Pickle has a sore...help

[troublelunsford]

Pickle is a 12 inch Fahaka puffer, she is in a 75 gallon tank at the moment. We just moved to a new house about 3 weeks ago so her tank might not be cycled yet but the test doesn't look too far off. Pickle's only tank mate is a large Plecostomus (sail fin?). Two or three days ago we noticed a white circular mark on her side. We have dosed her tank two times with Melafix, but she gets VERY mad when we do. We were thinking the her "friend" bit her. I do know the water here at this house has a ph of about 8 out of the tap and the old house was less then 6. Her tank is now at 7.2 almost to the 7 we keep her at at the old house. Please let me know what yall think this could be. The two of them have been housed together for more then a year.

Thanks for your help

 

[Colu]

Looks like  tissue damage it could have been your sail fin plec what I would do is a course of kanaplex or maracyn2 to prevent any secondary bacterial infection as melafix is more like a mild antiseptic treatment I wouldn't use it for anything more serious@mountaintoppufferkeeper has more experience with puffers so maybe he can chip In 

[troublelunsford]

Thanks, Colu 

 

[mountaintoppufferkeeper]

@Colu thats a tough one @troublelunsford I havent ever had that particular issue. Are the marks growing? 

 I did have a puffer who punctured themselves on some driftwood and eventually healed. That was a deeper wound annd not quite that look. 

Are the marks growing? I cant imagine a fahaka puffer letting itself get gnawed on like that but anything is possible.

Ive seen a more shallow white mark like that on a hairy puffer before who would lay against a heater regularly. I have no idea if heaters burn but it seemed like a burn to me. That puffer is fine 6 years later.

Could that have been caused by pickle lying against a heater or running into decor and getting a scrape ?

In general I use meds as a last option change water observe behavior while the puffer is eating and when they are hanging out throughout the day after an injury. 

I just stick with the COOP med trio when I need a med. I have not tried the melafix but if i were treating a wound like that id also try antibacterial med. 

Anyone else have experience with similar looking disease/injury? 

 

[troublelunsford]

Thank you so much for getting back to me, I put a cover over the heater and am keeping an eye on her for now. Both spots look the same and she is acting like herself. I'll update yall in a few days.