# Rhombeus Developing a Chimple



## Dong (Aug 5, 2008)

Hi guys! I'm new here but been keeping piranhas since the late '90s. I've kept RBPs and currently have 2 elongatus and a 6 inch xingu rhombeus. My rhom has been with me for almost two months now. He's in very good condition - eats well and not too skittish. He's housed in a bare 75 gal tank. Since I got him, however, a chimple started to develop. I'm sure it wasn't there when I first got him.

Will the chimple disappear in time? What can I do to help accelerate the healing process and avoid this from happening again? Need your help guys.

Thanks!


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## Retaks (Apr 6, 2008)

Odds are your Rhom will have it for most of its life. Mine had one when i got it and it stayed in hiding so i got lucky and it healed but its starting to get another one now. As for healing use salt and raise the temp some but its not guaranted he wont rub on the glass again or still with it.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

If you really want to get rid of it, catch it in a net, put it on a smooth surface like a dinnerplate or cuttingboard and use a razorblade to cut it off.
I've done this before with Serras that I've had with excellent success.

Just be careful to not hurt the fish or yourself.


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## sapir (Jun 20, 2008)

when i changed my gravel my tank was bare for a couple of hours and my Ps were goin nuts rubbing theyre chin on the bottom of the tank, try adding some gravel or sand


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## Dong (Aug 5, 2008)

My tank is currently bare. Will adding hiding spots, like driftwood etc., help him settle down and minimize his habit of rubbing against the glass? Do most rhoms in captivity have chimples because of this habit of rubbing? When I'm in the room, he's quite calm in just watches me. I think he starts rubbing his chin when I'm not around.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

Chimples are usually casued by lack of space and rubbing their face against the glass from agression. With yours it is probably just agression. Most likly it wont heal for a while since it will continue to rub it. Salt can help it heal but but its kinda like tring to heal a cut that you keep cutting open. I would just leave it and dose with salt. 
After you add some hiding spots and other decor that may help to make it feel more comfortable and make it stop rubbing its face against the glass.


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## Lifer374 (Dec 5, 2003)

I've also read about the possibilty of the rhom seeing his own reflection in the glass, constantly trying to chase it. That a good idea is to move your lights to the front instead of the rear of the top of the tank reducing the reflection.

Don't know if its true...but it kind of makes sense.


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## Brian5150 (Oct 17, 2006)

You might try a flower pot or some kind of cave for him to feel secure in . That might calm him down.


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## Dong (Aug 5, 2008)

How much salt do I add?


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## Lifer374 (Dec 5, 2003)

Check the information tab at the top. Theres a good article on using salt in there somewhere.

Welcome to Fury by the way.


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## chomp chomp (Oct 28, 2003)

fish ususally develop these because of stress and lack of tank space. I would add some decor/ hiding spots to cut down on stress and if that does not work, get a bigger tank. My sanchezi a chinniple but it is a 6" fish in a 30 gal tank. I do need to upgrade his tank.

I do not reccomend cutting it off as it has developed for a reason and will continue to do so. no sese in risking the fish's health or your own digits.
-g


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## Dong (Aug 5, 2008)

Here are pictures of my 6 inch rhom without and with the chimple. The pics are just almost 2 months apart. Do you guys think it's curable?

Thanks!

Pictures


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Dude, that's nothing.
It's barely even noticable.

I've seen chimples so big you'd think they had a freakin' toe growin' there!

I certainly wouldn't cut yours off... when I talk about cutting off chimples, I'm talking about when they're at least 5 times bigger than that, and even then you don't cut the whole thing off, you leave about as much as you have right there.

I wouldn't worry about your fish at all... and I wouldn't go throwing any salt in there either...
I mean... what's the deal with salt?
People are 'salt crazy' if ya ask me... it's like the 'cure-all' or something.... thing is... it's not.


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## Lifer374 (Dec 5, 2003)

With a chimple that small, I don't believe salt is going to help at all. 
Chimple's where the skin is rubbed off exposing actual flesh, that are alot bigger then that...are what you would salt for, to help that skin heal without infection developing. Then you are trying to get that big chimple to heal and shrink to the size of the one you have on your rhom.

