Constipated fish then sores on side

Hey everyone. I had a fish that looked like its spine started to become crooked. Everything seemed OK as he continued to eat and swim. At some point last week he started staying at the bottom of the tank and moving less so I knew something was going on in relation. He also developed bulges in his side. I noticed a small white looking lesion near the bulge. I decided to set up a hospital tank and remove him. As soon as I removed him, he went to the bathroom and the size of the feces was so large that I knew it was constipation. He went to the bathroom Three times within an hour or so, all of them very thick and large. At that point, the bulge disappeared for obvious reasons. I’m treating him with fix and pimafix, because it also looked like he was having some secondary issues like fin rot. Now he has these lesions on both sides of his body and they seem to have gotten bigger and darker. He is going to the bathroom normally now and I’m feeding him lightly. Any idea what these lesions could be? He is doing better and more mobile by the day but I’m curious if there’s anything else that I should do with this. I have not had Epsom salt but was debating it, which also led me to posting about the situation. Would it be recommended to add the Epsom salt to help with the healing? Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

Also, here is the day I put him in the tank. He is doing his business and you can see the larger stool and the lesion is smaller. They got bigger and after he cleared his bowels.

It's hard to diagnose from a picture, but that very well could be incurable and communicable Mycobacteriosis, from the shape of the lesion.

I’m crossing my fingers it’s not and that thought crossed my mind. I’ve had this fish since last May but not sure how long it takes TB to show any signs. I was also leaning away from the TB since the timing is all in sync with the constipation. The lesions are exactly where he was bulging and the spine issue corrected itself after he cleared himself. It’s baffling. Both sores are in the exact spot on each side which could be coincidence but again exactly where he was bulging so was wondering if it was injury.

Would trying epsom salt as well help? It either heals or continues I’d assume and then if it doesn’t heal would be exactly what you’re thinking; TB.

I know TB isn’t curable. I’m asking more to going through the motions in case it isn’t. It went from the little white spot to the larger brown in 2 days.

Mela and pima fix don't solve anything. They may be preventatives. Maybe. So the problem is unmedicated.

The monster poop is remarkable. Maybe it's connected, but... or maybe butt. It's odd. The squarish lesions are suspicious though.

GaryE said:

Mela and pima fix don't solve anything. They may be preventatives. Maybe. So the problem is unmedicated.

The monster poop is remarkable. Maybe it's connected, but... or maybe butt. It's odd. The squarish lesions are suspicious though.

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For sure. I’m baffled beyond belief and just at a loss. He’s getting better each day overall and moving more. Still eating great. Breathing returned to normal.

GaryE said:

Mela and pima fix don't solve anything. They may be preventatives. Maybe. So the problem is unmedicated.

The monster poop is remarkable. Maybe it's connected, but... or maybe butt. It's odd. The squarish lesions are suspicious though.

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Another idea that I was just reading. The sweeling was fairly large so an article I just read said possible bruising from busted blood vessels. Would make sense so I guess time will tell.

Well. Fish passed. Wasn’t anything I was thinking. Still no clue what happened. Looks like something ate its side. Assuming bacterial infection from the severe constipation. He went from a white spot to this.

A big piece of flesh and skin missing from that fish. It might have gotten caught on something and bacteria got into the wound. Looks pretty gross and painful

Colin_T said:

A big piece of flesh and skin missing from that fish. It might have gotten caught on something and bacteria got into the wound. Looks pretty gross and painful

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Both sides at the same place had this. Both were white spots, then this.

Now I have another Tetra that disappeared and a Gourami about to die. All in the past 2 days. I can only assume it is my high PH now (unrealated to this fish). My PH was always 8.2, but it is now 8.8 and at a damn loss. I keep losing fish and finally came to find what my water is doing. Spoke about it in my intro thread and have well water. PH out of the faucet is 7. After 24 hours, 8.8. KH at 140ppm or higher (was 9 drops on the API test kit). I was really hoping to not have to offset with RO, but looks like I have to so I can get these numbers in a better range. Going to try a 50/50 of tap/RO and after a few changes should start noticing a drop in PH.

I love having fish, but its becoming a pain with my trash well water.

what's the GH?

a pH of 8.8 won't kill fish unless they come from acid water or are wild caught.

Colin_T said:

what's the GH?

a pH of 8.8 won't kill fish unless they come from acid water or are wild caught.

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It may be higher. API kit only goes to 8.8. Tried the test strip version and showed 9.

If its the p.H thats the problem, certain driftwoods can lower p.H.

Sir Guppy said:

If its the p.H thats the problem, certain driftwoods can lower p.H.

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Even with the KH up? I keep reading that KH being high will make the ph near impossible to fight.

I do not know if driftwood affects the Kh or not. I wish I did though!
I do know that crushed coral can raise KH. Do you have any of that in your aquarium?
*edited for grammar