PLEASE HELP - Uaru with swollen mouth / lips

[basoikan]

Hi,

Sorry i know the fish is not discus but I'm really out of idea on this one.

I noticed the problem 2 days ago, the day before it was still fine, eating and behaving all OK. It was living with other 3 Uarus and 2 oscars in the display tank. All the other fish are fine. I have separated this guy now into a 60L tank.

I thought the sickness was due to bacterial infection so I treated the hospital tank with tetracycline and tri sulfa (all broad based antibiotics) but there has not been any improvement so far, so i doubt the medicine is doing any good. Oh i have put some salt in as well, 2 tbps / 40 L.

Any idea what could be the cause and how to treat it?

Here's the pics of the sick Uaru







Thanks in advance

[Topogigio82]

I think you are doing all that you can for now... Keep the water as stable as possible and with luck over time it should heal... Sometimes the more you do, the worse things get... I personally wouldn't have put a biggish fish in a 60litre tank, even if its for QT/treatment, as we all know stress can't be good for any sick fish (I could be wrong though)

[Merrilyn]

If you don't think the tetracycline is doing any good, then I'd do a big water change (100%) to remove it and just go with the salt treatment till you can see if it developes any further.

BTW, the tetracycline will have destroyed your filter, so you now effectively have an uncycled tank and you'll need to do daily water changes to keep the ammonia in check.

[basoikan]

yep i did a 90% wc today and ran activated carbon a couple hours before i treated the fish again with Huey Hung H-2 med (bacteria killer) ....

To be honest, i'm shooting rather blindly here, but i thought i better try something than just waiting .... i hope the med will work as i really dont want to lose this guy

[Merrilyn]

Is that lie a blister or a hard lump on the side of his mouth? Is it possible he's been fighting with the others in the tank, and bashed into the glass?

I'm sorry, I'm shooting blind on this one too, especially as it's come up so quickly. Bacterial problems seem to simmer slowly for a couple of days before becoming dramatic. If he was fine the day before, I can only think it's an injury. Is he eating at all?

[basoikan]

he wasn't eating the day i noticed it ... he still was though the day before

[Merrilyn]

Any improvement?

Does the lump look like a fleshy lump or a blister?

[basoikan]

I think it's a blister. So the past two days I have lowered the temp (in case its columnaris), added salt and dosed antibiotics along with tri sulfa.

It looks like the swollen part has gone down a bit but his mouth is still protruding ... and I can see that the fish is stressed now, probably from isolation, all the meds and WCs ?

There seems to be more shedding of slime coat too, is it from all the harsh chemicals and salt in the water?

I start to think that it may not be bacterial, all fins look fine, erect and no frays at all, breathing is also normal.

Should i stop with the meds and just leave him in the hospital tank with all clean water? He won't eat and I reckon it will be the case as long as the mouth is still swoleen.

I will take some pics when i get home tonight

[basoikan]

Here's the latest condition of the uaru. He doesnt look any better actually.
There's a cotton like growth at left side upper corner of his mouth

[swifto]

Could it cotton mouth disease???