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My 4" sun cat has a red wound in front of his bullseye. It looks as if the skin peeled back. He lives in my 55 gal. with another sun cat and several other types of occupants. I moved him from that tank into my 10 gal beta tank and am treating with melafix. He seems to be looking better, as he is not at the top of the tank and swimming around like he is in pain. Any ideas what might cause this? War wound? He barely comes out and is rarely ever seen...

chelle

What other fish live in that tank, and what are the water parameters? There isn't much information to go on.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

"the parameters are good"

But do you know what they are? It looks like from your fish load and water change schedule, you likely have problems with overcrowding and maybe poor water quality. The ten gallon is much less crowded and would leave the catfish room to recover.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

actually, i took my water to petsmart and they told me that the water looked great. My tank has never been cleaner, so i think that i finally got the ratio of bottom middle and top feeders right. I moved the sun cat to the 10 gallon and treated with melafix and he looks a lot better. My question actually was what would make his skin peel back. I know that poor water quality affects the skin, but it seems to me that the other sun cat and the talking cat would have been affected by poor water quality as well if that were the case. thanks for your input, but he's doing much better now. i'm gonna give him another week and move him back to the 55 gallon tank and go from there.

chelle

The reason we are insisting on asking what the water parameters are is because often shops will tell you the water is "fine" when really there are traces of things that should not be in the water. Your 55g tank is on the heavy side of stocked, and it wouldnt surprise me if there is some nitrate problems. It is most certainly possible for one fish to show symptoms before others as it may be weaker. It may of been picked on by another fish, poor breeding etc.
So if you get a chance, I would either get testkits and test yourself or take them to a shop that will tell you the actual numbers for results. Tests that are liquid and you mix with tank water are much more accurate than strips that you dip. You should be able to get an Aquarium Pharmeceuticals Master testkit quite cheaply and it will give you all the basic testkits needed by a hobbyist.
For the stocking level you have I would suggest 35% weekly, gravel vaccing fortnightly.
I know it seems your fish is heathly now (which is good ) but maybe thats because it was put in cleaner water than it usually lives in. We wont ever know unless you get that water tested, and we cant give you much help unless we can rule out water quality as a cause.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

ok, thanks!

chelle