FH Infectious Dis F

FAQs on the Flowerhorn Cichlid Disease: Infectious (Bacterial, Fungal, Viral)

Infectious diseases are almost always secondary: Caused by poor environment, nutrition.

Flower horn injury or disease 8/29/15
Greetings WetWebMedia team
I have a female flower for almost 3 yrs now, three weeks ago I bot a new 150 gallons tank and put the fish in that, I also have 5 parrot fish and two chiclid along with it, recently I found few injuries on my flower horn.
Find attached images for better understanding (injury near the tail).
Please advice on what has happened to my flower horn and how to take care of it. I am very found of my flower horn and have been taking good care of it since 3 yrs please advice on what to do.
<Hello Mohamed. Looks like a slightly infected bacterial wound. If water quality is excellent it will probably heal without medicine. But I'd add an antibiotic or anti-Finrot medication as a preventative. More important is figuring out why this fish is injured. Some of these cichlids might be fighting, or at least being boisterous enough for this Flowerhorn to be scared and jumped into something. Check there aren't any jagged rocks in the tank. Sometimes "Plec" catfish cause these wounds too. Cheers, Neale.>

re: Flower horn injury or disease 8/29/15
Thanks a lot, much appreciated
<Welcome. Neale.>
re: Flower horn injury or disease 8/29/15
Can you also tell me names of the medication and where I can find them.
<Here in the UK, I'd be using eSHa 2000. Reliable and good value. Don't forget to remove carbon from the filter while using medication. Neale.>

Swollen bumps on sides of Flowerhorn 5/24/12
Our Flowerhorn has bumps on his sides and we are wanting to know if they are a major abnormality or something that we can treat for. Please see attached photo but in real life it almost makes you think he swallowed a marble or something because of how dramatic the bumps look. He has not had any changes to diet and acts alert and swims around excited to see us when we give attention to him.
Thanks,
Keith & Kelly
<Hello Keith and Kelly. It's hard to be sure if this is an idiopathic tumour (i.e., one without any obvious cause), Dropsy or Constipation. Do have a read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/GFgrowthsFAQs.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FHParrotDisArtNeale.htm
Does anything in those pages seem relevant? Cheers, Neale.>

Red streaks on Flowerhorn fish 1/13/12
We have a female Flowerhorn little more than 1 year old. Off late red patches have developed on her body. Especially the underbelly, dorsal fin, around the gills and the nuchal hump. Even the periphery of her mouth seems to be reddened. Also on the head there is some black/green mark looking like some growth of fungus. She is very active and her appetite remains normal.
<Good>
We generally feed her with Grand Sumo 25-30 pellets thrice daily which we have now reduced to 20-25 pellets. Ours is a 14 gallon aquarium
<Ahh, too small... most of these cases of errant markings can be attributed to aspects of water quality and stress from environmental issues. Larger space is required>
with a normal power filter with 172 gallon per hour filter rate. The water is maintained at 82.5 0F.
<Too high... I'd keep in the mid 70's if possible>
We have changed the entire water of the aquarium after these symptoms started appearing however these symptoms seem to persist.
We have attached her photos taken today along with some previous photos to assess degree of redness. (Image 411-previous, Image 732-present)

Please advise what is the problem with the fish and what needs to be done.
Looking forward to your immediate reply.
Thanks in advance.
Manoj P.B.,
Mumbai, India
<Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/FHDisF4.htm
and the linked files above, particularly FH System FAQs. Bob Fenner>

