Tiger barb looks bruised, with small open area.

[Klscannon]

Hello, I have a tiger barb who just this morning looks to be bruised on one side. There is a tiny area in the bruise that looks open. He is the only fish who has this bruise, which makes me lean toward it actually being a bruise/injury versus illness. He is 1 TB of 9, plus 4 cory cats, 3 flying fox fish, several nerite snails and 1 common pleco in a well established 75g tank. All fish are at least 8 months old if not older. I don't know the water parameters. We're due for a water change and are awaiting our shipment of filter media for our marineland canister filter.

Anyone experience fish injury before? I suspect he could have got caught between the pleco and a structure...

 

[libertybelle]

It certainly looks like a physical injury though it’s very hard to tell from a picture.

Even if the tank is well established any time there is an illness or injury you need to go back and check parameters quickly. If it is a physical injury he’ll need pristine water to help him heal and perhaps some sort of slime coat product for some soothing/ protection. The risk of secondary infection is what you’d need to worry about now.

I have only had fish injuries a couple times but I just used water changes, prime and stress guard and all healed quickly with that combination.

 

[Klscannon]

Thank you. I did pour in some stress coat and hope to get the filter media tomorrow, but will do a water change either way.