[Mustang Boy]

one of my cichlids last night was severely attacked most of his fins are torn apart and his sides are beat up really bad but he is still alive barely and i need to know what i can do to help him get better at the moment i have separated him into a bucket with an air stone be he isnt looking good i need to know what i can do asap

 

[roc-aquarium]

Just a few questions to try to help a little more:

1. What kind of fish is it that is injured?
2. What kind of fish caused the injury?
3. What other fish are in the aquarium?

Most injuries will heal themselves without any effort on your part. If the injuries are serious (and it sounds like they are) the first thing you need to do is isolate the fish (which you have). The bucket with an airstone is probably not going to be adequate. You want the fish in an aquarium with filtration. The unfiltered bucket will foul quickly and the injuries may become infected.

Once the fish is in a suitable tank you can add some tetracycline and chloromycetin to prevent infection. You can find these antibiotics at the local fish store or chain.

If your fish can handle it (you didn't say what type of cichlid it is), you can lower the tanks pH level. A pH of 6.4-6.6 would be best. To minimize stress on the fish lower the pH slowly. Dropping the pH quickly can cause the fish more problems.
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Hopefully this helps. Please post some pictures when you get a chance. Good luck...

 

[Mustang Boy]

1. it is a yellow lab about 2-3in
2. a zebra OB(male) did the damage about 2-3in
3. there is another yellow lab(this one is a hybrid and same size as the other 2), 4 rainbow fish(small) and a peacock eel(about 8-9in and very peaceful)

i went to the LFS and got an isolation box thing(hangs on the inside of the tank like a breeder box but without any holes in it) i have him in there in my little 10gal tank(tank only has tetra in it) and i have added melafix and stresscoat to the box with him and every couple of hours im gonna dunk the box in the tank so fresh water can get in it and after i dunk im gonna add a little more medication(less than half the amount i originally added)

 

[RickM61]

you only want to dose melefix as per recommended on the bottle...when you dunk that breeder you are going to put melafix in the entire tank which wont hurt the tetra..just wanted you to know that..but still keep the lab in the box as he will probably attack your tetra when he starts feeling better..

Rick

 

[Mustang Boy]

Bad news

Well i just went to go check on him and he was no longer breathing or moving i guess he was just too messed up to survive the whole ordeal

 

[MediaHound]

wow sorry about your loss

 

[RickM61]

sorry for your loss

 

[djrichie]

Sorry man