Short body Flowerhorn Bacterial Infection (?) 12/31/11
Dear Crew,
<Shami>
I am attaching the picture of bruised my Flowerhorn. I will really appreciate if you can take a look at it and let me know what possibly this could be?
<... poor water quality leading to stress, reduced immunity, now secondary bacterial infection. This fish is on its way out>
I was treating her for bacterial infection for last three days with Terramycin with daily water change, and yesterday I gave her a tablet of Metrodanizole,
<... of no use here>
too. This morning she did not look very well, so I did 50% water change,
<There appears to be mulm on the bottom... what re water quality, test results?>
and added only Terramycin and little bit of Epsom salt. Also, yesterday, she banged in to a rock, but I did not notice a bruise.
However, since this afternoon, I feel the bruise is getting bigger and worse.
Please, please let me know what this is, and how can I cure it. I researched and I am scared if it is hemorrhagic septicemia or contusion.
Thank you for your valuable time.
Shami.
<... Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/FHDisF4.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Pls find what disease my baby short-body FH has; I think it is fin rot -- 12/08/09
Hi There
<Hi Push.>
1 week ago, I have bought 2 inch short-body male FH. he has black like thing on fore head, fin and tail. I asked fish shop owner what was the black things over the body. he said it just a color. after few days the black color was fading but a day before yesterday, I saw my FH has black spot on gill and middle of his body.
<Your Flowerhorn will change color as he ages, but your observance that the "color" has come and gone, and is now in different places, means this isn't normal coloration.>
and the tail has become white at edges and is dissolving and also split into two. sometimes he rub his body over stone.
my friend said he has fin rot disease,
<This could absolutely be the case. Also, the rubbing over the stone (this is called "flashing") is most likely as a result of the same causes as the Finrot -- the poor water quality that's present in the tank.>
so I have done 50% water change and
added anti-fungus medicine and salt. raised the tank temperature to 28 C.
<The water change is doing the most good for him here. The anti-fungal is a good idea in theory, but he most likely would have fought off this infection on his own if he had been completely healthy. There is a possibility he was having problems before you got him, but putting him in an uncycled tank has multiplied those problems. The heat and salt aren't going to do much here, and could even stress him out more. I'd stop with the salt -- it's not an effective treatment for fungus.>
he hide at corner all the time except during meal time. Could anyone tell me what disease my FH has.
<It does sound like he has Finrot, but without a photo, it's hard to be sure. He's also suffering from ammonia burn, which is what's causing him to flash against the rocks. There are likely a lot of other things going on as well, and all of them come down to your having placed him in an uncycled system. That's what this all comes down to -- placing fish into an uncycled system will produce varying symptoms in fish, but all of them can be fixed by fixing the water.>
what should I do to cure him.
<Fix water quality. Buy some test kits for Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate, and wait for the cycle to complete. You'll need to do large, frequent water changes in order to insure that toxic Ammonia and Nitrite are kept as low as possible. Do you run any other aquariums? Borrowing some "seeded" media -- media that contains the nitrifying bacteria necessary for the cycle to occur -- will help speed the process in the Flowerhorn's tank. If you don't have any, you could ask a friend to borrow some.>
click the link for photos of my FH
http://picasaweb.google.com/kpkant1234/FlowerHorn#.
<This takes me to the album site, but there is no photo on the page!>
P.S
he is in 30 gallon tank with power filter. the current in the tank is high.
the tank is in cycling process.
<This is your problem, Push. As stated above, get your hands on some test kits and start testing. Do those large, frequent water changes. Try to get a hold of some cycled media and place it in your filter. He's just not going to heal, no matter what you put in the tank, until water quality is pristine. I'd avoid putting anything else in the tank until you've got water quality under control, because adding various things is only going to stress him out more.
Here is a link that I think will be of help to you:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwestcycling.htm
Please write back if you have any questions.
--Melinda>
Thanks in advance
Regards,
Push

my baby is very poorly, this is my last chance -- 03/20/10
Flowerhorn Dying
Hi WetWebMedia crew!!! I've attach pictures of before and what it looks like at this moment.
I have a 11" Flowerhorn. When I got him, all was fine, eating well and feeding out off my hands, chasing other fishes, you name it he did it. One day I've notice he didn't want to know but I didn't think nothing of it until I've notice his lips started to get bigger. At this point I started to panic as my other fh had died of duck lips. I went to my local aquatic store and they told me to use jbl spirohexol with salt, so got back home, moved him to 1oo litres tank,30% water change ,temps down to 75-76. My local aquatic store tested the water and all is good and added jbl spirohexol and salt. It is now day 6 and not any better, in the 6 days I've done a 30% water change 3 time now and each time I done a water change, I've added the jbl spirohexol and salt. Until this day there is no improvement
and now I've notice he is starting to get cotton patches like soggy white bread on each side of his face and also just in his lips. I have spoke to 3 local aquatic stores about buying Metronidazole and they all haven't heard this make before. I am now so need your help as I do not want to lose him,. Please advice me on what to do. I look forward to hearing from you. regards.
<I have heard about this problem in a few large public aquariums and with other aquarists that keep large central American cichlids. It may actually be a virus that is untreatable and often fatal. I would try a combination of Metronidazole and Nitrofuranace in case this disease is something else. These medications can be bought online at drsfostersmith.com.-Chuck>

