This spot ain't normal 🤨

[2xHelix]

I recently brought in this (fella?) And noticed a spot that became darker in the days following arrival. Am treating with Sulfaplex and Metroplex and the low dose seemed to have helped the spot become lighter but it did not resolve completely. 

It is also doing this gasping action a few times a day- almost like something is caught in the mouth or trying to blow up with no success. 

Poor friend isn't too interested in food, although did just rip the face off a Colombian ramshorn and ignores bloodworms. 

Ph: 6.5

Nitrates/Nitrites: 0

Ammonia ( having an issue with no filtration, doing water changes to keep it low) .25

Temp: 76-78

 

Any help/thoughts are appreciated! 

[Cory]

If it were my fish, I would increase the pH to 7.0-7.2 or so. It looks like it may have live plants, if it didn't I'd be using aquarium salt as a long form treatment to fight off what ever it is, then helping in healing the wound. The picture makes it kinda hard to see what's going on there.

[Colu]

You say you have no filtration the gasping your seeing could be low levels of desolved oxygen I would add an extra air stone and  have you got a better picture 

[2xHelix]

On 4/27/2022 at 6:43 PM, Colu said:

You say you have no filtration the gasping your seeing could be low levels of desolved oxygen I would add an extra air stone and  have you got a better picture 

Apologies, clarification: I have filters running with no carbon inserts and just foam due to metroplex/sulfaplex treatments. There is a submersible filter providing surface agitation for oxygenation in this quarantine tank. (See pic)

 

Gasping began when the fish was brought home, not a new development nor changed with adjustments to filtration and treatments. 

Second pic is how it started, third is how the area progressed over one week. 

[Colu]

That looks like a bite wound off another puffer could have happened before you got him I would keep salt in the tank as Cory suggest that will help provent any secondary bacterial or fungal infection you could try soaking his food in garlic guard to help stimulate his appetite try feeding him some black worms or some shrimp or clam's 

[2xHelix]

On 4/27/2022 at 11:07 AM, Cory said:

If it were my fish, I would increase the pH to 7.0-7.2 or so. It looks like it may have live plants, if it didn't I'd be using aquarium salt as a long form treatment to fight off what ever it is, then helping in healing the wound. The picture makes it kinda hard to see what's going on there.

Do you mind sharing the dosage of salt you'd suggest?