Reedfish with inflammation

[alex84aqua]

Hello

I have three Reedfish / Ropefish (Erpetoichthys calabaricus = Calamoichthys calabaricus) for over ten years. This species has as singularity what the swim bladder has the function of an accessory respiratory organ like a lung, it said it's worth.

Coming from a trip, I found that one of them has a significant inflammation. The inflammation is located in a particular area of the anterior half of body. It is most striking in lateral vision. It is appears to have the same consistency as the body, I believe. The fish seems a bit sluggish, but not much, it moves about the same as the normal ropefishes. No abnormal behavior (not adopt strange postures, no scratches ,...), just seems that inflammation is a burden for him to swim.

Stores and veterinarians from where I live (Asturias, Spain) can not tell me anything. Nothing more I discover it, I put the fish in a small separate aquarium, with the following multispectral treatment:
* 9-aminoacridine hydrochloride: 5.3 mg / 100 L
* Acriflavine chloride: 30 mg / 100 L
* Lactate ethacridine: 170 mg / 100 L
* Malachite green oxalate, 4 mg / 100 L
A week later, the inflammation remains the same. It has not increased or decreased. The fish remains the same.
I am thinking now Nifurpirinol treatment (25 mg / 100 L)

Please, I would greatly appreciate any help that allows cure my fish!

PS: Sorry for my English level, please.

[Scrup]

Almost looks like it has eaten something it should not have. Is/was there anything in the tank it might have swallowed?

Do you use salt in the tank? Was someone caring for them while you were gone?

After reading up on that medicine, make sure if you do use it to follow all the suggestions and take the needed steps. It will kill the bacteria in your filter, and will only work in a dark tank.

[alex84aqua]

Thanks for your reply

>Almost looks like it has eaten something it should not have. Is/was there anything in the tank it might have swallowed?
I also thought that the stomach is approximately at that point of the body, but I'd rather be wrong. I try to remove the uneaten food scraps to keep them from eating rancid remains (among other things), but I guess always some remains may be or they have eaten something decoration, I don't know.

>Do you use salt in the tank? Was someone caring for them while you were gone?
I don't use salt. While I was gone, someone took care of the aquarium, but this person did not know too well and the water quality deteriorated (if not, the fish would probably not ill).

>After reading up on that medicine, make sure if you do use it to follow all the suggestions and take the needed steps. It will kill the bacteria in your filter, and will only work in a dark tank.
The ill fish is treated in a separate small aquarium, with its own thermostat and filter. During the treatment, the tank is remained in the dark.

[toddnbecka]

May not help (but certainly shouldn't do any harm) try adding some epsom salt to the water. If it is a digestive tract blockage the epsom salt may help it along. In any case it will raise the general hardness of the water, which won't harm any of the fish or the tank in general.

[Sarkazmo]

It's asymmetrical appearance (or at least it looks like that in the pic) suggests to me that it may be a tumor. Is it definitely a male? Could this be a female with eggs?

Sark

[Scrup]

Ropefish are rumored to actually prefer salt. No full on seawater, but mildly brackish wont hurt (use sea salt)

Highly doubt it is eggs in its throat...

Kinda gross, and you may feel uncomfortable doing this, but I would try and take a peek down its throat.

Not forcing the mouth open, just holding it up in your hand so when it does open its mouth, you can see if there is any obvious obstruction.

Similar to this-


a toothpick or a soft qtip might help you get it open. I have read they are susceptible to a fatal skin fungus, due to contact with certain things (dry nets and dry cloth was what I read was the common trigger, could be due to damaging the slime coat), so I would do this as a possible last resort.

Please keep us updated!