Ancistrus wound

[Nikki Casali]

I just noticed that one of my Ancistrus seems to have a wound similar to
a burn on one side. A layer of skin containing the colouration seems to
have been grazed or cut away. What could have caused it? The tank has an
external heater so that's eliminated. Did it have a scrap with the other
two Ancistrus in the tank? Maybe my Chinese Algae Eater type fish, aka
Harlequin Shark, decided to suck on its flesh? Did the nine shrimp
ganged up on it?

This photo of it was taken in almost complete darkness except for an led
torch:
http://www.ncasali.demon.co.uk/AncistrusBurn.jpg

I've just switched on the UV lamp just in case.

Btw, here's the tank it's in which I threw together a couple of weeks
ago. Plants are slowly taking hold. Those Elodea are a PO4 type black
hole. The suspect in the middle is my evil Harlequin Shark.
http://www.ncasali.demon.co.uk/110L-08-03-2005.jpg

Nikki

[Elaine T]

Nikki Casali wrote:
> I just noticed that one of my Ancistrus seems to have a wound similar to
> a burn on one side. A layer of skin containing the colouration seems to
> have been grazed or cut away. What could have caused it? The tank has an
> external heater so that's eliminated. Did it have a scrap with the other
> two Ancistrus in the tank? Maybe my Chinese Algae Eater type fish, aka
> Harlequin Shark, decided to suck on its flesh? Did the nine shrimp
> ganged up on it?
>
> This photo of it was taken in almost complete darkness except for an led
> torch:
> http://www.ncasali.demon.co.uk/AncistrusBurn.jpg
>
> I've just switched on the UV lamp just in case.
>
> Btw, here's the tank it's in which I threw together a couple of weeks
> ago. Plants are slowly taking hold. Those Elodea are a PO4 type black
> hole. The suspect in the middle is my evil Harlequin Shark.
> http://www.ncasali.demon.co.uk/110L-08-03-2005.jpg
>
> Nikki
>
Poor guy. I don't know what got to him, but I wouldn't think the
shrimp. UV is a great idea. If you are inclined to catch him and can
get mercurichrome, dab some onto the wound. Let it dry for just a
moment to stick better, and turn him lose. Mercurichrome is amazing
stuff for helping battered fish heal and preventing fungus and
infections - works as well for fish as for humans.

If the wound starts to go fuzzy with fungus despite your UV, you will
definately have to catch him, and then you dab malachite green onto the
fungus. Keep either of these chemicals off of his gills and eyes.

The picture with the shark is lovely. Pity he's such an evil fish. I'd
put my bets on him as the suspect, but who knows?

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[Ozdude]

"Nikki Casali" > wrote in message
...
>I just noticed that one of my Ancistrus seems to have a wound similar to a
>burn on one side. A layer of skin containing the colouration seems to have
>been grazed or cut away. What could have caused it? The tank has an
>external heater so that's eliminated. Did it have a scrap with the other
>two Ancistrus in the tank? Maybe my Chinese Algae Eater type fish, aka
>Harlequin Shark, decided to suck on its flesh? Did the nine shrimp ganged
>up on it?

Looks like a sucking fish type wound to me. This what my Paradise Fish
looked like after the CAE had a go at him. Best to not let it get infected
some how.

Oz

--
My Aquatic web Blog is at http://members.optusnet.com.au/ivan.smith

[NetMax]

"Nikki Casali" > wrote in message
...
>I just noticed that one of my Ancistrus seems to have a wound similar to
>a burn on one side. A layer of skin containing the colouration seems to
>have been grazed or cut away. What could have caused it? The tank has an
>external heater so that's eliminated. Did it have a scrap with the other
>two Ancistrus in the tank? Maybe my Chinese Algae Eater type fish, aka
>Harlequin Shark, decided to suck on its flesh? Did the nine shrimp
>ganged up on it?
>
> This photo of it was taken in almost complete darkness except for an
> led torch:
> http://www.ncasali.demon.co.uk/AncistrusBurn.jpg
>
> I've just switched on the UV lamp just in case.
>
> Btw, here's the tank it's in which I threw together a couple of weeks
> ago. Plants are slowly taking hold. Those Elodea are a PO4 type black
> hole. The suspect in the middle is my evil Harlequin Shark.
> http://www.ncasali.demon.co.uk/110L-08-03-2005.jpg
>
> Nikki


If the difference is in colour, and there is no difference in texture,
profile or reflectivity, then I would suspect an internal problem.
Unlike mammals and many other creatures, fish control their skin
pigmentation. Some are obviously better at it than others, (ie: breeding
colours, alpha male coloration, Melanachromis auratus reversing colours
etc), while others have only a small amount of control (lightening during
sleep, darkening when being conditioned for spawning etc).

I recall reading of a disease which pinched off portions of the nervous
system resulting in very clearly defined patches of a different colour.
Typically, they would either go white (complete absence of the stimulus)
or black (being over stimulated). If I recall correctly, the symptom was
not life threatening in itself, but the advancement of the disease was
(further eroding other physical functions). It's rate of growth was not
a predictable parameter.
--
www.NetMax.tk

[NetMax]

"NetMax" > wrote in message
...
> "Nikki Casali" > wrote in message
> ...
>>I just noticed that one of my Ancistrus seems to have a wound similar
>>to a burn on one side. A layer of skin containing the colouration seems
>>to have been grazed or cut away. What could have caused it? The tank
>>has an external heater so that's eliminated. Did it have a scrap with
>>the other two Ancistrus in the tank? Maybe my Chinese Algae Eater type
>>fish, aka Harlequin Shark, decided to suck on its flesh? Did the nine
>>shrimp ganged up on it?
>>
>> This photo of it was taken in almost complete darkness except for an
>> led torch:
>> http://www.ncasali.demon.co.uk/AncistrusBurn.jpg
>>
>> I've just switched on the UV lamp just in case.
>>
>> Btw, here's the tank it's in which I threw together a couple of weeks
>> ago. Plants are slowly taking hold. Those Elodea are a PO4 type black
>> hole. The suspect in the middle is my evil Harlequin Shark.
>> http://www.ncasali.demon.co.uk/110L-08-03-2005.jpg
>>
>> Nikki
>
>
> If the difference is in colour, and there is no difference in texture,
> profile or reflectivity, then I would suspect an internal problem.
> Unlike mammals and many other creatures, fish control their skin
> pigmentation. Some are obviously better at it than others, (ie:
> breeding colours, alpha male coloration, Melanachromis auratus
> reversing colours etc), while others have only a small amount of
> control (lightening during sleep, darkening when being conditioned for
> spawning etc).
>
> I recall reading of a disease which pinched off portions of the nervous
> system resulting in very clearly defined patches of a different colour.
> Typically, they would either go white (complete absence of the
> stimulus) or black (being over stimulated). If I recall correctly, the
> symptom was not life threatening in itself, but the advancement of the
> disease was (further eroding other physical functions). It's rate of
> growth was not a predictable parameter.
> --
> www.NetMax.tk



ps: nice tank Nikki :o)
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Nikki Casali]

NetMax wrote:

> If the difference is in colour, and there is no difference in texture,
> profile or reflectivity, then I would suspect an internal problem.

I can see a little nick in the tail's profile and the scales appear to
be raised slightly. The diameter of the "wound" is identical to the
mouths of the other Ancistrus. But I don't believe they would do that to
each other. My Harlequin Shark's mouth is big enough to swallow the 1"
sucker whole. Strange. Today, he is active as usual. So nothing appears
to be disadvantaging him.

Nikki