flowerhorn sick, please help!

Question
QUESTION: Can you please help me with our chiclid, locally known as Flowerhorn (Zhen Zou http://www.flowerhornrus.com/faqandinfos.htm

to be exact).

Our fish has not been eating for 2 weeks already, or maybe even more.  Since then, his head lump decreased in size and even his body size decreased.

We changed water every after 3 days, put salt after every change.  And for the past days, we've been dropping Methyl Blue and Melafix, since we've been suspecting that the fish is sick.  The fins have some black stuff, seems like burns or bruise, a part of the tail has it too.

We saw a white, sponge-y thing inside his tank.  And every time we remove it, some thing like it comes out again.  A relative told us that it's probably fungus.  It looks like cotton in the tank, but once removed, it feels like white-mucus.  We're not totally sure where it's coming from.

Just today, we bought and submerged a water heater, changed the water, dropped Methyl Blue and Melafix, and placed salt again.  We tried feeding him but he didn't even touch the food.  When we were removing the wastes, we noticed a scale detached out of his body.

He's usually playful and swims around the tank.  But now, most of the time, he's just at the bottom of the tank, in one area and stays there for a long time.  And seems like his mouth is almost always open (though I'm not too sure if the mouth is always open).

We've fed him fish food (Ocean Free Super Red and Humpy Head interchangeably) and some worms bought from our local fish store.  We've suspected that the worms caused the disease, but we can't really point it out.

I wanted to have the water checked for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, etc. since I've been reading that mostly, but I just can't figure out where I can have the water checked.

We placed Tetracyclin powder in the tank yestereve.  The fish seems to be moving better, but he still doesn't want to eat.  What else can we do for him?

I really am not knowledgeable about fishes, since it's my first time to really be hands-on with a fish.  I checked on him after reading a lot of FAQs from different sites, from what I got from my nights of researches, I am suspecting tail/fin/gill rot.  Though I'm not really sure if that's what it is.  I also saw some white spots at the bottom of his mouth.  I think that it is a normal part of the fish's structures.

I saw that the scales on his head is not as perfect as it should be.  I saw pictures of what HITH (hole in the head) looks like, and by the looks of it, it's not HITH.  I really do hope that it's not.

I also saw a black spot coming out of the anus.  I stared at it, I'm not too sure but it looks like it's some kind of marking.

We bought a water heater, (Sera Aquarium Heater Thermostat) and set it at 32.

We're planning on trying to feed him bloodworms and see if it will increase his appetite.  Do you think this would be of help?  We have been feeding him Ocean Free Super Red and Humpy Head interchangeably and some worms occasionally.

All my observations are only done during the time when the fish started to lose appetite.  The fish is actually a gift to my Uncle and he's the one caring for it.  And we all are beginners in this field.  So we really are desperate and trying out all that we know might be best to help out the fish.

Please do extend your help!  We really are desperate to help our flowerhorn.

Thanks very much for your time in advance.


ANSWER: Water can be tested at most local aquarium stores... they usually do this for free.  I would discontinue the medication, do a 50% water change and then tomorrow start him on tetracycline medication.  At some point you may want to add a powerhead to give him some current to fight against... Oscars seem to like that.  I would also feed him brine shrimp and tubi-worms or even some live feeder goldfish if they are healthy.  Oscars can be quite pouty and as far as fish go they get mad and give you the silent treatment... They can be stubborn too... you may want to check with wherever you got the fish and ask them what he is use to eating... because Oscars do not like change...   keep me posted... dave

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QUESTION: Hi Sir Dave!

Thank you so much for your reply.  I will have the water changed by 50% and do the Tetracycline Medication that you mentioned.

Can you give me more details on the Powerhead that you are talking about?

With regards to food, we are feeding him the same food as the previous owners.  Would you recommend us to change his food pellets?

By the way, what would be a normal or average water temperature of Flower Horns?  

Thank you very much! :)

`lin

ANSWER: Hi Lin:  I would feed him a mixture of pellets and brineshrimp/tubi-flex worms as a normal diet.  Water temperature should be about 78-82 degrees sometimes warmer if breeding... A powerhead is a small submersible water pump that provides a current of water in the tank.  Most fish like to have a current to swim against. ...  dave

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Sir Dave:

The water temperature is currently set at 30degree C, or 86degree F.  Is that okay?  Or is it too hot?  Do I need to lower down the water temperature?

I'll look for a powerhead in our local fish store.  

Our local pet store introduced us to a freshwater and saltwater fish medicines, it's called Clout.  We diluted 4 tablets in our 50gallon tank.  But currently the tank is 40gallon full.  After our first attempt with the medicine, after a day, we saw a lot of white cotton-like stuff in his tank.  We are thinking that those are the ones inside his system that are flushed out after medication.  

Just today, we diluted 4 tablets again.  This is days after the first week of Clout medication.

The fish is not eating still.  We are asked by our local pet store to use some Vitamin drops three days after the Clout medication to encourage appetite.

What do you think of this?  Thanks! :)

Answer
Water temperature should be between 78 and 82 degrees... unless you are treating ICH... I am not sure why the pet store gave you CLOUT... If you keep changing the medication in his tank he will die.  the long stringy white stuff may be parts of his slime coat and that would be an indication that his skin is irritated.  Unless you see improvement in his condition by today I would stop the medication and let him rest for a few days.  Medication can make fish just as sick as a disease.  He may perk up once the medication is stopped.  dave