Red Hook

[plecoguy]

I bought 4 red hook silver dollars, and all have been doing just fine until recently, i know the black spots on some of them are normal, but 2 of them have round fleshy patches, they arent red or anything, but they look like a sore. Here is a pic of the worst one.

 

[red-devil0602]

Red or White Sores. Many things can cause sores on fish such as fights with other fish, scraping on sharp rocks, and small wounds that get infected and grow bigger.

A new small sore can usually be cured. Older or larger sores are more difficult to treat, but sometimes you can succeed, and treating your fish will make it less likely that other fish will be infected by the fish with the sore.

Here is a picture of a Monodactylus argenteus with a typical sore on its side. This fish should immediately be given all six steps of the Recommended Treatment. Click here for more information about Monos.

Picture from Brian N., Orland Park, Illinois


Quite often these sores are flat or cause a depression in the surface of the fish. Less often a sore may be a bump that is raised above the surface of the fish.

In all cases the Recommended Treatment is the same. Click here for more about a Recommended Treatment.

 

[tttnjfttt]

Red or White Sores. Many things can cause sores on fish such as fights with other fish, scraping on sharp rocks, and small wounds that get infected and grow bigger.

I really have to disagree with the previous poster. I think a sore that large is definately a sign of an infection, simply based on the size and also the fact that there are two of them. They may have showed up as the result of a fight or possibly something very sharp in the aquarium (remember, there are two fish that have had to sustain the same injury). That is also partially what is leading me to believe it is some sort of infection. Going throuh the process of elimination, I have never seen a parasite capable of that (thankfully). True fungus usually only attacks when there is an open wound already, so your fish may be vulnerable to it now, but I doubt that is the initial cause. It doesn't look like a tumor or growth of any type. That really only leaves a bacterial infection.

In all cases the Recommended Treatment is the same. Click HERE for more about a Recommended Treatment.

While most of this advice is good, the part that really scares me is the "Add Quick Cure". Wiht all the different possible causes of an open sore, some of which can be very lethal (columnaries for example), a general cure all is not good advice. Like I said above, I think it is something bacterial, but I have no clue what, so I am hesitant to recomend an antibiotic. At the same time, it isn't good to go around throwing every medicine in the book at your fish either.

I had a fish with a small sore like that, approximately 2-4 mm across, who died, and I treated him with both Maracyn and Maracyn 2. I know tetracycline is also a good one for some types of bacteria, as well as Kanamyicin (I know I butchered that spelling)

I would be hesitant to raise the temperature because some bacteria, columnaries for example, actually thrive at the higher temperatures, making the disease progress faster. The clean the tank is good advice, but make sure you don't go overboard and sent your tank into a minicycle either. Also, adding aquarium salt can help as well.

Hopefully someone will come on who knows a more exact diagnosis.

 

[red-devil0602]

what you wrote

I really have to disagree with the previous poster. I think a sore that large is definately a sign of an infection, simply based on the size and also the fact that there are two of them. They may have showed up as the result of a fight or possibly something very sharp in the aquarium (remember, there are two fish that have had to sustain the same injury).

what i wrote

Many things can cause sores on fish such as fights with other fish, scraping on sharp rocks, and small wounds that get infected and grow bigger.

this is what i said so why disagree with me and then make the same comment i don't understand

 

[tttnjfttt]

Many things can cause sores on fish such as fights with other fish, scraping on sharp rocks, and small wounds that get infected and grow bigger.

When I read this, it sounds like this is saying most likely this is something that really doesn't need to be worried about. I am saying, its time to worry and do something, as it is most likely infected. I did agree that a fight or sharp object was a possible orgin, however i think it is more likely this an internal bacterial infection that is also expressing its self outward.

The other thing that I disagreed about was the adding "quick cure" because the refering website does not give a definitive diagnosis of what the problem is, and without knowing what you are trying to cure, how can you treat it without massivly over medicating the fish.

I think I meant to put that line down further, or not break it up with a quote, because the biggest disagreement was in the how to treat the fish.

 

[red-devil0602]

ok cheers, you got me all confused before thanks for clearing that up

 

[tttnjfttt]

No worries. I'm being an insomniac tonight, so i'm sure that helps how clearly I am typing, considering I know my thougths are all over the place even when I'm totally awake.

 

[red-devil0602]

why where are you its mid-day here

 

[tttnjfttt]

I'm in California, USA. I was up from 3-6 AM, and back up at 7 for work.

 

[plecoguy]

ok so basically i still have no clue what to due...i personally have never seen this, and ive been working in my private fish shop for 2 years...im so confused. it really looks like the skin is just peeling back to reveal this fleshy looking sore. one fish has it in 2 spots, one dead center and one towards the dorsal fin, and the other fish has the huge sore as shown in the picture. i think im going to go ahead and treat with quick cure because i am now seeing spots of ick in the fish too, and i wanna keep that under control so it doesnt spread to everyone else.

 

[tttnjfttt]

Would you mind saying exactly what quick cure is?

The fact that this is spreading means it is contagious. Doesn't sound parasitic, tumors and growths aren't contagious, I can't think of any viral infections that cause open wounds. Seeing that you work at a LFS, that pretty much means your water stats must be good, or else you would have included them, so there goes that cause. To me, that means it must be something bacterial. Basically, using process of elimination. I know its generally not good to randomly treat, but sometimes you have to go through process of elimination at the cause.



Does my logic make sense?

 

[WILDER]

Ulcer Disease

Commonly known as "Hole in the side"
The first signs of ulcers are shallow, open sores,usually of a reddish colour,which appear on the body,and sometimes also on the fins.Unless immediate action is taken the disease can spread very quickly to all the other fish in the pond.
The infected fish should be removed from the pond and isolated in your hospital tank.Purchase a suitable treatment
from your local aquatic centre or pet shop and treat tank and pond immediately.

 

[WILDER]

http/www.fbas.co.uk/Ulcers.html

 

[WILDER]

http/fish-helpline.co.uk/health/ulcers.html