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Hi, I have a flower horn and for about two days now it has been scratching itself very often on the gravel around the head and mouth area.

Also it has lost it's appetite. It still eats but very slowly and often refuses to swim to the top for the food.

Can someone help me identify the problem with my fish.

Thanks

Hey jusndamood,
Welcome to the site . Sounds like you may have a number of issues going on with you're fish I hope we can find you some answers.

First can you give us a bit more about the tank itself? We need ammonia, nitrIte, nitrAte, ph, and temperature. Size of the tank would be helpful as well as how long it's been set up and running and what the stocking is. Also what is your water change/gravel vac schedule. I know this sounds like a lot of questions but we have to rely on information you give us to understand the tank better .
Have you changed foods @all in the past few days? Fish sometimes take awhile to ajust to a new food...and sometimes they just go nuts over a new brand :%).

^_^[hr width='40%']"I'm alright, I'm alright
It only hurts when I breathe"

First take a really close look at your fish...does it have little white spots on it, that look similar to grains of salt? If so then you have Ich...

Also we need to know what size of tank you have...
What is the Ammonia? Nitrite? Nitrate? pH? How long has it been set up and running? If you don't have a water test kit, simply take a little bit of water (1/4 cup full is plenty) in a ziplock bag to your lfs and they will test it for you. Make sure they test it in front of you, and record the results, then come back and post them here...

Heidi

PS Welcome to FP

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle