Skin Damage On Dojo Loach

[KERRY CALVERT]

My dojo has this large open wound that appeared seemingly overnight. I attached a photo.

He has had something similar before in the same area which I attribute to him either slapping the glass edge on the aquarium top, or sleeping wrapped around the filter tubes with his tail touching the heater.

But I also wonder if this is some sort of ulcer or bacterial infection.

Anyone have an idea of what this might be, and an appropriate treatment?

 

[Gypsy13]

Describe it to me? In detail? I’m blind. Thanks.

 

[2211Nighthawk]

@Gypsy13 White ring, pink and meaty on the inside. It could be a burn.

 

[Gypsy13]

If it is an injury such as a burn, keep the water absolutely as clean and correct as possible. Watch it very closely for any changes. Healing good, secondary infection not. Try to keep it from becoming stressed.
Keep us posted please? Post another pic later today?

 

[KERRY CALVERT]

From the center of the wound which is exposed muscle about 1/8" in diameter, it is white tissue, the total diameter of the wound is about 1 inch.

The burn hypothesis is supported by the size of the tank heater he likes to sleep near. But to the touch, the heater is only warm, not hot (set to 80 degrees Fahrenheit). So unless the skin is extremely sensitive to heat it is not certain it is a burn.

He does sleep like a rock, I once found him motionless and when I touched him he did not move so I thought he was dead. I put him in a net and as I was pulling him out he woke up. So he could have lodged his tail against the heater for a very long period of time and not noticed he was damaging himself.

 

[KERRY CALVERT]

Oops, I mis-typed. The exposed muscle is about 7/8" in diameter, not 1/8".

 

[Gypsy13]

Who else is in this tank?

 

[2211Nighthawk]

I’ve seen burns like that on other fish, so I’m wondering if you could put a guard on it? There’s some easy DIY ones with PVC pipe and a small pump.

 

[KERRY CALVERT]

The loaches took a big turn for the worse. The wound in the photos has increased about 50% in size, and there is more muscle tissue loss. The other loach now has a .75" diameter white spot that looks like will replicate the other's problem.

This is clearly some sort of flesh eating bacteria. Consulted with a vet and have given the fish a dose of an antiseptic called antiflavin.

Neither fish is eating, and they go listless and just float upside down or vertical for a bit and then go to the tank bottom and lie dormant.

I am afraid they won't make it through the night unless this antiseptic can halt the bacterial infection very quickly.

 

[2211Nighthawk]

Aw no... hoping for the best.

 

[KERRY CALVERT]

this turns out to be some sort of horrible fastly destructive and highly contagious disease. The dojo in the photo died a horrible death today. The wound increased to almost totally consume his tail with massive loss of flesh and the skin contagion attacked the rest of his body as well.

The other dojo is dying an equally horrible death, as it seems his internal organs are infected, and he is hemorrhaging tissue out his gills.

We moved the dojos to a small tank to apply the medication an moved the catfish that were also exhibiting the white skin lesions, and added API fungus cure which seemingly did not help as all fish are on a trajectory to death.

I am seeing no signs of the fish in the 100 gallon take having symptoms, but added a recommended fungus treatment to that tank as well.

It is frustrating because I feel like I am guessing. It is hard watching these pets die horribly and feel like euthanization would be warranted, but I am not sure of what is going on and don't want to take that step if the medications just need a little more time to combat this disease.

 

[2211Nighthawk]

If it’s that bad, I’d euthanize. Clove oil is the best option.

 

[KERRY CALVERT]

The one dojo has survived the bacterial infection, but he cannot control his swim bladder. Either he spent so much time breathing air directly he system cannot adjust, or the infection damaged the bladder.

I am going to keep administering anti-biotics for 2 more days which would be a 5 day dosage and if he has not recovered bladder functionality, euthanize him. He is obviously miserable spending all his time floating on his back, and once in awhile fighting to right him self and attempt to swim, but the buoyancy overwhelms his strength and he comes back to the top.

 

[KERRY CALVERT]

My suspicion about the infection is that it was the catfish pellets that carried the bacteria. I have used these pellets and just bought a new supply and the next day after using them this happened. None of the other fish in the aquarium that do not eat these pellets were infected.

I put this type of pellet in the 100 gallon aquarium when I was prepping it for first use to get the bio cycle going, and within a few days the pellets had a white fungus growth about the size of 1/2 a golf ball. So it is a very active culture.

 

[Qwerty123]

Hi, I'm currently having this exact problem with my dojo loach.
Did anything help? I thought he was improving after half doses of Melafix but now that I moved him back to the main tank he's back to floating and more sores are popping up.

(Approx. 1 year old; 8 inches long; was in 20 gallon hospital tank at 75°f then moved to 60 gallon main tank [also 75°] with three large fancy goldfish and a juvenile goldfish; water parameters are fine in both tanks).

 

[KERRY CALVERT]

The antibiotics were administered for 5 days and antiseptic drops added to the water and he recovered. He is blind now, but has a very good sense of smell and finds food with no problem.

He was very close to death, but was a total warrior fighting for life.

 

[Sarah Kim]

The antibiotics were administered for 5 days and antiseptic drops added to the water and he recovered. He is blind now, but has a very good sense of smell and finds food with no problem.

He was very close to death, but was a total warrior fighting for life.

Kerry, I am having this same issue with my loach, though he has had it since July. What type of antibiotic did you use? And anything else in the treatment? Thank you so much for your help!

 

[KERRY CALVERT]

I used API Triple Sulfa.