sick Firemouth Chiclid

Question
10 gallon tank(1YR with this setup)
2 Firemouths (9months), 2 jewel Chiclids(1YR), 2 different upside down cat 8months, 1hoplog 8months, 1 angelica cat 8months, 1 pleco 1yr 3months, 1 suncat 6months, 1 sharkcat 7months & 1 green cory 1yr 3months
Aquaclear 200
We test the PH and ammonia only and are both normal.
have had tank with these fish for about 1 yr now.
Got 2 firemouths to keep one of our aggressive red jewel chiclids in line.

One of the firemouths had what looks like an open sore on the top of his body where his fin is along the spine and another one on the side of his body near the bottom.  I'm not sure if he got hurt in a fight or if it some disease. Sometimes the two firemouths attack one of the jewels(who attacks everyone) and they swim all around each other but never to a point where anyone gets hurt or actually hit each other. The Jewel fish goes to his corner and everyone goes back to calm.  I took the firemouth with the sores out of the tank, even though he wasn't acting sick, and put him in a smaller plastic sick tank (about 2 gallons) with an airhose and medicated water and nothing else.  I'm not really sure if he is eating. I give him a little each day but there is always some food at the bottom of the tank the next morning. I don't see him eating but I think that is because he seems afraid when I put the food in and backs in a corner till I move away.  He may be eating during the night when I can't see because he doesn't seem weak yet and it has been two weeks that he has been in this tank.  I change the water every other day fully and put in medicaton and on the days in between I replace a cup of water. I have tried allcure (2days) penicillin(4days), E.M.(Eurythromyacin for 4 days), and some new stuff that at this time that I am typing this to you I don't have access to the name but it starts with a K and it is for sores that looked like what was on my fish according to the package (4 days). Of course all of these medications were given seperately, never together and we have not seen any improvement with any of them that is why we keep trying something new.  I usually have success in curing sick fish with the E.M. or Penicillin and if it's just ick, the allcure works well too but this one isn't showing any signs of improvement and I am afraid if he is not eating he will get weak and die.  My husband does not want to put the fish back with the sores on in case it is a disease as to not infect anyone else.  Do you have any advice whatsoever.  My husband feels you are going to say there are too many fish in our 10 gallon but we have had more then that at times and when they grow bigger we move them to our much larger 55 gallon tank and have had success with that.  These fish we have now are not very big although the one red jewel has grown as big as the firemouths which are pretty average sized.  Thanks in advance for whatever advice you can give us.  

Answer
Hi Ro;

Well......I hate to say it, but there are too many fish in the tank. WAY too many fish. This is why they are getting infections. It is also why they aren't growing very big. In a well maintained properly stocked tank, the fish should rarely ever get sick. The cichlids, plecostamus, hoplo, synodontus,(upside down cats) and shark cats need to be in the 55. At the population in the 10 gallon now, you would have to be making 25% water changes daily just to keep them healthy. However, they will also grow and eat each other as they do so. Keep small fish like tetras, dwarf gouramis, platies and other smaller fish in the 10. Your fish will be much happier. And so will you in the long run, because you won't have me nagging at you! **grin** Seriously though, for the fishes' sake, they need to be in the bigger tank.

The sores on the firemouth are representative of dirty and crowded conditions. Overgrowth of bacteria from waste has attacked the fish in its weakened condition from the overcrowding. It can be treated without the use of medications though. I avoid using medications wherever possible because they can stress the fish and the aquarium system as much as the disease itself does. Keep the fish in the hospital tank and change all the water every day. Add 1/2 teaspoon per gallon of aquarium salt to the hospital tank. This will help kill the bacterial infection on him and will increase his slime coat to protect him from further damage. There is one "medication" that I can recommend to use with the salt. Melafix by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. It is a natural remedy made from tea tree oil. It heals and soothes, as well as weakening the bacteria causing the infection. With the salt and Melafix, it should make this infection subside and the fish will have the strength to heal on it's own again.

Followups welcome

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins

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