Is My Flounder Sick?

[Muuurgh]

I bought a couple freshwater flounder a couple weeks back. Unfortunately I
put them in a tank with "mildly" aggressive cichlids (they managed to kill
two other cichlids, all of my shrimp and the crawdad). They ate one
flounder and the other is badly scarred on his back with his fins all torn
up. I have traded in all of my cichlids and I am wondering if the flounder
will ever get better. I have treated the tank with Melafix and Fungus
Clear, it has been a week since the cichlids have been removed. The
flounder's condition has not improved. He seems healthy in that he swims
around and acts normally but his fins and scars are not looking good.

Here's the catch: I want to populate my tank with Mpimbwe Frontosa, they
shouldn't be nearly as aggressive as the other fish I had. But I don't want
to introduce them to a tank that is infected. I have had two other fish
that have inhabited this tank through this whole shebang (a bristlenosed
pleco and a flying fox) they are doing superb. They show no signs of
disease. How can I tell if my flounder has a disease? Should I flush him
now before the Mpimbwe arrive in case he is infected? Or should I take a
chance and simply introduce them as normal?

Should I add Fungus Clear when I do introduce just to make sure? What other
precautions should I take?

Thanks,
Muuurgh
--
"He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes
wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it." -D. Adams

[NetMax]

"Muuurgh" > wrote in message
reenews.net...
>I bought a couple freshwater flounder a couple weeks back.
>Unfortunately I put them in a tank with "mildly" aggressive cichlids
>(they managed to kill two other cichlids, all of my shrimp and the
>crawdad). They ate one flounder and the other is badly scarred on his
>back with his fins all torn up. I have traded in all of my cichlids and
>I am wondering if the flounder will ever get better. I have treated the
>tank with Melafix and Fungus Clear, it has been a week since the
>cichlids have been removed. The flounder's condition has not improved.
>He seems healthy in that he swims around and acts normally but his fins
>and scars are not looking good.
>
> Here's the catch: I want to populate my tank with Mpimbwe Frontosa,
> they shouldn't be nearly as aggressive as the other fish I had. But I
> don't want to introduce them to a tank that is infected. I have had
> two other fish that have inhabited this tank through this whole shebang
> (a bristlenosed pleco and a flying fox) they are doing superb. They
> show no signs of disease. How can I tell if my flounder has a disease?
> Should I flush him now before the Mpimbwe arrive in case he is
> infected? Or should I take a chance and simply introduce them as
> normal?
>
> Should I add Fungus Clear when I do introduce just to make sure? What
> other precautions should I take?
>
> Thanks,
> Muuurgh


Sounds like you need more tanks. Frontosas get the size of Oscars and
have similar feeding requirements. Are you ready for that?

As long as the fish (in this case a flounder) is eating and behaving
normally, and the wounds are not fungused, then I would let the fish
recover on its own. If the damage to the fins does not go to the base,
they will grow back. Time will tell if there was any internal damage
done by the cichlids. Never flush them. For a recovering fish, there is
the LFS, friends, fish-clubs, or keep him yourself in that tank or in a
recovery tank. Sounds like he has earned a chance to have some time in
peace, and a few war-wounds just adds character ;~).
--
www.NetMax.tk

[NetMax]

"Muuurgh" > wrote in message
reenews.net...
>
> "NetMax" > wrote in message
> ...
>> "Muuurgh" > wrote in message
>> reenews.net...
>>>I bought a couple freshwater flounder a couple weeks back.
>>>Unfortunately I put them in a tank with "mildly" aggressive cichlids
>>>(they managed to kill two other cichlids, all of my shrimp and the
>>>crawdad). They ate one flounder and the other is badly scarred on his
>>>back with his fins all torn up. I have traded in all of my cichlids
>>>and I am wondering if the flounder will ever get better. I have
>>>treated the tank with Melafix and Fungus Clear, it has been a week
>>>since the cichlids have been removed. The flounder's condition has not
>>>improved. He seems healthy in that he swims around and acts normally
>>>but his fins and scars are not looking good.
>>>
>>> Here's the catch: I want to populate my tank with Mpimbwe Frontosa,
>>> they shouldn't be nearly as aggressive as the other fish I had. But
>>> I don't want to introduce them to a tank that is infected. I have
>>> had two other fish that have inhabited this tank through this whole
>>> shebang (a bristlenosed pleco and a flying fox) they are doing
>>> superb. They show no signs of disease. How can I tell if my
>>> flounder has a disease? Should I flush him now before the Mpimbwe
>>> arrive in case he is infected? Or should I take a chance and simply
>>> introduce them as normal?
>>>
>>> Should I add Fungus Clear when I do introduce just to make sure?
>>> What other precautions should I take?
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Muuurgh
>>
>>
>> Sounds like you need more tanks. Frontosas get the size of Oscars and
>> have similar feeding requirements. Are you ready for that?
>
> Yes.
>
>>
>> As long as the fish (in this case a flounder) is eating and behaving
>> normally, and the wounds are not fungused, then I would let the fish
>> recover on its own.
>
> How do I know if the wounds are not fungusing?

If the edges of the wounds are clean, not fuzzy. I've read that you can
also use many of the techniques that work on people, like a Q-tip with
mercurochrome or iodine, if it's necccesary (usually not).

>> If the damage to the fins does not go to the base, they will grow
>> back. Time will tell if there was any internal damage done by the
>> cichlids. Never flush them. For a recovering fish, there is the LFS,
>> friends, fish-clubs, or keep him yourself in that tank or in a
>> recovery tank. Sounds like he has earned a chance to have some time in
>> peace, and a few war-wounds just adds character ;~).
>
> Nice. As long as he doesn't kill my new Fronts.

I'm not overly familiar with flounder eating habits. It usually comes
down to size, if it fits in a fish's mouth, then there is a danger. I
imagine your flounder's mouth would not be larger than the fronts you're
buying. I suspect a flounder's concentration would be more on
crustaceons, worms, bottom-feeder pellets etc. Fronts are usually quite
laid back (if the tank is big enough). hth
--
www.NetMax.tk

> -Muuurgh
>
>
>> --
>> www.NetMax.tk
>>
>
>