Sick Severum Please Help!

[steveyates]

I have a 600 litre tank thats been setup for over a year. Ive got a problem with one of my large green severums. Its been in the tank for a couple of months with no problems. Last week without me noticing one of my heaters failed. I checked the temp in the morning and it was 19 degrees! I put in a spare heater and it slowly got to 25 degrees. since then he hasnt been right. Very slow movement and hanging at the surface or on the bottom. Breathing is slightly quick. Then yesterday I noticed a yellow/cream line on scales with red underneath them. This morning I checked and he is a lot worse. Red underneath scales and sticking out slightly round the area Nitrate is high but im due a water change. I change between 10 and 20% weekly

The tank has:
4 severums (2 are about 8 inches)
1 firemouth
2 angelfish
3 synodontis catfish
1 common plec
10 Black widow tetra
5 mollies
7 bristlenose plecs

ammonia:0
nitrite:0
nitrate:40

In the picture the area above the eye is the part im worried about. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks
Steve

 

[star4]

Hi, I have to admit I have not seen anything like this before, so I am going to be guessing. I have enlarged the photograph and spotted just up from the eye a small hole, like a pin hole. It almost looks like there are similar holes along the lateral line and near the base of the tail. Now it looks like lateral line erosion or hole in the head (same thing really different names), However I have never seen a reaction like that on your severum, unless bacteria has gone in through that small hole on the head causing the swelling and the white marks are bacteria under the skin, which could be columnaris, but again I have not seen it in this form.
 
Second guess would be again from the small pin hole above the eye if the fish has caught on something or one of the other fish may have a long enough spine to have "stabbed" him, but looking on the list of other fish leaves this theory a little out, unless your syno's have spikes on the end of their fins.
 
My guess is that this guy has a serious bacterial infection (or columnaris bacteria)  going on under the skin be it from HITH or a wound. Can you isolate him at all? he would need treating with an antibacterial medication, myxazin is good, esha 2000 is a good general all over medication also. Is he eating? if so see if you can get some brine shrimp in garlic and feed him that, the garlic will also help.
 
Sorry I am not much help as it is guess work why it is like that, but I would definately say treat with an antibacterial med.
 
Hope this helps.

 

[steveyates]

Thanks for the help. Got home from work and he looks even worse. Ive only got a 90l he can go in for now, so ill try him in that.
Ive not seen anything like this either and its happened so quick. The HITH was there when we bought them. They were in bad condition. ill try the esha 2000 and your other suggestions. Thanks again for your help

 

[star4]

I did wonder if it was HITH, poor fella. Try esha exit in combination with the esha 2000, you can do that according to their site, it may help combat the HITH and treat the infection all in one go. The 90l will be fine to use as a hospital tank, keep it dark to reduce stress, cover with a towel partially if necessary.
 
Best of luck

 

[steveyates]

He died!

Cant believe how quick he went. The affected area on his body had almost tripled in size and looked awful. 2 hours later he died. Bit gutted as he was the biggest fish in the tank. Thankyou for your help though. I can use it if I get any more problems.

 

[star4]

OMG that must be some bacteria, that was so quick !! I am sorry you lost him, he looked a lovely fish. I have severums myself 

 

[WILDER]

Bless Him,. Sorry for your loss.
R.I.P.
 
Did you see any yellow mucas or strings coming from the lifted scales?

 

[steveyates]

There was a lot of white/yellow round the scales and in the last hour or 2 the scales in the area above the eye were unrecognisable! Ive not seen anything like it before. All the other fish seem fine.

 

[WILDER]

Yellow strands, or even white strands coming from pitted  holes can be hole in the head.
Yellow cream substance can't think what that could be. Columnaris can look yellow but usually fluffy.
Red under scales can be parasites, septicemia. Wish we could tell you what the fish died from but it's not always easy.
 
Water changes. Keep an eye on other fish.
 
Good Luck.