.

No link to the second study/paper, but from what you posted that was a combination of Melafix & Pimafix, and it was used to treat a very specific ectoparasite that is found on the skin and fins of guppies. That's not the same as assisting the healing of an injury/wound.

The OP's fish has an injury/wound.

If you read the previous thread, I'm not saying that Melafix is snake oil, like some have, but I have never seen any scientific proof that demonstrates that it isn't.