He's got 3-4 Ancistrus as tankmates. Can they bite/suck a wound like that?
Fahaka - strange wound
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Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
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Fahaka - strange wound
My Fahaka got a really strange wound last night. I'm not worried about the fish - I'm sure he'll be fine. I'm more curious about what happened.
He's got 3-4 Ancistrus as tankmates. Can they bite/suck a wound like that?

He's got 3-4 Ancistrus as tankmates. Can they bite/suck a wound like that?
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Re: Fahaka - strange wound
That sure does look like a bite--their skin is so very thick though. Is that his white flesh showing?
I don't think a pleco would do that.
I don't think a pleco would do that.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
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Re: Fahaka - strange wound
I dont know what the white stuff is... Maybe bacteria? But its not like that usual "cotton like" stuff... Suppose it could be his flesh 
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Re: Fahaka - strange wound
Nice bunghole shot, BTW! 
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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Re: Fahaka - strange wound
I dont know, thats why I askedpurplecandle wrote:heater burn?
or doesn't high nitrates or nitrites cause spots sometimes?
Hahahaha! Yes XD The focus were right onPufferpunk wrote:Nice bunghole shot, BTW!
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Re: Fahaka - strange wound
I'm also thinking more than likely heater burn too. I can't see much else getting though that tough, leathery exterior. Have you noticed him sleeping near the heater?
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
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Re: Fahaka - strange wound
Nope, he's rarely in the same corner as the heater. He sleeps under a big log in the opposite corner.
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Re: Fahaka - strange wound
Melafix should help heal that with less scarring.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
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Re: Fahaka - strange wound
Ok, thanks!Pufferpunk wrote:Melafix should help heal that with less scarring.
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Re: Fahaka - strange wound
Remember to add an extra airstone or Powerhead while adding Melafix, as it takes a lot of dissolved oxygen out of the water. Otherwise, he should heal just fine.
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Re: Fahaka - strange wound
My ehim 2078 splashes ALOT at the surface so there shouldn't be a lack of oxygen... I hope
Thanks for your help. I'll post again if he gets worse :/
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carlov2004
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Re: Fahaka - strange wound
maybe he swam into the log .....mine did that once and cut himself bad just below his eye, he was fine though wanted to be feed as soon as he did it lol nothing keeps Donnie from his food!, healed in about 4 months, left a tiny scar, id say the white is flesh but does look a bit like a bite on puncture wound from the wood, id use melifix in there to help the healing
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Re: Fahaka - strange wound
This is from November, I'm sure the wound is healed by now. 
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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Re: Fahaka - strange wound

This is the wound today