Fin rot dose or not? Pls help 5-1-08 Flowerhorn With Tail Rot and Bloat Dear Sir/Madam, Greeting of Peace! I would like to seek your advice because my Flowerhorn is so sick. About 2 weeks ago I noticed that his fin is like being eaten out. So I search the net and it said that the med to be given is Tetracycline. So I bought the meds, and left it there for a couple of days. When I came back last week his condition didn't improve. So I bought Metronidazole. Together w/ the tetracycline, changed again the water and cleaned the container. I have also noticed that his body flexed only to one side and noticed a bulge in his stomach. I was wondering what it is? I just thought that since he flexed at one side it could be an effect. But noticed today that the bulge became bigger and his anus seems inflamed (white in color). I tried to feed him today but he doesn't have any appetite. Yesterday he ate and passed a stool, same color and consistency. Please help me what to do. What proper medication do I need to give? Thank you in advance. Sincerely, Claire Philippines < I have heard that Tetracycline only works well in very soft water. I would recommend using Nitrofuranace for the fin rot. If it is severe then I would cut off the infected area back to health fin tissue and then treat the tank. The bloating sounds like an intestinal infection. The Furanace will help if the problem is bacterial. If it is caused by a protozoan then the Metronidazole should be used. I have used these in combinations without any side effects. If you fish is eating then try and feed him some medicated food with Metronidazole in it.-Chuck>

FH Fin rot dose or not? Pls help I think my fish is dying 5-1-08 Dear Sir/Madam, Greeting of Peace! <And you> I would like to seek your advice bec my Flowerhorn is so sick. 2 weeks ago I noticed that his fin is like being eaten out. So I search the net and it said that the med to be given is tetracycline. <One possibility, yes> so I bought the meds, and left it there for a couple of days. when I came back last week his condition didn't improve. so I bought Metronidazole together w/ the tetracycline. <Mmmm> change again the water and clean the container. I have also noticed that his body flexed only to one side and noticed a bulge in his stomach. I was wondering what it is, I just thought that since he flexed at one side it could be an effect. But noticed today that the bulge became bigger and his anus seems inflamed (white in color). I try to feed him today but he doesn't have any appetite. yesterday he eat and passed stool, same color and consistency. Please help me what to do. What proper medication I need to give? thank you in advance. Sincerely, Claire Philippines <Need information your system, water quality, history of care... Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/flowerhorndisfaq.htm and the linked files above... to gain a greater understanding of the sorts of data we're looking for, review others experiences. Bob Fenner>

My Flowerhorn Died due to Fungus and I need to replace the same. 10/3/08
Dear Sir,
<Hello,>
I am writing this mail from India. I had a Big Flowerhorn fish (Short Body - 2 Yrs Old) which Died yesterday due to Fungus all over his body. I had tried my level best to cure him by adding Rid-All Anti Itch and Rid-All General Aid along with a dose of Teramycine and Abson Salt as instructed by a Local Fish Dealer/ Breeder.
<None of these are anti-fungal medications...>
I have one more small Flower Horn Fish (2-3 Months old - Long Body) and I am thinking of keeping the same in the tank in which my existing Big Flower Horn was.
<No, you're really not thinking about this. Sit back, wait for the tank to stabilise, and check that the existing fish is healthy. Do water chemistry and water quality tests to make sure that you're maintaining the tank correctly. Don't do anything for at least 6 weeks.>
Request you to kindly guide me with the procedure to treat the tank before doing the same.
<No such thing. Your job is to review the needs of these hybrid cichlids, and then make sure you're offering -- consistently -- the conditions they need.>
Air Filter has been washed using warm water and the old oxygen pipes have been replaced with the new one as the same were in the infected water for more than 3-4 days.
<Irrelevant.>
Entire tank has been cleaned and fresh water has been added.
<Potentially dangerous if the filter has been damaged: understand this, the filter bacteria start dying within a few minutes of the filter being switched off. Many of the bacteria and fungi that cause disease are present in all aquaria, all of the time. Normally they are beneficial, playing a role in the nitrogen cycle by breaking down organic matter. If a fish develops Finrot or Fungus, that's because the fish was damaged or stressed, and those bacteria and fungi can infect the weakened fish.>
Do I need some extra care to be taken apart from the above so as to avoid the infection to the other fish which I may release in the bigger tank within a day or two ?
<You aren't adding any more fish for a few weeks... your job is to make sure you understand the needs of these hybrids, and are providing appropriate conditions. In other words, a 55+ gallon tank, temperature around 25 C, hardness above 15 degrees dH, pH 7.5-8.0. Water quality needs to be good: zero ammonia and nitrite, and nitrate below 20 mg/l. Realistically you need a canister filter offering 6x the volume of the tank in turnover per hour, that is, something upwards of 330 gallons per hour for a 55 gallon tank. Make sure you are fulfilling every single one of these requirements.>
Can I put a partition in between the tank and add some other fish (Gold Fish/ Angel Fish/ etc ) on the other side of the tank keeping the Baby Flowerhorn separate from them ? My Tank Size is 30" x 15' x 15".
<Tank is far too small...>
Kindly advise.
Regards,
Amit
<Stock this tank with small fish suitable for its size, or else upgrade the tank if you want to keep Flowerhorn cichlids. Cheers, Neale.>

Flowerhorn With Internal Bacterial Infection - 03/13/2006 I found your website about Flower Horn very informative especially the FAQ section. Anyway, a friend of mine gave us a Flower Horn as a gift and now I have encountered a similar problem that I read from your article dated 12/15/05 about Flower Horn lying on one side. I did not go to a vacation, also I do not know if my children over feed it with pellets. The fins are still moving and at times the Flower Horn would dare to swim but not as graceful as before. And when it tries to swim the body can not "flex" from left to right, as if it has a "cramp". I noticed too that the tummy seems to be full. I already tried changing about 50% of the water, and cleaning the aquarium. Also I noticed that the thing coming out from the Flower Horn is a bit white and transparent like. It has been 3 days already, I would appreciate very much if you can recommend me something that would make my Flower Horn better. Kind regards, < Your FH has an internal bacterial infection. As the bacteria grows it swells the intestines of the fish and puts pressure on the internal organs. It is usually brought on by stress. Keep the tank clean and treat with a combination of Metronidazole and Nitrofuranace. If he is eating then mix the Metronidazole in with the food into a paste and try and get him to eat it. If he is not eating then just treat the water as per the directions on the package. The key to a successful treatment is treating it in the early stages.-Chuck>

SICK FLOWERHORN Dear Crew, Greetings! Almost a week ago, my flower horn's been swimming vertically. Right now, as I watch it in the aquarium, it's as if it's sleeping. I spoke to one hobbyist and he recommended that I put an antibiotic. To date, no improvement has been made. I already changed the water 25%. I've added salt as well. Another hobbyist said that it might have broken its spine. It looks like it's having a hard time swimming. Your advise would be very much appreciated. Sincerely, Denise < Sound like your flower horn may have contracted an internal bacterial infection. I would recommend a 30% water change, vacuum the gravel and clean the filter. Get the water up to 80 degrees F and treat with Metronidazole. The water should have no ammonia or nitrites and the nitrates should be under 25 ppm.-Chuck>

Flowerhorn Desperately Ill - 04/15/2006 Hi Guys <Hello.> Recently about a week ago I realized that my Flowerhorn does not stay upright like it usually does and it just twirls around in the water doing forward spins and rotating sideways. <It's been this listless for a week? A very, very bad sign....> It also stays upside down when it is resting at night. It does not remain upright when it is resting like it used to last time. I am totally bewildered and I do not know what is happening to him. <It is very possible that this "illness" is mostly environmental.> Also, I noticed that on his forehead, the hump, there is a "sore" where his skin where the skin is not its usual red color but is white and I can see some torn skin on the sore. I am not too sure how he developed this sore but the only thing I can think of is that he could have bumped his head against the sides of the tank. <Sores like this can also be bacterial or can happen in poor water quality / environmental conditions.> He also seems to be breathing very fast at a rate of 20 "breaths" in 21 seconds. <This listlessness, sore, and heavy breathing are all testament to poor water quality. That is the first thing you need to check.> He has been like that for days already and I am very worried for him. The water level he is currently in is 60cm(L) X 28cm(B) X 27cm(H) That is 23.6"(L) X 11.0"(B) X 10.6"(H). <This is a very, very small volume of water for an animal that can reach over a foot in length....> I use a water filter and a airstone. The water filter is above my tank and it is the type that draws in water from the left hand side of the tank and sucks in water upwards into this filter, where the water would then pass through some filter wool stuff and the water would then flow down from the right hand side of the tank. When the water flows out of the filter, it hits the water surface and there would be air bubbles under the surface of the water if you know what I mean (sorry but I cannot describe things properly without being very long-winded). <The longer, the better - I now have a good idea of how your filter works, thanks for the good description.> During the day, my fish likes to stay UPSIDE-DOWN underneath the part where the water flows out of the filter and where the bubbles form underneath the water surface. I am not too sure if I should turn off the filter as the pressure of the water that comes out of the filter may be hitting him a tad too hard and it might injure him. <No. When in good health, he should be able to take it, no problem.> Also, he seems to be coming up to the surface of the water to use his mouth to breathe despite the airstone thing. <Also suggests poor water quality.> As for his food consumption, he has not been eating much as there are many leftover food pellets floating on the water surface. <Never leave uneaten/leftover food in the tank. Immediately remove anything he doesn't eat in just a few minutes.> The tank water used is ordinary tap water. I have gave him the following medicine: Bacterioses & Fungi Pinnarum, Internal Bacteria & Velvel Away (treats open sores, popping eye, color loss, lack of appetite, rotting of gills, clamping of fins, dropsy), and anti-chlorine special. Could you guys give me some help and advice on this please, like what medicine to give him and what proper water level I should set. It is greatly appreciated. <First, test your water for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Ammonia and nitrite must be ZERO, nitrate less than 20ppm. If your water has higher levels for these, you need to do a large water change right away. As for the water level he should have, ideally, he should be in a larger tank. For now, though, fill his tank as full as you can. This fish will get big. Flowerhorn are large "messy" cichlids and need all the water they can get. Make sure you treat your water for chlorine and make sure any new water is the same temperature as his old water. Proper water quality alone may fix his problem, but if it does not and the sore remains or worsens in a couple/few days, I would suggest to treat him with a medication containing Kanamycin or Nitrofurazone. I don't know what medications are available in your area, but try to find something with either or both of those as the active ingredient.> Thank you!! - Gerald - Singapore Attached are 2 pictures of my fish and the tank. I hope its useful! thanks again! <Images are always useful, thank you very much. Do please fill his tank as much as you reasonably can.>

Re: Flowerhorn that doesn't stay upright - 04/16/06 Hi, <Hi, Gerald. Tom here> Thank you for the very fast reply. <The credit belongs to Sabrina.> In the reply, you said, "If your water has higher levels for these, you need to do a large water change right away." How many percent of water should I change for a large water change? <On the order of 50% is typical for a "large water change".> And, how do i treat the water for chlorine? Do I change all the water in the tank and give it some anti-chlorine liquid thing? <The dechlorinator should be added to the new water first, not directly into the tank. Personally, I allow the water to turn crystal-clear before adding it to my tank. Shouldn't take more than 10 minutes, or so. Depending on the size of the container being used, waiting much longer can affect the temperature of the water, which you want to be the same as the temperature in the tank.> I think that he's feeling better now because when I put my hand near the tank, he would become active and start twirling around again as compared to a few days ago where he would just move his eyes, looking at my hand. Do you think my fish will survive or is this just a small illness? <Honestly, only time will tell this, Gerald. Many variables involved.> Thanks for your help! <You're more than welcome.> Gerald -Singapore <Tom>
Re: Flowerhorn that doesn't stay upright - 04/23/06 Hi, Its me again. <<Tom again, Gerald.>> It has been a week already but my dear Flowerhorn does not seem to be upright but is always upside-down. I have changed almost 70% of the water over 1.5 weeks, gave him dechlorinator, medicine to treat his sores but he just doesn't want to remain upright. When I observe him now, he seems to be more active lately but he's still inverted. Do you know what's wrong with him? <<Several possibilities leading only to an educated guess.>> What do you suggest can be done? <<For the time being, stop medicating for the sores. This might be treating a symptom rather than a cause. Do two 50% water changes today approximately six hours apart adding one tablespoon of Epsom salt to the "new" water along with the dechlorinator. Repeat with one 50% water change with one TBSP Epsom salt for the next two or three days. If your Flowerhorn is constipated and its swim bladder is affected, this should help. If no appreciable difference is seen at the end of this time, I recommend treating your fish with Metronidazole (Flagyl) which is prescribed for Hexamatiasis (Hexamita infection). (We won't be "shooting in the dark" here since the Epsom salt treatment is prescribed prior to medicating with Metronidazole anyway.) I'd ask that you do some research on treating with Metronidazole since there are a variety of ways to prepare foods with this medication - provided your fish is eating - and whatever works well for you is the way to go. (Note: If your Flowerhorn isn't feeding, the tank itself will have to be treated, however, medicated food would be the treatment of choice in this case.) If you're wondering, my thinking is this: "Swim Bladder Disease" is often the "quick" diagnosis for the "upside down" behavior your Flowerhorn is displaying. Fair enough, since it's a common reason and easily treated if constipation is the cause. Hexamita infection can also be attributed to your pet's behavior/condition and can display itself as Hole-in-the-Head disease (perhaps accounting for your fish's "sores"). This is almost always a nutritional deficiency since the protozoa inhibits the uptake of essential vitamins in the fish's system. Conditions of the animal's nervous, or muscular, systems are not easily treated if, in fact, treatable at all. In short, we're going after what we can easily fight.>> Thanks. <> Gerald - Singapore <<Tom>>
Re: Flowerhorn that doesn't stay upright - 5/5/2006 Hi, <<Hello, Gerald.>> I have done what you recommended and after a week still, the Flowerhorn is not upright but rather, I feel that his condition has worsened. Now, the area surrounding his eyes (the silvery part) has traces of reddish stuff which I think is blood. It seems rather bloodshot. Also, he cannot even stay upside down now, but at a 15 degree angle from the bottom of the tank (like this / but at a much lower angle). <<We can't rule out the possibility of septicemia, Gerald, though I would expect this to have displayed itself a little differently.>> He does not seem to be flapping his fins but only moving them and he is leaning on the right of his body where his right fin touches the bottom of the tank. <<With septicemia, the fish's organs are affected which might account for this.>> He seems to be breathing rather slowly and calmly which I do not think is a good sign as he usually breathes much faster. Also, whenever I turn on the light he will get all active and start to move about. However, he will only move around in circles and he cannot get upright at all and can only spin around, sideways. <<Given what you've described here, your fish has internal injury which is not likely limited to its swim bladder.>> I think that maybe his right fin is injured or something like that. I also noticed that if he is upright, you can see his mouth, and below his mouth, further down, I can see some kind of bloating around his "neck". I do not know what that part is called but it seems not normal. <<The heart ventricle is located, typically, between the gill plates and the pectoral fins, i.e. the "neck" area on the underside of the fish. If this is swollen, there is a chance that septicemia is involved. Not always the case, of course, but treatment with Oxytetracycline is in order where septicemia is suspected.>> Would some photographs be useful for your assessment? I will take them tomorrow when the lighting conditions are better if you need them. <<Photographs are always a help to us, Gerald. Please, forward these if you can.>> Please advise. Thank you for the much needed help. Gerald Tan <<Wish I could be of more help to you, my friend. Tom>>

