URGENT: Trachycorystes is really sick...

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J

josh pelican

Gambusia
MFK Member
Mar 24, 2008
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16
Dartmouth, NS
A year or two ago I got a T. trachycorystes and I dropped in a 90 gallon. He immediately found home in a piece of driftwood. I always hand fed him and he didn't seem to mind. I noticed he had some cuts on his tail but I think it's because my Dovii has been nipping it when I'm not around.

Today I was trying to examine him and noticed one of his eyes looked a little cone shaped. I lifted the driftwood up and instantly knew he was sick. The entire outline of his mouth is an open sore and his tail is all cut up. His eyes are extremely clouded over. I managed to get him out of the driftwood which is when I was even more horrified. From where he's been laying in the driftwood, he is full of pressure wounds from the driftwood. His back, his sides, and his belly are all scratched up and red.

I can set up a quarantine tank right now and put some of the tank water in it, but what should I do to treat him? I want to get him all healed up and find a better house for him in the meantime.

I don't care what the cost is, I just need a heads up on what medications and what I should do.

Thanks a lot,

Josh
 
If that was my fish I would just move him into a different tank and keep his water pristine, giving him a new cave to alleviate the existing sores. Salt is risky with catfish, temps bumped sounds fine except that if the sore is a bacterial infection the higher temps will accelerate the speed of its spread. Step one would truly be quarantine and watch.
 
Someone on another board said this:

Since it's an unusual fish and scaleless by the looks of the pics...it's hard to say if it'll re-act adversely to drugs...but since he full of a bacterial infection you need antibiotics...I would use Furan and at full doses. Any areas that are really bad, swab with a bit of iodine on a Q-tip, except the mouth, eyes or gills. Since he's probably wild caught he probably won't tolerate any salt.

Needless to say water quality should be prefect and at 80*
Click to expand...

Thoughts on Furan and iodine?
 
Okay, I've a 20 gallon tank full (at least I believe it's 20) with an AquaClear 30 on it. I have a brand new foam in there and grabbed a huge bag of Biomax from the 90 and chucked that in. I doubled up on the Seachem Prime so I'm hoping I can cycle this a little faster.

Temperature is about 80-82 degrees Fahrenheit. I didn't bother with putting anything in the tank (i.e. substrate, decor). I'm going to put a rock or two and the piece of wood in there for him.

I've cut the piece of wood so now he can swim in out of the holes freely without cutting himself. He seems to be going under it now as opposed to inside of it.

Would it be best to leave him in the 90 tonight and put him in tomorrow at some point (after testing the water)?

Does he have enough filtration? Should I put in a pump or some air stones? The little AC30 doesn't move a lot of water. I want to make sure he's going to be good in there while he's healing up.

I'm not sure if there is fungus on his tail or not. It's a bit frayed and reddened, but I think it's because the way he was laying in the wood left his tail exposed to the P. dovii (who probably nibbled on it on several occasions).

Any other recommendations or tips? Hopefully this clears up quickly!
 
Need pics.

When you move him into the 20, just squeeze a whole bunch of cloudy muck from your main filter into the new tank. Instant cycle.
 
I'll try to take some pictures when I get him into the 20 and before I add anything crazy. Right now in the 90 he's a bit hard to get at with a camera. I will let the tank run overnight and make the switch in the morning when I can get some help.

Should I squeeze the mulm/detritus into the filter or directly into the tank?

Like I said earlier, most of his wounds seem to be pressure wounds from the driftwood directly. Every area of his body the was directly touching driftwood was cut because he was growing in it. His tail is definitely frayed and red.

His tail fin is half the length/size it should be.
 
If it helps, here's a pic of what happened to my orinocodoras one time. I don't know if it was heater burn or pressure sore, but it healed on its own after I rearranged the driftwood.

picture.php


Is the severity (I know the quantity is worse) of yours worse than that? Any fuzzy spots? Streaks or swelling?
 
EDIT: I just turned the light on in the 90 because my mom noticed he was looking white in spots. All of his fins are rotting, split, and frayed. His lips are starting to grow some fungus. His eyes are cloudier.

His lips/mouth looks the worst. The wounds look really fresh and he's starting to breathe heavier. It has to be fungus.

I might try to get him in the new tank tonight.
 
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