# EMERGENCY HELP......this mystery might be a first *last update, pics a



## MoeMZA (Feb 19, 2004)

Sup folks,

Here's the deal. I have FOUR healthy 5-6" RBPs. All have been together since near birth.

Now here's the emergency/mystery part, one of the four is VERY slightly more dominant than the other three, and that one dominant RBP is somehow badly wounded. I don't know what the heck happened, simply came home and found it struggling and being picked on by the other three.

Has anyone had or heard of this type of situation?

What should I do? (I think they'll eventually kill it)

Attached are pics of the injured fish with damage near its top, back end.


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## rocker (Aug 12, 2005)

what sized tank are they in?

probably just some red on red crime :laugh:

that fish will be healthy no time wiht some salt.

So wha should you do? When its healed do a water change on te main tank and add the p in. See how it goes. If it goes well leave him, minor fin nips are normal but if you feel its bad then i guess he could go in a solo tank or you could sell him.


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## moron (May 26, 2006)

do you have a hospital tank?


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## rocker (Aug 12, 2005)

Jim99 said:


> do you have a hospital tank?


i think hes alredya in one judjing by the pics


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## redrum781 (Apr 10, 2006)

the damage does not look to bad
he does need his own tank though because they will team up and kill him
and i would put some salt in just to help


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

Sometimes piranhas do that for unknown reasons. They are excellent at seeking out the weak, so perhaps that thought that this fish was a weak link in the shoal.
~Taylor~

_*Topic Moved to Disease, Parasite, and Injury Forum*_


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## JCraig (Nov 9, 2006)

whos knows p's are crazy and unpredicable. im suprised my two 5" inch rb are still cohab with my 3 8" rb actually my little ones run the big ones around lol i dont get it.


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## moron (May 26, 2006)

higher the temp, and salt or melefex....he would be good in no time :nod:


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## MoeMZA (Feb 19, 2004)

rocker said:


> Sometimes piranhas do that for unknown reasons. They are excellent at seeking out the weak, so perhaps that thought that this fish was a weak link in the shoal.
> ~Taylor~
> 
> _*Topic Moved to Disease, Parasite, and Injury Forum*_


He wasn't the weakest for sure. He was the most dominant one, this is what baffles me.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

I've caught a lot of flack on here for my tendency to overstock.
I like to put as many pygos as possible into a tank, and make it work by also "Overfiltering and "Overwaterchanging" (As if there is such a thing...)

But I must say that even to me, four 5"-6" reds in a 40gallon tank is too much.

Also, he looks a bit skinny in that pic...


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## Badrad1532 (Apr 15, 2006)

What is your feeding schedule???


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## Badrad1532 (Apr 15, 2006)

What is your feeding schedule???


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## DC2RJUN (Aug 31, 2004)

Piranha_man said:


> I've caught a lot of flack on here for my tendency to overstock.
> I like to put as many pygos as possible into a tank, and make it work by also "Overfiltering and "Overwaterchanging" (As if there is such a thing...)
> 
> But I must say that even to me, four 5"-6" reds in a 40gallon tank is too much.
> ...


It does look weak and skinny, they tend to attack the......


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## Badrad1532 (Apr 15, 2006)

What is your feeding schedule???


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## MoeMZA (Feb 19, 2004)

Badrad1532 said:


> I've caught a lot of flack on here for my tendency to overstock.
> I like to put as many pygos as possible into a tank, and make it work by also "Overfiltering and "Overwaterchanging" (As if there is such a thing...)
> 
> But I must say that even to me, four 5"-6" reds in a 40gallon tank is too much.
> ...


It does look weak and skinny, they tend to attack the......
[/quote]

Believe me when I say this, the fish is the largest and most aggressive/dominant of the four.

I should also mention I fed them a good amount of shrimp about 12 hours before the incident.


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## Badrad1532 (Apr 15, 2006)

I would feed them alittle more often IMO, Ive had bad experiences when feeding every 3-5days. At 5-6 Inches they are still young

sorry about the feeding schedule question that got repeated, my computer froze and I must of hit the button 3 times after it froze

maybe feed alittle less and more often, Also what are your Parameters. and I would upgrade to like a 75-120 gallon to grow them out and give them room to set up territories


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## MoeMZA (Feb 19, 2004)

Is this overcrowded?