Re: Flowerhorn that doesn't stay upright - 05/13/2006 Hi, <<Greetings, Gerald. Tom once more.>> The condition of my Flowerhorn seems to have turned from bad to worse. Now, his eyes have turned cloudy and his fins have some kind of white growth. <<We've dealt with the issue of water quality before and I'm confident you're continuing to address this. What you describe is almost always consistent with poor conditions but, in your case, Gerald, I know that you've been changing the water regularly.>> Now, he does not even move and he is completely resting the right side of his body onto the bottom of the tank. Its really depressing to see him in this state. I started to observe these symptoms only about two days ago. <<You don't say what actions you've taken since we last discussed your fish's condition but I would recommend Maracyn-Two treatment now if you haven't been treating with the Tetracycline (Oxytetracycline). Perhaps the Maracyn-Two would be more readily available in your area.>> Is there anything that can be done to save him or, are these the final days of my fish? <> Thank you for the reply earlier on, I have attached 3 hi-resolution pictures to this e-mail so that you can deduce what sickness he is suffering from. <<The attachments didn't come through with your posting, Gerald, unfortunately.>> <<Tom>>

Sick Flowerhorn 11/15/06 Hi Chuck, Thanks for your reply, but there's nothing stuck in my fish's mouth, and I think its fin rot is back. Its eyes are bulging as well! Any other suggestions? Thanks! Lirong

Flowerhorn Misdiagnosed 3/27/07 Good day! My 6 mo old Flowerhorn showed signs of its skin, somewhat, peeling a couple of weeks ago. It got worse after a few days with what seemed to be excess skin (whit in color) hanging all over his body. I consulted a local fish store and was advised that it might have a fungi infection. and so, I bought an anti-fungal medicine recommended by the store and treated my fish with it. It didn't work as my fish is the same as before I started treatment, and even became worse. When I woke up this morning, my Flowerhorn was upside down and looked like it was on the brink of death. It is in a 100g aquarium, with heater set at the 32 mark, all I gave him is an anti-fungal medicine I bought straight from the shelf of the pet shop. What can I do to remedy the situation? thank you and I hope to hear from you soon! < Your Flowerhorn actually has a bacterial infection. Fungal infections actually attack dead tissue. Do a 50% water change, clean the filter and vacuum the gravel. Treat with Nitrofurazone.-Chuck>

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