Scratch On Red Tail Shark

[danzx2]

Hi,

The Red Tail Shark that I have managed to scratch itself on the metal weight on a plant. The fish is about 3-4 inches long and the scratch is on its side about 1 inch long.

Do scratches heal? It seems OK...

Thanks

Dan

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Hi and welcome to the forum .
What does the damage look like exactly and how is the RTS coping? Is it going pale at all? Fish often deliberatly "scratch" themselves on tank objects when they are trying to itch off parasites growing on them, so i would keep a close eye on his health to make sure he isn't developing any nasties on him.
Melafix is a good med for treating physical injuries with as it helps prevent secondary inefction setting into wounds, StressCoat dechlorinator will also help ease some of the sharks discomfort .

Make sure you are giving the shark a good diet as well, many people assume these fish will thrive off scavenging alone, but they really need their own food.
RTS are omnivores although their diet is much more veg orientated than high protein type food orientated. Foods like algae wafers, cucumber slices and TetraPro vegetable flakes are good, frozen bloodworms will also be readily taken as well- a good diet is the key to good health .

 

[danzx2]

Thanks!

Just appears like a light scratch. You can see a distinctive line. It looks to have gone past the scales and not much further. White in colour. Do you think this well heal up?

It seems fine, normal colour. I only put the plants in on Friday but didn't push them into the gravel. I'll push them in later.

I'll keep and eye on it.

Thanks again.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yeah it sounds like it should heal up, I'd treat the tank with melafix to aid his recovery and help stop the wound from getting infected.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Thanks!

Just appears like a light scratch. You can see a distinctive line. It looks to have gone past the scales and not much further. White in colour. Do you think this well heal up?

It seems fine, normal colour. I only put the plants in on Friday but didn't push them into the gravel. I'll push them in later.

I'll keep and eye on it.

Thanks again.

Glad to help .
Yes it will heal up, but i would advise treating the shark with melafix either way just to help keep the wound clean of desease- if any desease doe happen to set in (look out for cottony or slime-like growths around the wound in particular or the wound getting larger), Pimafix which is melafix's sibling med would be the best course of action as it is a stronger med for dealing with deseases/infections as it treats both external and internal bacterial infections as well as fungal ones.

Regular small water changes with dechlorinator will also help keep the water nice clean for the fish to heal in as well- another good food for red tailed sharks are frozen vegetable cubes for fish, you should be able to obtain these sorts of fish foods from your lfs (local fish store) .

 

[danzx2]

Thanks

I have a little video of my tank before the new plants were added.

www.zx2.co.uk/f2.wmv

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Thanks

I have a little video of my tank before the new plants were added.

www.zx2.co.uk/f2.wmv

Nice tank , i would be very wary of some of your fish though, the clown loach and sailfin plec will grow pretty big (clown loachs grow VERY slowly, but grow to 10inches+, sailfin pleco's on the other hand grow much quicker and usually grow to 18inches or more) and will need a bigger tank at some point depending on how many gallons your current tank is .

 

[danzx2]

Its 45 litres just under 10 gallons. I should hopefully be moving house soon and would like to get a bigger tank but if they out grow it before I move I have a few family members who can take them on.

Thanks



Just noticed your from Somerset. So am I!

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Its 45 litres just under 10 gallons. I should hopefully be moving house soon and would like to get a bigger tank but if they out grow it before I move I have a few family members who can take them on.

Thanks



Just noticed your from Somerset. So am I!

Yeah they will be out-growing your tank pretty quickly then, including the shark and gourami too (i don't know what the total amount of fish you have in there is).
The clown loaches need at least a 55gal tank, the sailfin plec will need at least a 125gal tank (at least 5ft long) and the shark will need at least a 3ft long tank (gallons is not important as long as the tank is at least 3ft long and 1ft wide/high), i'm not totally sure on what type of gourami you have but most gourami' species/types need at least a 20-30gal tank .

ps: cool, another somerset member on the forum !