Little circular holes?!

[Tony Vaughan]

You could if you like treat with Melafix. I have found this great in the past with lesions. At the time I found out that it was a Chinese sucking loach that found a liking for Discus flank and bored a hole right thought just under the dorsal.

It took me about 4 weeks of catching the fish daily at first and then every second / third day and dabbing the area with a cotton bud soaked in Melafix. Eventually it closed up.

I would still like to find the cause...........could it be a heat burn by any chance

Best Regards.................Tony

[Mark Woodhouse]

Hello Tony.
As i say, this is a complete mystery and never came across it in my life, that's why at 1st, i thought it might be my King Tiger Plec because the marks are about the same size as it's mouth, it's only small!
I also thought heater burn as well but then discounted this idea as there is a mark on both sides and not just the 1 as you would expect from a burn.
The fish is unfazed by whatever it is that has done it and swimming and eating the same as all the others and while it isn't getting any worse, i'd rather just keep doing the wt's and leaving meds out and seeing if it clears up eventually on it's own, which i presume it will do as part of a natural healing process.
I could do with Sherlock Holmes coming round, i think this would be his most baffling case!
Cheers mate!

[Tony Vaughan]

In that case I would do as you suggest and leave meds out and keep on top of the w/c's

Keep an eye open for more occurances and then you will have a better idea of what's causing it.

Best Regards.......................Tony

[Mark Woodhouse]

More problems!!!
When i bought the 5 wilds in 1 go, there was 1 that was nearly half the size of the biggest one's and more weedy looking than the rest and couldn't get to feed for the 1st 3 weeks of having him so i never thought he would last this long.
Last night when i fed them, afterwards i could see he was breathing very hard and heavy but it was late and i went to bed to have a look this morning.
This morning i came down and he was still breathing very fast and he was drifting in the current upside down and was having difficulties staying the right way up. His eyes are a bit duller and his fins are quite bitten so it's obvious the others have been pecking at him all night. At this minute he is stuck against the filter pipe and not looking good, so i think i'm going to put him out of his misery.
I didn't expect him to last this long anyway to be honest and bought all 5 (plus the other 1 i had bought already) expecting losses so i am still pleased in the 3 months i've had them, (touch wood!) things are going ok still!
Cheers!

[Tony Vaughan]

He's fewked.........be more concerned on the remainder :/

Any fish that is falling head over feet and letting the current carry them has lost it's mobility and IMO is beyond the point of return. The problem I've seen with Altums is that once they start to go they go downhill very quickly.

Just keep your fingers crossed that whatever has finished him off has not spread to the other fish.

Best Regards..................Tony

[Tony Vaughan]

How are things now Mark

Best Regards................Tony

[Mark Woodhouse]

Hi Tony!
The holes are getting no worse or no better so i might have to get some salt to help speed things along a bit.
These fish have transformed so much since i got them as skinny little Angels with the longest fins ever to fish that have started filling out and looking better week by week.
They do like chasing each other a lot but by and large apart from the odd ripped dorsal fin, they get along ok, i'm sure that out of the 5, i'm going to have 2 breeding pairs (in my wildest dreams!)
It's funny but they still don't like much other food apart from the flake so i have made sure i have mixed a good selection together,
Earthworm
Krill
Garlic
Beefheart
Brineshrimp.
They are fantastic fish and i cant wait until they are even bigger and more impressive looking!
Cheers, Mark.

[Tony Vaughan]

Thanks for the update Mark,

In that case you could try if you wish a broad spectrum bactericide that might help to clear it up. Just be careful which on you use.

Best Regards..............Tony

[Mark Woodhouse]

Hello again,
well the little red patches in the middle of the holes has turned black now so it looks like the natural healing process has started working with no use for meds.
I didn't know if the dark pigment would be missing when the holes were healed and would leave a broken bar on each side but at the minute, it is looking promising!
If you go on the TAFF II site and click on the 'photo section' and then on Chili's Altums, i have 4 photo's of mine on there if you care to look!
Cya laters,
Mark.

[Tony Vaughan]

Hi Mark,

Very nice fish and very nice clean tank too

Best Regards................Tony