Tetra Has A Huge Chunk Out Its Body! Pics Included!

[Byron]

I would suggest that the initial cause for the chunk missing from the Flame Tetra was not the rummynose, nor likely any of the other tetra.  One can expect fish to pick at such openings after the fact, but not cause them.  Akasha, in your dad's situation, was that a rummy?
 
Since you mention knocking a fish on its head...that is actually the quickest and probably kindest method to euthanize a fish.  I've been doing this for years, and in an article in PFK a year or so back it was mentioned as the best.  Clove oil is not as quick, nor is freezing, but a sharp knock to the fish kills it instantly with no pain.  I net out the fish, wrap it in a paper towel, and give it a good smack with my hand on a hard surface.  The paper towel quiets the fish and contains it, you can imagine the alternative.  But it is instant.
 
Quick comment on the eye issue...fish with both eyes have very close to 360 degree sight.  Losing half of that will obviously have a serious implication for the fish.  They can survive months sometimes if they somehow adjust and nothing else picks on them.
 
Byron.

 

[Akasha72]

.  Akasha, in your dad's situation, was that a rummy?
 

 
No she's a black ruby barb. He started out with 4 female black rubies and a male. He also had 5 gold barbs. Pretty soon he found the gold barbs were missing their dorsel fin - one had a huge hole in it's back for months until it got 'finished off'
Dad got up one morning to find his male black ruby trapped in a hole in a piece of bogwood. He tried to free him but it was too late. He died minutes later. Once he was gone this one female went mental and she's set about killing all her tank mates. He's lost all his gold barbs now and now all that is left is two oto's and two black ruby females - one of which spends all it's time hidden under his internal filter ... if she so much as ventures out of her hiding place the other female attacks her. They're now around 4 years of age and so their time is limited. He's wanting to re-stock but darn't because of this single female ruby barb.
 
Anyway ... I'm hyjacking the thread ... sorry

 

[Byron]

 

.  Akasha, in your dad's situation, was that a rummy?
 

 
No she's a black ruby barb. He started out with 4 female black rubies and a male. He also had 5 gold barbs. Pretty soon he found the gold barbs were missing their dorsel fin - one had a huge hole in it's back for months until it got 'finished off'
Dad got up one morning to find his male black ruby trapped in a hole in a piece of bogwood. He tried to free him but it was too late. He died minutes later. Once he was gone this one female went mental and she's set about killing all her tank mates. He's lost all his gold barbs now and now all that is left is two oto's and two black ruby females - one of which spends all it's time hidden under his internal filter ... if she so much as ventures out of her hiding place the other female attacks her. They're now around 4 years of age and so their time is limited. He's wanting to re-stock but darn't because of this single female ruby barb.
 
Anyway ... I'm hyjacking the thread ... sorry
 

That behaviour is a bit more expected with barbs.  The Black Ruby is probably the calmest (except perhaps for the Cherry) of the barbs, some of which can be very nasty.  I've had a largish group of over 12 black ruby barbs for a few years now, with no issues, but stress can cause changes and this is a volatile group of fish.  B.

 

[Akasha72]

I warned him Byron ... and he knew himself being a fish keeper of over 40 years but he fancied some barbs and so took the risk. He's now considering some cardinal tetra's or a big shoal micro rasbora's .... but he's got to wait until this evil *** dies

 

[TallTree01]

i have high hopes for my little guy as the hole has not gotten any bigger. In fact, it seems that it has actually shrunk by a tiny fraction. It's probably just psychological on my behalf.
The one eyed rummy has been with me for ages now. It's funny cos he rests at night with his empty eye hole facing the outside of the tank so he can keep watch on the inside.

 

[Akasha72]

I keep checking in and hoping that the lil guy survives ... and also that you can get to the bottom of how the injury came about

 

[TallTree01]

Guys, I come bearing miracles. The holey fish as I've come to call him has had his hole almost 75% shrunk! It is truly amazing how fast fish can heal from some such incredible damage. Of course I'll attach some pictures of my almost fully healed tetra. He's a hero for sure.

 

[Akasha72]

I was only thinking today that we'd not heard from you and I was wondering how the lil fish was doing. I'm so pleased to hear he's on the mend

 

[TallTree01]

Here is where he lives:


The white box in the top right corner is his lil hospital bed.



And here he is:


It's a peetty bad pic but you can see his shrunken hole.

 

[Munroco]

Great news, I'd have bet a lot of money on him recovering. That hole looked hideous

 

[TallTree01]

Today his hole is more of a crack in his almost fully recovered body. I'm very happy with the way things are progress and I should have him out with the others by Friday.

 

[smudge_]

Today his hole is more of a crack in his almost fully recovered body. I'm very happy with the way things are progress and I should have him out with the others by Friday.

fantastic news! What  tough little fish!

 

[LyraGuppi]

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Sounds like it might have been a burn, and that would heal, if given time. You made the right choice, obviously, by separating him/her. My guess is that it was not caused by the other fish, but that happened afterwards.

 

[Akasha72]

I'm so pleased