Miniatus Grouper Friend Damaged/Infection Help!

RyanFish · Sep 30, 2020

My friend went on a trip and came back to a damaged/infected miniatus grouper. He asked me for advice. So far all I’ve told him is to separate the grouper and turn off his lights because I’m not entirely sure what this is. His water parameters are good and he just did a water change. All his other fish are great.

The groupers tail is heavily damaged and you can see some of the fine bones sticking out the top of the tail. The skin on his body is also roughed up and white in some places because his red scales have fallen off or been removed by biting. His face is fine and not damaged. He has energy but not as energetic as a grouper should be. My friend easily caught him alone. He did witness his 2 inch trigger taking a few bites at the grouper. The grouper is 5-6inches.

I think maybe this grouper has fin rot on his tail. And then the trigger repeatedly chased him around, bit him and exasperated the problem. The trigger and grouper were friends, but it may be possible that the trigger saw the grouper was damaged and decided to eat some meat. Except fin rot doesn’t explain why his body is beat up and looks white/pale and unhealthy. He really is heavily damaged and needs help. His skin looks white and sloughy.

Any advice?

RyanFish · Sep 30, 2020

Jay Hemdal · Sep 30, 2020

I don’t think that is a primary injury, it isn’t in a spot that another fish is likely to attack. There might have been a small injury, but now there is a severe infection, I can see exposed muscle tissue. Now that the fish is isolated, it should be treated with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic, do you have anything available?
Jay

RyanFish · Sep 30, 2020

Jay Hemdal said:
I don’t think that is a primary injury, it isn’t in a spot that another fish is likely to attack. There might have been a small injury, but now there is a severe infection, I can see exposed muscle tissue. Now that the fish is isolated, it should be treated with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic, do you have anything available?
Jay

Thank you for the response.
He has triple sulfa, kanaplex, and erythromycin. Would these work? I think he said expired tetracycline too. He just told me the grouper is sometimes swimming vertically.