Damage from aggression?

[Atitagain]

I have my African cichlids in a 75G parameters are stable and good. The nitrates ride a bit high at times up 50ppm max. I generally do 25%-50% water changes every 5 days or so depending on test. There is a red shoulder that is the tank boss and he can get very aggressive sometimes, been trying to get him out sooner but… Last couple weeks he’s been on quite the rampage. 3 days ago I noticed on one of my OBs what I thought was either a bite or damage from being chased around the logs in the tank. I salted the tank 1 tablespoon per 5G. It’s almost perfectly round, it has to be a cyst or ulcer or growth right?
 

made plan and moved some fish around then rehomed the red shoulder and two others into a 55G last night. As I was catching them on damaged fish I notice a reddish blotching on him. Then this evening when I checked on them his blotching got way worse.

Not sure if it comes through on the pics but he looks in bad shape: color off, scales look dry, and the blotching. 
none of other fish showing signs that I can see. Not sure what this is and didn’t want to just start guessing because I came across Ichthyosporidium when researching what was up and it says that it’s untreatable and need to isolate and euthanize infected fish and do a lot of prevention to stop spread. Could also be fin rot or red pest disease from what I am finding. Or am I over analyzing and it’s just damage from fighting the red shoulder?

these two ⬆️ Although it may look like blotching that’s natural, they are brothers I breed.

Edited November 27, 2021 by Atitagain
Title change

[Colu]

I think it more than likely damage caused by fighting if you not seeing any improvement with the salt you might want to treat with kanaplex or maracyn 

[Atitagain]

On 11/26/2021 at 9:34 PM, Colu said:

I think it more than likely damage caused by fighting if you not seeing any improvement with the salt you might want to treat with kanaplex or maracyn 

I believe it is damage now. I set up a QT and moved him then I got a good look, you can see a drag mark I guess would have to be leading into the major spot of the wound. Would the blotching be damage as well that I didn’t catch 1st night or maybe bruising that is getting darker? I believe so.

Like I said he is in QT now with water from that tank. Should I give it a couple more scoops of salt? Observe couple days then go with meds if no improvement?

[Colu]

It could bruising I would try salt for a couple more days 1 table spoon for 2 gallons if after that the wound is getting worse I would treat with kanaplex in food 

[Gator]

@Atitagain; It looks like a parasitic infection, you'll have to treat the entire tank for parasites, I can't stress enough the need to raise your tanks temps to 85 degrees. We have to remember that the Southern hemisphere is very hot all year round, I've never seen photos of snow on the shoreline of any of the rift valley lakes, or either of the Blue or White Nile Rivers, and I doubt you have either.

[Atitagain]

@Coluthank you very much will dose salt and monitor. Get meds on order so their here in a couple days.

 

@Gatorcan definitely do that. But are you just talking through treatment? Or full time?  Thank you for the help!

[Gator]

@Atitagain; You can do the meds and salt as @Colu suggests, salt isn't going to harm African cichlids, but my suggestion of raising the heat to about 85 degrees is a full-time matter to be used to prevent any future problems. Hey it works.

I've done this in all of my tanks for several months' now, ich goes dormant at 80 degrees so I've always kept my tanks at 82 degrees to keep ich down, but then I read an article on fish diseases published by the Minnesota Dept. of Fisheries that said that keeping our tanks at 85 degrees prevents fish diseases. I was skeptical at first but decided to try it in one tank as an experiment, WOW. Now all of my tanks are set for 85 degrees, or very close. My younger sister was so impressed, she decided to raise the temp in her tank.

What I've noticed is that my fish are healthier, but because they are cold-blooded, they're more active searching for food, and mating, and that's always a good thing.

I've also noticed that I can buy a new fish, let the bag float in the water until the temp in the bag matches the temp in the tank. I'll transfer some of the water in the bag and the fish into a one-pint Mason canning jar, pour some of the water from the jar into the tank, replace that water with enough tank water so the jar floats upright. I'll let it float for 15 minutes before changing half of that water, let the jar float for 15 more minutes before changing half of that water, and let it float another 15 minutes before I'll slowly pour that water and the fish into my tank. I've never had a problem with fish diseases after raising my temps.  

[Atitagain]

I can certainly give this a try . I have been keeping them at 78 for awhile now. Used to keep them at 82. Thinking on it they did seem happier then and showed better color.

thanks again