Problem with firemouth

Jason Tsangaris · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 2

I have a 29g tank with 2 convicts, one small and one larger, a channel cat,
and 1 firemouth. I had 2 firemouths but one died. I notice now a
"blister" on each side of my firemouth's face. He still eats, but stays to
the back of the tank.

What could this be?

TIA,

Viper

Archived from group: rec>aquaria>freshwater>cichlids

Jason Tsangaris · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 2

dc wrote in@216.196.97.131:

> Jason Tsangaris wrote in
> @216.196.97.131:
>
>> cat, and 1 firemouth. I had 2 firemouths but one died. I notice now
>> a "blister" on each side of my firemouth's face. He still eats, but
>> stays to the back of the tank.
>
> Can you describe the blisters in detail? It could be a lot of things.
>
> Does it just look like a pimple? Does the flesh look damaged? Is it
> protruding through the skin? Does it have any slime shed or white
> material attached to it? Is it in the same exact spot on each side of
> the animal?
>
It looks like a bllister you would get on your finger, about 1/4" in
diameter. It is red in color,but not bright red. It looks like a scab.
It is in the exact same spot on both sides of the animal.

> The most common cause is inflammation do to injury or infection. My
> instinct would place the blame on the convicts; 29 gallons isn't a lot
> of space for such hostile American cichlids. The fact that the
> symptoms are near the mouth may indicate fighting.
>

I have never seen them fight.

> If the infection is mild Melafex might be the simplest treatment, but
> if the convicts are to blame for the injury that isn't going to solve
> the problem.
>