Jack Dempsey Health

Question
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Followup To
Question -
A month ago I purchased a 75g tank and stocked it with a several cichlids. The other day I noticed on my Jack Dempsey a large red lump on the side of its body. I have it currently in a hospital tank with antibiotics in it as I'm treating another fish for fin rot. My question is what might this lump be and will the antibiotics heal my fish and hopefull keep it from dying. Any information would be helpful. Thank you.
Answer -
Hi Kevin,
  It is hard to say without seeing the fish, but most likely the lump is the result of an injury inflicted by  another fish.  
An alternative is that it is some sort of parasite, though the odds of that are far lower.  

  Is the lump an open wound or just a mound?

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>

Hello and thanks for the reply. As of yet the spot in question still appears to be a mound/lump and not an open wound. I was out to my local pet store the other day and picked up some different medication. Its called "Prima Fix," it treats fungus and interal bacterial infections. Once I'm done treating for the fin rot I think I might try that stuff to see if it helps.  On a good note my case of fin rot seems to be taken care of and the fins are healing back up.
Kevin

Answer
Hi Kevin,
  About the fin rot: I have never seen an actual case of fin rot on a cichlid. Every case I have ever seen of tattered fins on a cichlid is caused by attacks by other cichlids.  

  I can't see how a lump could be caused by either a fungus or an internal bacterial infection.   The choice is yours but keep in mind that all medicines hurt fishes to some extent and if you use a medicine that isn't appropriate you can easily do more damage than good.  Personally, I only medicate a fish when I know exactly what is wrong and I have a medication that treats that specifically.

-- Ron   
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>