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## Badrad1532 (Apr 15, 2006)

It dosent look like it to me, but it may be to the P's and it may depend on just them. The setup to me actully looks tight. i dont know man , that was just my thought that last thread.

Is that a caribe on the far left or is that just a humeral black shawdow because i think you said you have reds. The fish look nice. I would just update now to see if the problem gets solved and it will help in the long run when You have to upgrade, get ahead in the game....good luck


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## MoeMZA (Feb 19, 2004)

Badrad1532 said:


> It dosent look like it to me, but it may be to the P's and it may depend on just them. The setup to me actully looks tight. i dont know man , that was just my thought that last thread.
> 
> Is that a caribe on the far left or is that just a humeral black shawdow because i think you said you have reds. The fish look nice. I would just update now to see if the problem gets solved and it will help in the long run when You have to upgrade, get ahead in the game....good luck


All Reds, thanks for your help.


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## Kyle2154 (May 12, 2006)

This whole thread seems odd. The Hulk Hogan of the tank ends up beaten and battered? I had 10 piranha in my tank about 2 weeks ago. One of my piranha had an overdialated eye and a bite in his back and whammo, one day, even though they were fed every day, he was dead, nothing but skull at the bottom. I'm not going to doubt that he was the most dominate one, why would you lie, but it does seem odd.

He must have just gotten teamed up on. Nurse him back to health as you are, feed the others, and add him back. If he truely is the most dominate one he should do alright, then again thats what makes this whole thread odd.

Kyle


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Keep us posted as to the condition of the fish...
I have a sneak suspicion from the looks of him that he may have internal parasites.
Body just kinda looks that way.

Just a gut feeling.


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## MoeMZA (Feb 19, 2004)

Kyle2154 said:


> Keep us posted as to the condition of the fish...
> I have a sneak suspicion from the looks of him that he may have internal parasites.
> Body just kinda looks that way.
> 
> Just a gut feeling.


Maybe......BUT, he was dominant till the day of the incident, also, it it's parasites, how come the others aren't sick?


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## eiji (Sep 16, 2006)

could it be a case of revolting against the tyrant?? Lol, seriously, by the looks of that P, i think he's a lil thin. all of your Ps should be fed regularly and try to lower the temp of the tank to reduce the aggression.


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## DC2RJUN (Aug 31, 2004)

put in a power head, remove some decor.?


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## MoeMZA (Feb 19, 2004)

OK folks, Imma post daily updates.

Day two:
The injured fish has now been in it's own 10gal tank for a day and a half. I've since added 1 tsp. of Melafix for each day.

There appears to be some slight 'clouding' around the wounds.
It still struggles when swimming.
It also has seemed to purposely wedged itself in the corner next to the heater with no movement and is only moving it's mouth, which is obviously not normal, here's a video and pictures to show.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Yep, that guy's got internal parasites, I'd bet anything on it.

I had a tank of pygos once where a few of them showed signs of internal parasites whereas others didn't.
Thing with them is, you've gotta treat 'em before they get too far gone, or it's all over.

Once they've completely lost their appetite, they're a gonner.


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## drwatson (Oct 31, 2006)

Its Piranha mutiny!


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## platinum1683 (Nov 17, 2006)

I have 4 reds and the 2 smaller ones gang up on the larger ones. I dont know why, but the larger ones always end up with fin nips.


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## assclown (Dec 12, 2005)

Jim99 said:


> could it be a case of revolting against the tyrant?? Lol, seriously, by the looks of that P, i think he's a lil thin. all of your Ps should be fed regularly and try to lower the temp of the tank to reduce the aggression.


agreed.......the tyrant was dethroned!!!!!!


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## Neon22 (Oct 11, 2006)

HAhahahahaha


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

He'll need some internal parasite meds, temp increase and added aereation if there's any hope for him.


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## MoeMZA (Feb 19, 2004)

OK folks, Day 3, last update:

It's over. Cause of death - unknown (might be internal ailments like some suggested).
Now have 3 RBPs and an empty 10gal tank on the side (any suggestions?).


























Last thing, what can I do with the corpse?


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## dark FrOsT (Sep 23, 2006)

sorry about your loss that was a nice size RB


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