Bloodfin Tetra with sore on body...

[maxwell1295]

One of my bloodfin tetras has an open wound of some sort. ANybody know what this could be. No other fish have shown any signs of sickness and the affected fish is acting normally....he's very active and feeds well. The other bloodfins interact with him as they always have. If not for the sore, you'd never know there was anything wrong with him.

Tank parameters: 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, ~20ppm nitrate, pH 7.0, 80*F

Sorry about the fuzziness of the pic, but this guy just won't stay still!

I'm pretty sure it's not a fungus. It looks like an open wound or sore. My tank is pretty peaceful other than tetras chasing each other playfully and my Bolivians' mini squirmishes, so I don't think it came from a fight. I've been treating with Melafix/Pimafix for about 5 days now and really haven't seen much improvement. I can't tell whether it's healing or not.

 

[Apocalypse_Gold]

Does the damage extend to deeper tissue? Sometimes NTD will erupt through the skin in advanced stages. Its probably best to QT him and treat with melafix and pimafix.

 

[Jchillin]

Does the wound appear to be bulging outward?

 

[maxwell1295]

Does the wound appear to be bulging outward?

Yes, it does...

 

[Jchillin]

I asked that because that is usually the area where a thyroid tumor will appear. Check this link.

This isn't always fatal and fish have been known to live comfortably with it. AFAIK, it is not communicable, if this is in fact what your fish is suffering from.

 

[maxwell1295]

Nice link, Jchillin.....I think it could also be "Q" on this page.

 

[confusion]

I'm no expert by any stretch, but I have a swordtail that has the exact problem. The picture isn't real clear, so I'm mostly going on how you described it. I've done a LOT of reading and asking around and the consensus is that my problem is a flexibacter infection. I've been treating mine with maracyn, but I was just advised by a helpful person on this board to try maracyn two in addition to the maracyn.

Good luck with getting your tetra better! I know well how frustrating it can be.

 

[maxwell1295]

The only tank I can move him to is my old 1gal betta tank, since I just moved the betta into the old QT/Sick Bay tank for good.

I'll see if I can catch him and put him in there. I still have some Maracyn leftover from a bout my glowlight tetras had with body fungus a little while back.

 

[confusion]

Since I posted this, I've been told I need to add maracyn two to the treatment schedule, as it needs maracyn AND maracyn two to treat it.

By the way, my swordtail started out more or less acting normal, but now she's completely stopped eating. I'm hopeful that I got her on the meds in time. Yours looks to be where mine was a few days ago.

 

[maxwell1295]

Well, he didn't make it. I'm not sure if it was the sore/tumor or being in isolation that did him in. When I took him out, I noticed that the white patch was reddish on the inside with a hole beneath it that went straight through.