Hole in Electric Blue Peacock's Stomach - Please Help

Hello,

Yesterday I noticed my 3-4 inch electric blue peacock in a mixed Malawi tank
had what looked like a 1/8 inch bite out of his stomach. The scales were
missing and the area was whitish and he's hiding behind the filter exhaust
at the top of the tank a lot. I figured someone got aggressive and I would
monitor it. This morning I woke up to find the area a little bigger and now
showing some deep red in the center. I moved him to a hospital tank by
himself and he seems to be happier.

Has anyone had this? Do you think it's a bite or some disease? I have been
reading about dropsy and bloat and others and now I am really confused. He's
a beautiful fish that I would love to save but I doubt he'll make it. At
this point I am more concerned with losing more fish if there is a disease
going around my large Malawi tank. I do weekly partials and monitor all my
numbers - all of which are good. I have added some new fish over the past
month but they seem to all get along - aside from the electric blue hap that
sometimes snips.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you again!!!
Ross

"Ross" <uranus RemoveThis @uranus.com> wrote in message
news:wv2dnV3HmIkaVO_dRVn-hw@comcast.com...
> Hello,
>
> Yesterday I noticed my 3-4 inch electric blue peacock in a mixed Malawi
tank
> had what looked like a 1/8 inch bite out of his stomach. The scales
were
> missing and the area was whitish and he's hiding behind the filter
exhaust
> at the top of the tank a lot. I figured someone got aggressive and I
would
> monitor it. This morning I woke up to find the area a little bigger and
now
> showing some deep red in the center. I moved him to a hospital tank by
> himself and he seems to be happier.
>
> Has anyone had this? Do you think it's a bite or some disease? I have
been
> reading about dropsy and bloat and others and now I am really confused.
He's
> a beautiful fish that I would love to save but I doubt he'll make it.
At
> this point I am more concerned with losing more fish if there is a
disease
> going around my large Malawi tank. I do weekly partials and monitor all
my
> numbers - all of which are good. I have added some new fish over the
past
> month but they seem to all get along - aside from the electric blue hap
that
> sometimes snips.
>
> Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thank you again!!!
> Ross

Just my very limited experience, one case. Constipation => bacterial
infection => ruptures a hole in the stomach/intestines. It was not hard
to keep it from getting more infected. The problem was getting nutrition
into the fish, as everything he ate passed through the rupture.
Eventually the colour drains out of the fins and the fish just got weaker
and weaker. I couldn't save him (a 4" C.moori). On a good note, it does
take several weeks, and your Peacock's wound is about half the size, so
your chances are much better. Melafix, Stresscoat and salt would be the
medications I would use. hth good luck.

NetMax