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Black Convict With Serious Open Wounds

3K views 19 replies 6 participants last post by  rrcoolj 
#1 ·
So I've been on vacation, and I just got back to a nightmare in my 70G cichlid tank. I had asked my dad's girlfriend to feed my fish, however, about 3 days before I got back, she had left for the Florida Keys. I guess somehow in that time, one of my lake cichlids had died :)sob:) and my black convict was stuck in this ornament my dad had put in there. It was like a fake barnacle ornament-one my small convict could easily swim through. He was literally stuck--he had swam through the bottom, in attempt to get out the other end (which was smaller than the bottom) he got wedged in. He struggled and the ornament cut into him, causing serious open lacerations. My sister freed him after many attempts, and I scooped him up and QTed him in a small container. I put a little bit of aquarium salt, but thats all I did. He is currently laying on his side and breathing heavily through his gills. I don't know if he'll make it through the night. If he does, what should I do? What medications would help the open wounds? Occasionally he'll scoot to another place of the container, and he is very pale. He looks minutes away from death.
 

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#2 ·
He doesn't move at all-just breathes ):
 
#3 ·
I'm sorry BetterBetta. I don't think this little guy is going to make it and you best prepare yourself for that outcome. Sometimes fish get themselves into situations that just are not good for them. I lost a beautiful red Betta in the little hole in the bottom of a clay pot one time. Stuck there and passed away.
Your little guys just does not look good. I hope it all turns out for the best and that he can rest and can recover, I really do. I don't know much about meds. Hopefully someone else with experience will chime in.
 
#4 ·
Thank you for your concern, he's at least hanging in there, we can just hope for the best.
 
#5 ·
I agree it doesn't look good. I honestly wouldn't waste your money on meds this guy looks like he won't make it. If he does survive a couple days then I would say he has a fighting chance. In the mean time give him clean WARM water in the low 80's, the salt is good also. If you do want to get meds melafix would be your best bet. Just follow the instructions on the back.

GL with your fish hoping he pulls through!
 
#8 ·
Oh wow! Poor thing! I had a baby fantail goldfish get jammed between the side of the tank and the filter inlet tube - he held out for a week before he finally gave in. Then my black moor lost a fight and an eye - but with pristine water (water change every day) and antibiotic, he's ok.

Your poor convict is in a bad way, but with clean water, antibiotic (melafix isn't my fave, tbh) he may pull through. He may have internal bruising, which is really not good. You should be able to see bruising, if any, in a couple if days.

Good luck!
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#9 ·
This morning I awoke to him not breathing. But he passed a peaceful death, and one of the main reasons I took him out of the tank was so that the other fish wouldn't bully him. Thank you everyone for your concern, he was a strong fighter.
 
#10 ·
Aww that's too bad. I hate when that happens. Those wounds did look painful.
Well I guess the next thing to do is to find a reliable trusted fish babysitter for the next time you have to be away. I know!, you thought you did!! Will Dad feed them at least for you? or an automatic feeder? They are about $20 but I have not tried it myself. A reliable neighbor's kid?
 
#11 ·
See I've always doubted the automatic feeders, because my inhabitants in the 70G are picky :x They prefer their food sinking, not floating, and even when we bought sinking pellets, a third of them still floated :x so you have to like stick your fingers in the water so the pellets soak up the water and sink. But I should probably give it a go, it never hurts to try something...
 
#12 ·
Yes I think you could set it up for a week at a set time, and watch it happen from a distance. See how long each batch takes to sink... maybe it's only 10 minutes before they are heavy enough to sink. that way you train the fish to it too while you are at home to supervise. Test it out. Am thinking I should try this myself.
At least an automatic timer should not forget it's responsablilites... unless there is a power failure of some kind to affect it... oh I guess they might be battery operated? don't know.
 
#13 ·
Yeah most I've seen are battery-operated, only bad thing is most I've seen at my LPS are a hefty 30-40$ -.-
 
#14 ·
Sorry to hear about the little guy. :(

When I go away for a week, I do a 50% WC, give the fish a good feed (2 feeds for example - am & pm) and they are fine for a week. You can always grab some pennywort or something like that to float. That will give fish something to nibble and help filter. Then you can just get someone to check that the filter is running properly etc.
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#15 ·
Ouch!! I would never recommend this normally but.... Got a Walmart near by? $20 ish. Depends on their pet supply selection.
Good luck with it, it's always a challenge!
 
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#17 ·
So sorry about the lost of your convict at least he died in solitude and peace.

I have never fed my fish when I go away unless it's for more than a week like amberjade. I make sure they are well fed before they leave and do a big water change. unless your fish are very small it shouldn't pose a huge problem. Also I feed NLS to my fish and it sinks well for them. I always recommend it to any cichlid keeper.
 
#18 ·
I've heard good things on New Life Spectrum, I need to pick it up. The problem is, with my fish I have little cichlids then bigger ones, and they pick on the lil' guys): So I couldn't leave them without food,
 
#20 ·
You probably already know but the tank will not support all those fish. That snook will get big enough to swallow most of your stock considering their massive mouths. That being said It is better to feed fish smaller pellets than larger ones. It is easier to digest and creates less mess. I use the 1mm pellets still for my 6in midas male.
 
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