Elephant nose fish with possible injury or infection?

[Texas1203]

I know he is not a knife fish, but he is in the morymide (im sure i spelled it wrong) family. The elephant nose fish was the last fish I introduced into my tank about 6 months ago. I did a lot of research before purchasing. Most of my fish are African. I have 6 glass catfish (asian), 2 African butterfly fish, 1 rope fish, 3 pearl gourami (South american), 1 leopard bush fish, and 3 rabbit snails (started off with two, they had a baby).
Today I tested my water and noticed the nitrate was a bit high, maybe between 40-80ppm (using api master kit, colors can be confusing). I do know it is ideal to keep nitrates under 20ppm. Usually my tank runs fine at between 20-40ppm. Not ideal, but I do water changes every week at about 35%. I run a fluval fx6 filter on a 75 gallon. So my filtration is pretty darn good for a 75 gallon.
Anywho,I nortdo not see the elephant nose because he hides in a castle decoration. I do see him in the morning when I feed. He grabs a bite then darts back into his cave. After the water change today he came out of the cave, I noticed he had what appeared to be either an injury or infection of some sort. It’s hard to see in the pics but it isnt like holes, its more like when you have a blister and it pops and you have loose skin around the blister. It is only on one side of him. And only in the back near his tail fin. I did snap some pics, but it’s not super easy to see. Also because I had just done a water change there is stuff floating around making it look like he has stuff on his head, but this injury or disease is only on the back end and one side.

 

[kno4te]

Would get those nitrates down for sure and make sure it’s eating. Watch for now would be my suggestion. Can’t say it’s aggression.

 

[SalviniCichlidFan]

Perhaps its a fungal infection? I've never seen this before.

 

[Fishman Dave]

Could be due to stress as these things stress out quite easily. Can’t rule out bullying and if it were it could actually be the pearl gourami highest on the list of culprits. That said , I would be very surprised if the leopard bushfish was not in the castle with him, hiding in the shade and constantly looking out (unless there are darker shady areas elsewhere in the tank).
Seems quite a chunky looking individual so looks like he is getting food ok, and to be able to get even these shots is good. But you should see him out and about generally if he were happy.
What are you feeding ? And what is the substrate?
I ask because these are clever fish and will play games of find the worm in the sand etc.

 

[Texas1203]

Would get those nitrates down for sure and make sure it’s eating. Watch for now would be my suggestion. Can’t say it’s aggression.

Thank you for your reply… I am definitely going to bump up water changes to 50% a week…I don’t think he’s being bullied. My leopard bullies the pearls, but both the leopard and elephant nose hang out together in the cave, and I have never witnessed him being aggressive with the elephant nose. I wasn’t sure if maybe he scraped himself on a decoration.

 

[Texas1203]

Could be due to stress as these things stress out quite easily. Can’t rule out bullying and if it were it could actually be the pearl gourami highest on the list of culprits. That said , I would be very surprised if the leopard bushfish was not in the castle with him, hiding in the shade and constantly looking out (unless there are darker shady areas elsewhere in the tank).
Seems quite a chunky looking individual so looks like he is getting food ok, and to be able to get even these shots is good. But you should see him out and about generally if he were happy.
What are you feeding ? And what is the substrate?
I ask because these are clever fish and will play games of find the worm in the sand etc.

Definitely did not do sand substrate. It is fine river pebbles, and underneath that is some plant substrate (can’t remember what brand). While I do know that is not ideal. The tank was setup before I decided to get the elephant. He does come out to eat in the morning when I feed. He comes out and grabs a bite then heads right back into the cave. The leopard pretty much keeps the pearls on the other side of the tank. They bullied him when he was smaller than them. I have never seen the leopard be mean to the elephant nose, and they do hang out together in the castle cave decoration. I have lots of plants for them to hide out in. And floating plants that the butterfly fish like hanging out in. Currently I feed frozen blood worms, brine shrimp, freshwater frenzy, sometimes shrimp pellets (but mostly the pearls eat that). I will feed the butterfly fish live crickets (but the rope and leopard eats them too). I also feed bug bites (some type of freeze dried food), and left over floating betta pellets from when I had a betta. I try to stay away from freeze dried because its messy and none of my fish like it. I have fed live blackworms and I have from time to time put ghost shrimp in… I used to have amano shrimp, but they all are gone even the two inch ones I guess were eaten, that’s what gave me the idea to throw some ghost shrimp in there. Not sure who ate them (im betting the rope and leopard, possibly the elephant nose). I’m just worried about him, because I know they are super sensitive fish just like the glass catfish. I recently trimmed back the plants and replanted tops, so it looks a bit sparse right now.

 

[Texas1203]

leopard in the process of chasing pearls around…

 

[Texas1203]

Update: Elephant nose was out and about eating. I tried to get another pic, but as soon as the phone was near the glass, he was gone! I will say that it appears much much better. It no longer looks like peeling skin in a circle, it now looks like small tic marks. It appears to be healing. I am starting to suspect the high nitrate reading was the cause, maybe like an allergic reaction, or rash. I have been racking my brain on what it could have been that created a spike. I am not 100% sure, but I am starting to suspect the plant fertilizer I use. I use apt liquid fertilizer. There are several you can choose from on the 2hraquarists website (love their products). I was using one that had no nitrates because it helps your reds stay red. I switched to their other product which contains nitrate and some other ingredient, the other does not, I can’t remember now. One is for a tank with lots of plants and few fish, one product suggested to be used on a tank with a lot if fish and few plants (hence why it is missing two ingredients the other contains). I think next time I order I’ll switch back to the one missing those ingredients.
I am glad that he appears better, and in such a short time. Hopefully, by me sharing it will help others. ? I will try to get a pic….

 

[FJB]

Pearl gouramis (all gouramis) are Asian. I hope your elephant nose is getting better.

 

[Texas1203]

Pearl gouramis (all gouramis) are Asian. I hope your elephant nose is getting better.

Not all ? The leopard bush fish is considered a gourami, or in the same family, he’s from Africa. Some pearl gouramis have been introduced to Singapore and Colombia. Mine were bred in captivity and came from South America.