Bala Shark Got Stuck In Decoration

[LacertaIlla]

So I've had this tank and fish for less than 24 hours and I've already managed to screw up.

The Bala Shark swam into a barrel decoration and got himself stuck, but I was able to get him free after about 20 minutes. Needless to say I took the barrel out (and every other decoration with similar sized holes) due to paranoia, but the Bala lost a lot of scales and has a couple of tears in his fins. He's in a bare bottom tank with an established filter (but to move the tank yesterday we had to empty all the water out, I let the tank run for a few hours before I put the fish in, however) and no other fish.

Is there anything I can/should do to help him heal? Or anything I should watch out for in his behavior?

 

[LyraGuppi]

Frequent water changes and warm water will do him good, if you'd like you can try adding a bit of Melafix. (Or a similar medicine, that's just one I know well) As far as behavior, just watch the wounds to make sure they don't become infected.

 

[HarpyFishLover]

Somebody might need to correct me, but I think Melafix is used for fin/scale injuries.

 

[LacertaIlla]

I've read that adding a little bit of aquarium salt will help prevent getting infected...is that a good idea? I'll head down to the pet store either later today or tomorrow and get some Melafix or some other type of antibiotic like it and add it to the tank.

He seems to be swimming a little lop-sided, he is also hanging out near the bottom of the tank but again I think it's just because he is in pain. He is still active and swimming around, but he is a little twitchy and taking his time. I feel absolutely terrible.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

Melafix is an antibacterial, not antibiotic. It's not medicine exactly. It's more a preventative to help keep infections away. I wouldn't do an actual antibiotic if it's not needed. Lots of clean water can help too. I've used aquarium salt successfully with a fungal infection with tetras. It's in my guppy tank now but I'm not sure yet if it is helping. Not enough time has passed. I would look up for you specific fish to make sure it can handle the salt before adding it as some are sensitive. But definitely. Don't do a regular antibiotic unless it looks infected and like it's getting worse. Melafix I believe is made from tea tree oil. It's OK to add to help prevent it. But lots of clean water is really good too.

 

[Akasha72]

I'm another advocate for Melafix. It's all natural so it won't mess with your filter or kill plants. It's basicly just to help the fish to heal .. speeds things up a little. I know a lot of angelfish breeders use it to heal up torn fins from the breeding process
 
And like others have said, lots of clean water won't harm

 

[HarpyFishLover]

Somebody might need to correct me, but I think Melafix is used for fin/scale injuries.

Frequent water changes and warm water will do him good, if you'd like you can try adding a bit of Melafix. (Or a similar medicine, that's just one I know well) As far as behavior, just watch the wounds to make sure they don't become infected.

Whoops, didn't read your whole post before I posted, Lyra

 

[LyraGuppi]

No worries c:

 

[LacertaIlla]

I'm being forced to do a full water change (long story short, my brother broke the thermometer I had and the little black balls in the bottom went everywhere in the tank) so he will definitely have lots of clean water. I'm not sure if this white packet of stuff is aquarium salt, as the label is a little faded but it says "salt fighter size". I have no idea.

I get paid next Wednesday so I'll buy some Melafix then. I would prefer to get it sooner but I can't. He seems to be alright, he is back to zipping around the tank and staring at his reflection, as usual.

 

[LacertaIlla]

Want to give everyone a quick update on how Bruce is going (Get it? Because he is a shark? Yeah, I'm not funny. ).

He seems to be doing alright. He's swimming around the tank and eating whenever I feed him. His fins seem to be healing up alright, and so does the gash on his head. It doesn't appear to be infected, but I am a novice and don't exactly know what an infected fish wound looks like. I'll take a photo later tonight/tomorrow morning and put it up to get the verdict, but it looks like he might make a full recovery.

Note to self, make sure you either have a smart fish that won't swim through decorations too small for it or don't put small decorations in with larger fish.

 

[fluttermoth]

I'm glad to hear Bruce is doing well. If the wound gets infected it will look red and swollen, yellowish (like pus) or white and fluffy, if there's fungus developing.
 
Can I ask how big your tank is? Sadly most home aquariums aren't suitable for bala sharks, which are a large (around a foot long), very active, shoaling fish. A six foot tank would be considered the absolute bare minimum size for them, in all honesty

 

[LacertaIlla]

Its a 405 litre tank (104 gallons) that's 120cm l x 75cm w x 45cm d (47.24" x 29.53" x 17.72"), is that big enough? If not I will make a mental note to buy a bigger tank when I am able to move out.

If that's what an infected wound looks like, I don't think it's infected, nor does it have a fungal infection. I'll still take a picture tomorrow morning (I'll have natural light, the photo will be truer to the colours I'm seeing) but it seems alright to me.

 

[LacertaIlla]

So Bruce won't sit still long enough for a photo

 . He's very skittish fish, and I know part of that has to do with the fact that he is being kept by himself, but I also think part of it has to do with the fact the tank was not set up around people, so having people walk past his tank now still kind of startles him a bit. Plus chasing him around the tank with a net and stressing him out a bunch isn't something I really want to do (especially while his body is trying to heal).
 
The wound seems to be getting smaller as the scales are growing back, the silver scales on his side seem to (very slowly) be coming back, and his fins have almost completely healed, minus one small tear (unnoticeable if you aren't looking for it) that was there before I got him (I'm not sure if its fresh or old, only time will tell I guess).
 
He's been getting lots of good food and I'm going to do a 10% - 20% water change either today or tomorrow.
 
I'll keep you all updated on how he goes.

 

[LacertaIlla]

Update; The wound on his head has completely healed! The silver part of his scales is yet to come back, but he is looking much better than he was 2 weeks ago.
 
I ended up finding out that that "salt fighter size" stuff was indeed aquarium salt, so I added a tablespoon (I didn't know how much too add, but I didn't want to go overboard) to the water and that seemed to speed things up a little.