Green Sunfish Needs Help

FranciscoB said:

Perhaps better photos of the wound would help but I don’t see a fungal infection. I would provide the best water quality, and just observe for now. It has only been a few hours. I would stop adding stress coat and any other things. They don’t help and can harm. If he recovers from having been out of water, I would just add some salt and daily water changes with dechlorinated water at the same temp and pH. He should make it and in a few days be back to perfect. Good save!!!

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Silvermist80 said:

Hello all,

I had a Green Sunfish (close relative to a Bluegill) jump out of my 100 gallon and wound up on the floor for a bit. I don't know how long he was out, but when I picked him up, he moved. I put him back in immediately and added some Stress Coat and Stress Guard. He looks to be doing ok except he looks to have perhaps a fungal infection on his side. I want to save this fish, he's got one hell of a will to live. These fish are amazing with what they'll survive. So I really want to get the diagnosis right the first time and what I should dose him with. I'm attaching a picture and please don't judge, he's currently in a drip box to convert him to my hospital tank, he's not staying in the small container. Please help! Thanks in advance!

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PheonixKingZ said:

Might have possible brain/swim bladder damage.

What other fish do you have in the tank?

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Silvermist80 said:

It's a total just Bluegill tank. A 100 gallon. He's in a 10 gallon hospital tank currently so the other fish don't bother him. I should say a Sunfish tank though because I have Bluegill, some hybrids, and a few Sunfish. All the same family of fish though. He swims ok and seems to be mostly ok except for the damage to his side.

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connorlindeman said:

How did you get the fish in the first place? It's illegal to take wildlife out of nature and keep them as a pet in Colorado.

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PheonixKingZ said:

Gotcha, probably just a little disoriented because of the fall. Is he swimming/floating upright? Or leaning to one side?

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Silvermist80 said:

When I first put him back in last night he was on his side. Today he was swimming normal, but hiding in a corner of the tank, so made it hard to see his damaged side at first. So I moved him to a quiet 10 gallon to recover by himself with lots of fake plant cover (I don't do live plants in my hospital tank with potential meds being added) and the light off. He's just chilling out in there. All the other fish in the big tank are fine, so I think it's just his brush with death that caused everything.

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PheonixKingZ said:

That’s good, sounds like he just needs time to chill and recover.

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Silvermist80 said:

It's actually not with Bluegill, it is legal to take them out of the wild and keep alive or dead because they are considered a bait fish. I did my research.

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