Big Hole In The Gill!

[fishoz]

hi, i have a molly in my 40 litre tank, living with four platys and another molly. he had an bacterial cotton-like infection on his gill which i treated with primafix, and it is definatly improving. the cotton has almost gone. however, there is a relatively large hole in his gill, and i fear that is has grown. i can see inside his body through it. i explained to the woman in the pet shop that he had a hole in his gill as well as the cotton, and she reckoned the primafix would be good for both. i'm continuing it's use but is there anything i can do for him? i don't want him to end up with a huge hole and i fear he won't last like this. also i don't have loads of money to splash around and i live in australia so i don't know what's available here

thanks

 

[WILDER]

Can you post water stats please in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.
Any sharp ornaments in the tank.
Do the gills look pale with excess mucas or red and inflamed.
Any signs of flicking and rubbing.
Do the gills look swollen.
Holes in gills can also be fish tb.

 

[fishoz]

ammonia: 0 ph: 7 i don't know about nitrate, but i change 30 % of the water one or 2 times a week.

there aren't any sharp objects, just two ornaments i bought from a pet shop; ones a fake half log for them to swim through, the others a large fake rock

i have noticed he tries to rub himself against other fish which is worrying because i don't want them to catch it.

there's no mucus and it doesn't look swollen, in fact it's quite a clean hole.

also i'm quite sure that when he had the cottony stuff, there was an ucler there, so could it be a burst ulcer that's left the hole?

 

[WILDER]

I would take a sample of your water to the lfs and ask them to write the readings down for you.
Ulcer can turn into a hole.
have you added a bacterial med?
Fungus can grow on dead tissue.
Also ulcers can be caused by parasites.
With flicking and rubbing I would get your water tested first just to make sure its not that.

Any excess mucas on the body of the fish.
Does the fish swim in a jerky movement.
Does the fish dart around the tank.

 

[fishoz]

what's the lfs?

yes the primafix i used to treat the cotton is a bacterial med

Any excess mucas on the body of the fish. nope
Does the fish swim in a jerky movement. actually a little yes
Does the fish dart around the tank. a bit. but other than that it's acting normal.

 

[WILDER]

Pimafix is no good on a bacterial infections.
If the fish are swimming in a jerky movement and darting the ulcer could of been caused by parasites.
Need water stats.

 

[fishoz]

well the primafix worked on the infection but not the hole. im taking him to the pet shop vet tomorow see if they can help, if not ill ask them to put him down because the hole is getting bigger

 

[WILDER]

Holes can be caused by ornaments or spikey plants that have ripped the gill, bacterial, or fish tb.
I would look into fish tb aswell as holes in gills can be fish tb,.
I would maybe think of issolating the fish and try a bacterial med.

 

[fishoz]

hmm i took him to the petshop but the guy i spoke to didnt seem to know much, just gave me some bacterial meds.

the fish doesnt seem to be getting better, his hole doesn't actually look through his body, just pink flesh exposed beneath. his mouth and 'chin' are also affected. its weird though he's swimming round like he's perfectly normal!

 

[WILDER]

You really need antibiotics in isolation.
What med has he given you.

You really need antibiotics in isolation.
What med has he given you.