Injured eel!

[BadAngel14]

Hello everyone!

I woke up this morning to find my eel in my sump. As I was fishing him out I found that his stomach was missing a chunk of skin. I'm currently working to set up a quarantine tank. Does anyone know what could have caused this, and if he can recover? He's pretty small still at the moment and I just got him a week ago and he was perfectly fine. Any advice is greatly appreciated. His only tank mates are four snails and a long spine urchin. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Rocks reef]

Was he near your return pump by chance?

 

[BadAngel14]

Was he near your return pump by chance?

That was my thought as well, but the guard is still on the pump intake. I was looking over the overflow where he might have jumped in at and there's a spot where the old return pipe was supposed to be and it has a sharp piece of plastic that sticks up out of it. I think that maybe where he cut himself and then he went down overflow pipe

 

[Fish Fan]

Sorry about your eel! Maybe one of the R2R #fishmedic guys can take a look for you.

Good luck!

 

[BryanM]

If not that, do you have aggressive fish that might have thought he'd make a nice snack?

 

[BadAngel14]

If not that, do you have aggressive fish that might have thought he'd make a nice snack?

No aggressive fish or anything to make a mark that big on him

 

[BadAngel14]

Sorry about your eel! Maybe one of the R2R #fishmedic guys can take a look for you.

Good luck!

Thank you! I didn't know this was a thing

 

[Fish Fan]

Thank you! I didn't know this was a thing

Yes, R2R has a vetted group of guys that are experts in fish diseases, injuries and treatments. The above tag alerts them that you need help, I'm sure soon enough one will be able to respond here.

Hoping for the best for your eel!

 

[Dom]

That looks like a tank mate took a bite out of him.

@vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello everyone!

I woke up this morning to find my eel in my sump. As I was fishing him out I found that his stomach was missing a chunk of skin. I'm currently working to set up a quarantine tank. Does anyone know what could have caused this, and if he can recover? He's pretty small still at the moment and I just got him a week ago and he was perfectly fine. Any advice is greatly appreciated. His only tank mates are four snails and a long spine urchin. Any help is greatly appreciated.

This is a superficial would and best treatable using seachem Kanaplex with added air stone and assurance that nitrate does not become elevated.
Can you provide a couple of side shots to see wound more clearer?
What other occupants are in with it?

 

[BadAngel14]

This is a superficial would and best treatable using seachem Kanaplex with added air stone and assurance that nitrate does not become elevated.
Can you provide a couple of side shots to see wound more clearer?
What other occupants are in with it?

Thank you. I have some microb- lift Artemiss on hand for antibacterial. That should work in place of the seachem right? I attached more pictures of the wound below, hopefully a better look for you.

Tank mates- 4 nassarius snails and 1 long spine urchin

 

[MnFish1]

This is a superficial would and best treatable using seachem Kanaplex with added air stone and assurance that nitrate does not become elevated.
Can you provide a couple of side shots to see wound more clearer?
What other occupants are in with it?

Thank you. I have some microb- lift Artemiss on hand for antibacterial. That should work in place of the seachem right? I attached more pictures of the wound below, hopefully a better look for you.

Tank mates- 4 nassarius snails and 1 long spine urchin

Agree with @vetteguy53081 - unless you can give the specific product you have - its impossible to say - looking at the ones I found - no its not equivalent.

 

[BadAngel14]

Agree with @vetteguy53081 - unless you can give the specific product you have - its impossible to say - looking at the ones I found - no its not equivalent.

Ok thank you. I ordered some kanaplex

 

[MnFish1]

PS if you treat - treat in a hospital tank - not the display tank

 

[BadAngel14]

PS if you treat - treat in a hospital tank - not the display tank

Already got it set up. Just waiting for the temperature to stabilize before I put him in

 

[MnFish1]

Ok thank you. I ordered some kanaplex

By the way - initially I could not see the pictures - that is a very very significant wound (unless the eel is very small).

 

[BadAngel14]

By the way - initially I could not see the pictures - that is a very very significant wound (unless the eel is very small).

He is about 7 in long. He's pretty still right now so I got another close up. I thought it looked pretty rough

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you. I have some microb- lift Artemiss on hand for antibacterial. That should work in place of the seachem right? I attached more pictures of the wound below, hopefully a better look for you.

Tank mates- 4 nassarius snails and 1 long spine urchin

This is best with ponds. Use the Kanaplex which works internally and externally easily absorbed by the eel.

 

[BadAngel14]

This is best with ponds. Use the Kanaplex which works internally and externally easily absorbed by the eel.

Thank you. I'll do that

 

[Jay Hemdal]

He is about 7 in long. He's pretty still right now so I got another close up. I thought it looked pretty rough

Yes - sorry, but that's a very significant wound. Eels have great healing powers, but if the wound goes down into the peritoneal area (the gut, if you will) the chance for recovery is much less. For now, you just want to give it a safe place to try to recover. Antibiotics would be the next step - to ward off infection.