Ropefish Has White Hard Patches and a Bloody Tail

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C

Cyndymei

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jun 2, 2011
8
0
0
Maryland
Hello, I've been a lurker on these forums for the while and it seems I've encountered a problem.

This morning I saw that one of my rope fish had two white hard looking areas about two inches from its tail on both sides. A few hours later the tail was very bloody around the anus and around the patches and the tail had turned white, and so far it's just sitting there with its tail floating up. The blood looks as if it's under the skin. The fish was completely fine yesterday but it did have one white patch on it and I thought it may have scraped itself. Its breathing is very labored as well and it is not active at all compared to yesterday when he was swimming with the other rope and the bichir.

It is in a cycled 55 gallon tank with one 6 inch senegal, a 10 inch ropefish, 2 small angels, and a couple of otos (That they have failed to eat yet). So far no one else is affected.

Water Parameters are:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: Around 5 or so.

Is this potentially fatal? He does not look good at all. Any help is appreciated! Thank you!
 
Might be a infection... What type of substrate are you using?
I know my Peacock Eel got hard white blotches on his tail when he got beat up by some cichlids, that might be the blotches on your Ropefish and might of caused a infection?
I'm not entirely sure but the type of substrate your using might play a good part.

Pics to please!
 
I've been using regular black gravel (Going to switch to sand in a couple of days). I genuinely don't think he's going to make it. He looks even worse now, almost as if he's drying up and he can't move his tail from floating. I'll be moving him to Quarantine in just a minute and maybe I can get a better picture there. The other fish seem to be ignoring him.

Here's the best picture I could get for now. Can you see that scaly patch? There's two close to the end of his tail and that's where the blood begins.

DSCN2161.jpg
 
I got some more pics. It seems to have spread even more in a span of an hour or so. He is also barely breathing. Would it be best to just let him go? :(

Pic1.png


Pic2.png
 
IMO it looks like he got bit or cut from something in the tank and it got infected.
I would wait til a expert comments on this.
Don't give up on him, I bought a rope fish that spins around the tank like crazy and is paler then ever and he's alive to this day. Eats fine but still spins like someone ripped his spine apart, don't give up on him :)
 
Thanks for the help guys! I'm going to move him to his Quarantine tank now. Should I salt the main tank or anything just to prevent infection, all of the other fish look healthy and normal and are eating and are still happily swimming up and down the bubble wall.
 
Well he's gone now. Poor thing. Whatever this disease was it was nasty. He's now just floating vertically in the tank. I just wish there was something I could have done for him poor thing. It almost looks like it ate away the top layer of scale and got down to the skin. I certainly hope this disease never happens to anyone else's fish :( It advanced so fast from just a tiny white patch.
 
Thank you so much. You all were great help. That's what it seems like I've been reading. Are they more prone to illness and a bit less hardy than bichirs in general?
 
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