Fish With Ulcer, Now Poop Coming Out Of Site :-s Help!

[shellyboylan]

ok, so 2 weeks i thought my fish was pregnant, a few days later on returning from work she had a red lump on her side tinged with blood - it looked like she'd been attacked so put her in the breeder tank on her own. just to be safe got an opinion from local pet shop - she was diagnosed with an ulcer, she's been under home treatment for a week and the site appears to be healing well....apart from 1 thing - she is now pooping from a hole on the ulcer! her new hole is about 4mm from her original one and it's definately poop coming out, looks like normal stuff, changes color with food type etc. only different thing is that it doesn't float off as quickly as it used to. anyway, i'm wondering if anyones ever had this problem with their fish before and if they survived? she's back to normal behaviour wise and eating normal too, the wounds definately healing. i don't know what to do! please help!

 

[Tolak]

What type of fish are we talking about here, what size tank, and what are the tankmates? Filling out this as much as possible will help; http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=2330

If the fish is healing the wound may heal up & the feces will start traveling the normal route. Plenty of water changes are needed, a little melafix will also help. Whatever you are doing, if the fish is healing you are headed in the right direction. You want to try to head off any secondary infections from the wound.

BTW, welcome to TFF!

 

[shellyboylan]

now i feel like an idiot, didn't realise i'd not added that bit, she's a blackwidow/blackskirt tetra

tank size :96L
tank mates:various small tetras, another black widow tetra, plecos small silver dollar guppys n 2 goldfish (know they shouldn't be there but they're healthier there) all peaceful apart from the mother guppy who just had babys but she's in breeder tank
ph 6.5 amonia 0.2mg nitrite 0
using melafix (sp?) directly on wound and treating tank 1c daily
no new additions, new babys born in tank 2 weeks ago.
water change - 30% weekly - fortnightly, 50% if any problems (no change in the last 5 days, last change after fish became ill)


and thanks for the welcome, happy to be here

 

[LisaLQ]

With the ammonia reading it's possible you're overstocked, or under-filtered..erm..your tank that is. How long has the tank been running - was it completely cycled? What kind of plec is it - how big etc? In a 96l tank, you're better off rehoming him or putting him in another tank if you have a bigger one. They make so much mess, even as babies, that in so small a tank you're unlikely to be able to keep on top of it - hence the fish health probs.

Good luck!

 

[shellyboylan]

i think it's the goldfish that are the worst for amonia, i usually keep it under control with the water changes but i don't want to disturb all the fish at the moment they're seeming fine and it's not gone up any also, does the melafix stuff usually change any readings?

thanks

 

[LisaLQ]

Your tank is trying to tell you something - you're overstocked, you either need a bigger tank or to rehome some fish, otherwise they'll all get unhealthy and stunted. Apart from the plecs who will just keep growing. And growing. If we're talking bog standard common plecs, they can get to 12-18". 96l tank isn't going to be big enough for even the goldfish on their own. Your little fish should be fine though, if you move or rehome the main offenders

 

[shellyboylan]

if they get too big they'll be moved to a bigger tank, at the moment the plecos are about 7/8 inches in a 3 1/2 ft tank and the goldfish are about 3 inches, all the fish are doing fine apart from the blackwidow - even she's doing brilliantly now. getting a new tank this afternoon for the baby guppies so looking forward to them having their own space too. still hoping blackwidow is going to have a 100% recovery, she's definately eating to try lol.

thanks to everyone who's replying btw