# Wounded fish.



## Superfly724 (Sep 16, 2007)

There's one dominant fish in my Peacock Aquarium. He's the prettiest, has the longest flowing fins, and displayed his dominance over the tank for a rather long time. He's made his den under a large cave, (the largest in the tank) and has guarded it well for a long while. 

Just recently, I noticed one of the Synodontis, the smaller of the two, was in his cave with him. It sat there with him for a few days and I thought nothing of it. Today I found him at the water line with a heavy breathing rate, and he was hiding from the other, smaller, fish. One of his sides has long scratches down it and the eye on that side is clowded. There are also tiny air bubbles clinging to his side and fins. My first guess is that he's been stung by the Synodontis, because it's still down in his cave a lot, along with the other fish that are now getting a chance to explore it.

My main concern is, will he live? He's my prized fish. A very beautiful specimen. I'd hate to lose him like that. He's not eating well. In fact, he pretty much refuses to eat at all. I tried putting Melafix in there, but that didn't really react well with my aquarium so I don't think I'll be using that anymore.

Any help in this situation would be most appreciated.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I usually put injured fish in a small tank alone with a sponge filter. Sometimes all they need is clean water and to not be picked by other fish (fish alway pick on injured fish). I medicate according to what i see. White stuff on wounds, get anti-fungal, etc. You might want to treat for cloudy eye. I'd guess an infection that started with an injury. Don't panic if he won't eat right away, they can go many weeks without food. Offer something every few days and siphon out the uneaten portion.

Synodontis are from the same lake, but IME, cichlid keepers tend to use plecos, instead.


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## Guest (Jan 13, 2010)

I would be careful reintroducing him, I took my flowerhorn out of my 150 for a day, the oscar took over because he was now in the tank alone, when I put the flowerhorn back in the oscar attacked it over territorial issues.


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## Blue Cray (Oct 19, 2007)

SALT SALT SALT! Datnoids do this all the time, they dart around the tank and run into stuff. They scratch eyes, which cloud, and scales get torn off. The cure is as simple as adding salt.


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## Superfly724 (Sep 16, 2007)

Blue Cray said:


> SALT SALT SALT! Datnoids do this all the time, they dart around the tank and run into stuff. They scratch eyes, which cloud, and scales get torn off. The cure is as simple as adding salt.


That makes perfect sense. He's always darting around really fast, scaring people out of his cave, which has a slightly jagged entrance. So just adding aquarium/cichlid salts will do the trick?

By the way, he's doing better. His eye has unclowded and he's started eating and swimming around the tank. He also reclaimed his territory. His fins are really shredded, and look bad right now, but I'm assuming those will grow back like normal?


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Fins grow back as long as they don't get infected and only the clear part was damaged. Sometimes a fish will get chewed all the down to the fleshy base, and the fin won't come back. But if its that bad, the fish often dies. If you see white fuzz or red lines or other nastiness that not just shreds of fins, isolate the fish and treat.


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## Blue Cray (Oct 19, 2007)

Yeah with shredded fins melafix will keep it healthy and fungus free aand the salt with help it grow back. I use nutrafin salt in small boxes usually cost $3 or so.


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