Hippo with possible infection?

crownsbroyal · Mar 7, 2024

Hi, I have a yellow belly hippo that recently got what I believe is ich. However it looks like it developed a sore/infection. Once some of my fish got ich I started heavy UV and also started dosing hydrogen peroxide as per humble fish recommended guidelines. Initially when the hippo first got it the red spot was really bad and he was covered in ich. He wasn’t eating much and I was worried. But once I started the UV and dosing he seems to be getting much better. He is out swimming and eating great. But the red sore seems to be getting a bit better but it still has the white fluff around it. I will attach a picture. Lmk what you guys think it is and if it will likely just heal if I leave everything going as is. I’m continuing with the UV and the dosing for another week or so.

vetteguy53081 · Mar 7, 2024

crownsbroyal said:
Hi, I have a yellow belly hippo that recently got what I believe is ich. However it looks like it developed a sore/infection. Once some of my fish got ich I started heavy UV and also started dosing hydrogen peroxide as per humble fish recommended guidelines. Initially when the hippo first got it the red spot was really bad and he was covered in ich. He wasn’t eating much and I was worried. But once I started the UV and dosing he seems to be getting much better. He is out swimming and eating great. But the red sore seems to be getting a bit better but it still has the white fluff around it. I will attach a picture. Lmk what you guys think it is and if it will likely just heal if I leave everything going as is. I’m continuing with the UV and the dosing for another week or so.

Looks like an injury which has become infected. The pattern is unusual as its not a bite or sting type but may be wedging within rocks. Treatment will be needed placing fish in a separate treatment tank using Seachem Kanaplex which is broad spectrum and absorbed by the fish

crownsbroyal · Mar 7, 2024

Any way to do that without pulling him out of the main tank?

Jay Hemdal · Mar 7, 2024

crownsbroyal said:
Any way to do that without pulling him out of the main tank?

No - you should not dose your main tank with antibiotics.

Is the lesion on both sides of the tang's tail, or just its left side?
How long have the ich trophonts been gone? Many times, they are just in the resting stage and will return.

Peroxide is tricky to dose properly without a test kit (they make test strips that read low doses).