Jack Dempsey w/ discoloured lump on head

[MooseTheWizard]

Have you tested your water?

No

If I did not test my water...

...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.

Do you do water changes?

Yes

What percentage of water do you change?

71-80%

How frequently do you change your water?

Every week

If I do not change my water...

...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.

I noticed this morning that my Jack Dempsey has a discoloured lump on his head. I do not believe this was there last night.

Behaviour is normal aside from a bit more rapid breathing. I did a water change a couple of hours ago to make sure things are as clean as can be in there.

Tank is a 75g, heavily planted/stocked. Nitrates usually cap out around 10-20ppm depending on how heavily I feed.

Typically something like this wouldn't alarm me as he can be quite skittish and will sometimes charge at the Raphael catfish if they get too comfortable near him, so him having a few superficial injuries is not unusual. However I lost a paratilapia (in a different tank) a couple of months ago to duck lips, so I am hyper vigilant for any signs of infection among all of my fish.

Just wanted a second opinion on this. Photo taken moments ago.

 

[Rocksor]

looks like a scrap to me, rapid breathing is what I would expect if it got spooked real bad while your weren't there

 

[MooseTheWizard]

looks like a scrap to me, rapid breathing is what I would expect if it got spooked real bad while your weren't there

Appreciate the second opinion. I'll post another photo tomorrow if I can get him to come out of the woodwork and present like he did today.

 

[MooseTheWizard]

Here is a picture taken this AM. He isn't in his typical cave which is an odd behaviour. Usually he's very shy.

 

[Rocksor]

Here is a picture taken this AM. He isn't in his typical cave which is an odd behaviour. Usually he's very shy.View attachment 1486009

Still looks like an injury to me. Keep an eye on it further and see if it spreads or the fish stops eating for more than 1 week, even very highly preferred frozen/live food. For a fish this large, I don't worry about medicating until 2-3 weeks of no improvement and no eating.

 

[MooseTheWizard]

Didn't snap a photo today, but the colouration is returning to his head. He is behaving worse though, and is now lying on his side at the back of the aquarium. A gentle nudge with a rod didn't cause him to react, which makes me think things are not looking well.

It's challenging for me to tell if he's got duck lips like my other cichlid did, but given his behaviour I don't have high hopes that he will survive to the end of the week.

 

[MooseTheWizard]

Here are some photos from just a minute ago. I moved him out to the sand so that I could see him, absolutely no resistance in moving him around. I have since moved him to about the mid tank level resting on a Java fern so that his gills aren't obstructed by the ground and he doesn't scratch himself up on wood or anything.

 

[MooseTheWizard]

Tagging duanes as you gave me advice with my Polleni, hoping you may have some insight here. Noticing some fraying on his caudal fin as well as this banding pattern.

 

[MooseTheWizard]

Well clearly this was not just a scrape, as he's just died. Still no clue as to what this is, so if anyone has an idea I am all ears. All other fish (all catfish) in the tank are fine.

Here's a photo of the wound just after death.

 

[Rocksor]

Maybe hit by the raphael catfish in the just the right spot for a bacterial infection to take hold.