Bare mark on my loaches head

[Jim Lay]

Hi Folks
I have a couple of large loaches, they are peaceful fish and love loaching about. One of them has a 'raw' looking fleshy patch on its head. At first I thought it was a knock on a rock but it didn't go away and is looking to be getting worse. It's been there for a few months now. The fish is still happy and is eating normally. It's not woolly or 'hole-in-the head'.
Anyone got any ideas about it?

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Can you post a picture of the fish?

 

[Jim Lay]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Can you post a picture of the fish?

Hi Colin
Going to have a try to post a bit of a fuzzy pic.

 

[Colin_T]

Need another pic, set the camera resolution to about 2MB and use the flash.

The patch looks like it is in/ on the nostril. Does it stick up at all or is it flat?
Has it gotten bigger over the last 2 months or is it still about the same size?

How often are you doing water changes and how much water do you change?
Do you do a gravel clean when you do a water change?

What sort of substrate is in the tank, sand or gravel?
Does the fish sleep under rock or wood?

---------------------
You could try doing a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate each day for a couple of weeks. Clean the filter too if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. the water changes might help the fish heal. Otherwise it could be a bacterial infection that will need medication. Because there is only one fish with the issue, it will probably be easier to put the fish in a quarantine tank and treat it there rather than doing the main display tank.

Triple Sulpha/ tri Sulfa (sulpha based medications) are safe for loaches and treat a variety of things including bacterial an fungal infections.

Methylene blue will also work and is quite safe for loaches but it stains everything blue and kills filter bacteria so use it in a separate tank.

 

[Jim Lay]

Hi Colin.
I have just purchased an anti internal bacteria treatment which attacks Popeye, ulcers, and many others. This treatment looks like just what my Loach needs. I need to treat again in 4 days. I will keep you posted.
regards
Jim

 

[Colin_T]

Do not overdose. Loaches are scaleless fishes and need a lower dose of medication. Check directions on the packaging for treating scaleless fish.

To work out the volume of water in the tank:
measure length x width x height in cm.
divide by 1000.
= volume in litres.

When you measure the height, measure from the top of the substrate to the top of the water level.

There is a calculator/ converter in the "How To Tips" at the top of this page that will let you convert litres to gallons if you need it.

Remove carbon from the filter before treating or it will absorb the medication and stop it working.

Wipe the inside of the glass down, do a 75% water change and complete gravel clean. And clean the filter before treating.

Increase surface turbulence/ aeration when using medications because they reduce the dissolved oxygen in the water.

 

[Jim Lay]

Do not overdose. Loaches are scaleless fishes and need a lower dose of medication. Check directions on the packaging for treating scaleless fish.

To work out the volume of water in the tank:
measure length x width x height in cm.
divide by 1000.
= volume in litres.

When you measure the height, measure from the top of the substrate to the top of the water level.

There is a calculator/ converter in the "How To Tips" at the top of this page that will let you convert litres to gallons if you need it.

Remove carbon from the filter before treating or it will absorb the medication and stop it working.

Wipe the inside of the glass down, do a 75% water change and complete gravel clean. And clean the filter before treating.

Increase surface turbulence/ aeration when using medications because they reduce the dissolved oxygen in the water.

Hi Colin
The 'Tips' are very useful. I used a reduced dosage; as a starter. The good news is that, already, the patch has visibly reduced in size - a good beginning. Second 'reduced' dose on Saturday.

 

[Jim Lay]

Hi Colin
The 'Tips' are very useful. I used a reduced dosage; as a starter. The good news is that, already, the patch has visibly reduced in size - a good beginning. Second 'reduced' dose on Saturday.

Sad to say that my Loach has died. It looked as if the treatment was working but,yesterday evening, I saw that Loachey-Mac-Loach-Face had suddenly died. Sadness.
Thanks for all the help.

 

[Colin_T]

sorry to hear the fish died

 

[Jim Lay]

sorry to hear the fish died

My other loach is looking great and doesn't appear to be missing its buddy - but who knows knows what goes on in their heads.
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