Will Red-Tiger Survive Surgery?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
A

Anythingfish

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 23, 2005
163
8
0
Washington
This 26” hybrid Redtail Tiger Shovelnose Catfish developed an external tumor two years ago; see photo below. At that time the fish was 12” long and nearly died of a fungal infection covering most of its body. The fish’s fins entirely rotted away; its skin pealed off over a 2 week period. When I purchased the fish it was 8” long and I maintained it in a 30 gallon aquarium. It never did eat well and rarely moved. Its whiskers curled up and rotted away. All other fish in the 30 gallon which was part of a 5 tank system were doing very well. The water conditions were Ammonia = Zero, PH = 7.0, but the Nitrates (NO3) got a bit out of hand and were in the range of 200 PPM most of the time.

I wanted to get the fish away from its tank mates so I moved it into an unoccupied 600 gallon aquarium and added Home Depot type evaporated sea salt; about 2 pounds per 100 gallons which makes a .2% solution. Within a few hours the fish was moving around as best it could; remember it had no fins. Soon the fish was eating small earthworms. About a month later the hybrid catfish’s fins were growing back nicely and the skin looked good.

Then I noticed the slightest reddish bump on its left pectoral fin where it joins the torso. I was hopeful the bump, now a golf ball sized tumor would dissipate; but no luck.

On Monday March 20, 2006 the fish goes under the knife at the Pilchuck Veterinary Clinic for surgery.
I will post pictures of the surgery and report on the outcome.

My website is: http://www.anythingfish.com

Red-Tiger6346.jpg
 
Wow, never heard of a tumor on a fish before. Good luck, hope he survives!
 
It happens, now is the time to do it as the longer it remains the more involved it will become. Depending on how the growth is rooted the cat may lose that fin but as long as there is no secondary infection it has a good chance of recovery. Note, tumors often grow back. Make sure you swab the wound with mecurichrome or iodine after excision, and go back to the saltwater solution to prevent bacterial or fungal infections.
Before excision pinch the growth to see if it is flushed with blood. Some tumors contain a large # of blood vessels and when pinched will turn pale and immediately regain color when pressure is released, this is not good for do it yourself surgery as the vessels require cauterization and that will usually need a vet. If the growth does not discolor when pinched or the color returns slowly it is much safer.
I have never done this with fish but helped remove a couple from a softshelled turtle once.
 
Wow man ouch.

Ive never heard of surgery done on a fish. Would the surgery take place in a tank? or what?

How much will it cost, I know the guy might mean a lot to you, but wouldnt it be less $$$$ just to replace it? or maybe get 2 for the price of the surgery. Not trying to be mean, just offering advice.

Anyway, good luck.
 
Good luck with your fish's surgery. I'll be sure to check tomorrow to see how he's doing.
 
Great information; I, we, that is the catfish and I are heading to the Pilchuck Veterinary Clinic in Snohomish Washington. Surgery is scheduled for 1: pm. I have moved the catfish out of the 2400 gallon aquarium now; those rubberized 30" catch and release nets work great. To my surprise he / she is actually closer to 28". I got the fish out early as I did not want to chance not catching it, under pressure, Monday morning. As it worked out the fish thought I was going to feed it and swam right into the net; he is now resting in a 500 gallon plastic pool.
 
ShadowVengance said:
Wow man ouch.

Ive never heard of surgery done on a fish. Would the surgery take place in a tank? or what?

How much will it cost, I know the guy might mean a lot to you, but wouldnt it be less $$$$ just to replace it? or maybe get 2 for the price of the surgery. Not trying to be mean, just offering advice.

Anyway, good luck.
Click to expand...

Fish surgery may not be common for everyday inexpensive fish; but for example with a Koi costing many thousands of dollars a life saving operation is well worth the cost.

I have had the fish for several years and he / she has become very responsive to a slight tap on the aquarium glass. The fish swims in front of the window all night and can be easily seen from 100 feet away.

Last fall I shipped my big Tiger Shovelnose Catfish to the new Georgia Aquarium. This fish will take its place. It takes a long time and a lot of good food to grow a fish to that size; what is the value of the effort? What is the value of such a friendly engaging fish? I'll know tomorrow, Monday 3-20-06.

What is the cost? Don't know but I'll post it in a day or so.
 
Good luck, with the #s of high end fish increasing so is the # of vets who will work on them, I spent $400 on an alley cat, people are going to be willing to spend $ on valued fish.
 
I hope his operation went well. As for loving your pets enough to shell out the money to keep them healthy I’m all for it if the money is there. I had one of my pet rats operated on to remove a tumor. It was around $200 for the operation for a rat that had been given to us for free. And granted it didn’t increase his life span past the normal 4 or five years that my pet rats usually live, but how do you put a price on a pet rat that knows her name and knows how to do tricks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom