Black ghost knife fish illness/disease?

[Brookesoloh]

Hi, my knife fish is ill and I’m wondering if there is anyone on here who could tell me what the illness could possibly be?

My knife fish is about 7 years old now and has never suffered an illness or anything like that, but the last couple weeks I noticed a hole on his face, and it has been growing at an alarming rate ever since, it looks like the skin is rotting away?

I’m concerned whether he is struggling or in pain annd whether my other fish could catch what he has?

Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Looks nasty! What else does he live with in his tank?

 

[Brookesoloh]

Looks nasty! What else does he live with in his tank?

Yeah it’s bad!

I have a few neon tetras, phantom tetra, bristle nosed pleco, and some runny nose tetras but they all seem to get on fine which is confusing

 

[Ichthys]

they all seem to get on fine which is confusing

Why is that confusing?

Trouble with these electrical fish is once they get an ailment it's very hard to impossible to treat, since they respond very badly to the conventional treatments.
If it's competing with the BN for somewhere to sleep that could easily be the cause. The tiniest scratch can develop into this. I've kept a few BGKs over the years and learned not to keep them with any other bottom dwellers. No loaches, no catfish.

I don't think you'll be able to save this one.

 

[Brookesoloh]

Why is that confusing?

Trouble with these electrical fish is once they get an ailment it's very hard to impossible to treat, since they respond very badly to the conventional treatments.
If it's competing with the BN for somewhere to sleep that could easily be the cause. The tiniest scratch can develop into this. I've kept a few BGKs over the years and learned not to keep them with any other bottom dwellers. No loaches, no catfish.

I don't think you'll be able to save this one.

Ok thank you for the information really appreciate it!