A very sick fish: I need help soon!

Question
I have a 55 gallon freshwater fish tank that was just moved when we moved homes about a month ago.  I have 7 ciclids, a bottom feeder, some giant danos and a 28 inch Tire Track eel.  All of the fish are doing very well, but the eel hasn't eaten since the move and che normally eats like a horse. There are ulcer-like sores just inside his mouth and white patches on his slimey skin that look like dying flesh, not ich. He also looks bloated around his discharge area.  I have tried cleaning the tank alot, medications called Maracyn-Two from Mardel Labs, and hand feeding him.  He looks like he's on his last breaths so please if you think you might be able to help e-mail back soon.  PLEASE!
                thank you,   Sam

Answer
Hi Sam;

It may be from a break-in period after moving the tank. Toxins may have built up and are causing him to develop infection. If you can, isolate him to a hospital tank with 50% of the original tank water and 50% of new water. Use a water conditioner and hook up an airstone to an airpump for oxygen. Do not add a filter, gravel or decorations. Make sure the tank has a secure lid. Those guys can really knock lids off. Change 50% of the hospital tank water every day. This will keep it clean without using a filter that will filter out any medication you will use.

For medication, Maracyn 2 is probably what I would have used too. I would also use regular Maracyn or Kanamycin with it since he is so sick, as well as Fungus Cure. It also treats bacterial infections. Some bacterial infections such as flexibacter look like "fungus". Regular Maracyn is used to treat it. There are gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and he is just too sick to mess around with trying to figure out which it is. Here is a list of pages that refers to flexibacter infection (also called columnaris) that seems like what he may have;
http://www.flippersandfins.net/flexibacter.htm
http://www.aquamaniacs.net/forum/cms_view_article.php?aid=28
http://www.care4fish.com/fishdiseases.html

Even if you don't think that is the correct diagnosis the medication combo should still be helpful. I have used it myself on some very sick fish with good results.

I hope he feels better soon.....

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins