A. cacatuoides - sudden redness on face and red tint on body

G'day

Here's a pic of my A. cacatuoides "Orange Flash". Just today, it has been acting as the king of the aquarium, swimming around until just a couple of hours ago, when I noticed it was looking miserable and hiding - with redness on its face, a slight red tint on its body and breathing rather heavily.

The female is currently in spawning mode.

Any ideas what this is? I'd like to take some corrective action if the problem is identified soon enough - Apistos don't seem to last very long once it is sick!

Thanks

http://flaggy.wemmit.net/ofred.jpg

Not well at all - isolate and treat immediately if I were you. It's some kind of internal rot - will soon hit the surface. Remove to avoid contamination.

As to what this may be - I would have no idea. Have seen it too often, very difficult to save.

Good luck.

He doesn't look that bad to me. You mentioned that your female is in spawning mode so could it be that they have spawned somewhere and she has just given him a bashing for coming to close to her stash.
I've just had my Flash spawn and there was a big change in the males attitude. He is normally quite showy and bosses everyone around but then he changed his tune as soon as there were eggs present.

Your in a tough spot but my advice would be like Thomas and isolate him. If he's not crook then happy days, if he is crook you can treat him appropriately.

I believe it's bacterial. Happens quite a lot in discus.

As the guys said, isolate and treat with antibiotics. Use metro if you have it, otherwise tetracycline.

Any update on your little Flash Flaggy??

Hey all, thanks for your concern! I panicked a little coz I am going away soon for a week. Mr Orange Flash seems to have recovered well and is showy as ever. I think he just got beat up by someone, not sure whom, or was otherwise stressed by something. After spending a night alone in his "cave" for little timeout (first time ever I found him in a cave before lights out) and with a little Melafix and Pimafix "just in case" he has been fine for the past few days.

Cheers

Good to hear he has recover nicely. Just keep an eye on him for the next couple of days to be sure.

Thomas