BUTTERFLY FISH PROBLEM

[samsung-401]

My butterfly fish is sitting on the bottom of the tank, which of course is not natural. He is also breathing very rapidly. What is happening to him!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Also he has a small pink lump or bite mark on the side of his body. I don't know if it is causing it I thought I'd just add that in.

 

[wuvmybetta]

Hard to say. It doesn't seem like anything in your tank would have attacked him.
Have you tested your water?
Can you describe the bump a little more? Does it appear to be an open wound, a pimple...what?

 

[Link]

First of all I'd check your ammonia and nitrites. They should be around nil.
If they are nil and all the other fish are ok then the problem will be with the Butterfly and not the water.

If you can peer into his gills while he's in the tank that would be cool. If you cant I'd catch him as carefully as possible, always using two nets. One to guide the other to trap. With wet hands very gently lift the gill slightly just enough to peer inside. If they are red then that means he does not have gill problems and it will be something else.
If his gills are white and/or very pale then it means he has some kind of gill parasite. They take in the oxygen which makes the fish 'pant' to cope with it. If this is the case I'd treat the whole tank asap with a good medication like Sterazin by Waterlife. Just read the directions carefully on the bottle.

If his gills are red then it might be the wound thats causing him grief, although bacterial problems and wounds dont often cause fish to pant
Like Wuvmybetta said, if you can post more info on his wound that may help