Silver Dollar's Body Falling Apart (Pics)

[Alex95]

Hi,

We have 2 Silver Dollars in our tank, however one of them has recently begun to literally fall apart! It began with looking like it's scales had come off, we assumed it was down to another fish attacking it so we took that fish to our local fish store. However things have gotten much worse since. After all the scales had rotted away, a hole formed so we could see right through it. A few days later the bottom of it's body has rotted away. We assumed it was some kind of ulcer at first so got some aquarium salt but it never seemed to help. We are positive there are no other fish eating at it, so it has to be some kind of disease right?


http/imageshack.us/photo/my-images/193/img0095sao.jpg/
http/imageshack.us/photo/my-images/29/img0099vkb.jpg/

You can see how it has gotten even worse within the space of a day from the 1st to 2nd pic.

Any help at all would be appreciated and perhaps save its life. Thanks!

 

[mark4785]

Hi,

Was the fish subjected to any physical trauma when it was caught? Based on past knowledge, body/mouth rot is typically induced by a high impact physical trauma beforehand.


I'm not sure how you would begin treating the fish given the state it is in I'm afraid. You could have applied some wound seal (manufactured by NTlabs) if it was a small wound but the tissue has completely disappeared.

 

[fluttermoth]

I honestly think euthenasia is the only humane thing to do. Either get someone to give it a knock on the head, or use the clove oil method, but I don't see how it can recover from trauma like that.

 

[Alex95]

I honestly think euthenasia is the only humane thing to do. Either get someone to give it a knock on the head, or use the clove oil method, but I don't see how it can recover from trauma like that.

We're not sure what to do. It's still swimming around and eating as normal so I think it would be a shame to put it out of it's misery without knowing for sure whether it will survive or if there is anything we can do help it. Would be great if anyone with more knowledge around this certain incident could help, maybe if something like this has happened to anyone before?

 

[fluttermoth]

The trouble is that, like most 'wild' animals, fish will not show how much their suffering in case it attracts predators.

Fish are remarkably resilient creatures and it's amazing what I have seen them recover from, but I've been keeping fish since 1973, and I can assure you, that fish is not going to recover from that kind of wound.

I can't give you a 100% certain diagnosis, as I'm afraid fish medicine is a long way behind other fields of veterinary science, but my best guess would be some sort of bacterial infection; something akin to necrotizing fasciitis I should think.

 

[loraxchick]

I've never seen anything like that. I actually gasped, and I'm not a squeemish individual. I'm afraid he will probably not survive. And also agree it is likly some sort of very virulent bacterial infection. Best I could suggest is getting some tetracycline. Can be tricky to find but much stronger than more usual antibiotics you find at chain petstores.
it would probably be most fair to the fish to euthanize I'm afraid.
all the best.
cheers