Rhombeus's are notorious for having these. I for one don't believe that they would last the life of the fish. I believe that with enough space and enough time in the tank, when the rhom grows accustomed to living in that tank, he'll stop rubbing his jaw on the glass.


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## Dong (Aug 5, 2008)

Does that mean that the chimple on my fish will heal and disappear very quickly?


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Dong said:


> Does that mean that the chimple on my fish will heal and disappear very quickly?


It's not a matter of "Healing," as there is nothing to heal.
It's more like a callous than anything.

If your fish were to miraculously stop rubbing agrainst the glass, then in time the chimple would go away.
Otherwise, if your fish keeps it up, the chimple will most likely stay and/or grow larger.


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## Alexx (Jan 20, 2006)

i think the problems the bare tank (swimming nose down attacking his reflection)
......put some sand or stones in to cover the bottom and he wont see his relection 
then he wont rub his chin as much , which means no chimple


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## Σņįġmã (Mar 25, 2006)

Thats very small. this is what a big chimble looks like.as the guys stated keep the reflection to a minium and it will dissapear!


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## Yanfloist (Oct 1, 2007)

i don't think your tank has sufficent cover thats why he develops those. give it some cover.


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## Dong (Aug 5, 2008)

Alexx, my rhom doesn't rub his chin on the bottom of the tank. He rubs it on the glass in front of the tank. At times I see him go from left to right and vice versa. When I'm in the room he's just usually in one corner watching me.

Yanfloist, my tank was bare for 2 months so a few days ago I placed a flowerpot as cover as a number of you suggested. Problem is, he doesn't get in it. Will add some driftwood to complement the pot. That might help. What do you guys think? Will try anything to make him stop rubbing so that the chimple will disappear.

Thanks!


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## Trigga (Jul 1, 2006)

my elong had a serious chimple when i first got him...i threw in some melafix to help with his fin damage and his chimple disapeared too. maybe itll work for you too.


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## Dong (Aug 5, 2008)

How long before your elong's chimple disappear?


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## Gigante Pirana (Apr 23, 2004)

My big rhom continues to attack his reflection against the glass and thus continues to have a fairly good size chimple. When rhoms see other piranhas and especially other rhoms, even if its their own reflections, they get all aggressive and such. You want to test this out, put in a glass divider between 2 rhoms and you will see what happens. Of course, make sure the divided tank is big enough for both fish.


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## Lifer374 (Dec 5, 2003)

Is he going behind the pot for cover instead of in it?

I have always had luck packing the tank with plants (platstic or real), large rock formations and driftwood.

The more hiding spots you provide, the less stress on the rhom. 
In my opinion a more natural looking tank is much more pleasing to the eye as well.


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## Dong (Aug 5, 2008)

My tank continues to be bare except for that pot I placed to act as a cave for cover. My rhom totally disregards the pot as if it wasn't there. I've never seen him go in it. I'll be adding a few driftwood and maybe rocks to provide more hiding spots. I will heed your advice Tango374. Thanks!


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## Dong (Aug 5, 2008)

Added a few driftwood during a water change. Hope this will help him settle down and minimize rubbing his chin against the glass. His chin is just irritated. He's really a cool fish, just observing what's going on around him. Not really skittish. He just stares at me when I'm in the room. Makes me wonder how he got that chimple.

Hope is disapprears in a few weeks.


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## Dong (Aug 5, 2008)

I'm happy to tell you guys that the chimple on my rhom has significantly improved. The swelling is down and I expect complete ealing within the next few weeks. I believe the driftwood and the addition of hiding spots minimized the stress. Will post pics soon.

Thanks for everybody's help!


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## notaverage (Sep 10, 2005)

I know this thread is old but I've noticed that my Mac has developed the begining of a Chimple.
I have never had any of my P's develop one.

its smaller then the pics (DONG) posted.
Is there anything I could do?

He is in a 20 and I have no intentions of upgrading as I want to use my 55 for a community tank.


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