Hi guys, just got back home and noticed Ozzy (big black male o) has wat looks like excess slime covering the areas of damage hes inflicted on himself the last few days arguing wit the tank decor....to me it looks nothing like fungas, but as it is over the areas of trauma is it worth me dropping salt in to 0.01% to promote healing and stave off any infection? If this were goldies/Koi id have no queries in doing it but im just not sure if my cichlids and Lobster can take it?

Oh btw, Water Q is spot on as always!

Any pics available?
If the slimecoat is hurt, salt in first instance is not needed imo

I cant get pics at the mo cuz the hubby is out and has my camera with him It really doesnt look thik enough to be fungas! Ill get a pic or 2 later on for you....he dont seem too bothered by it, no flicking/flashing or gasping.

It could be a slight bacterial infection. Obviously without taking a smear and looking at it under a microscope you will never know. You could try a bacterial treatment and see if that works.

Im not too keep on treating the whole tank as i have other species in there, how about a salt dip at 0.06% for 15 minutes? I dont know how well O's deal with salted water? Or i can swab with Iodine?

Are you certain its not Slime Disease

This disease is also caused by protozoa e.g. Chilodonella, Ichthyobodo (Costia), Trichodina and Brooklynella species, and Trematodes (flukes) e.g. Gyrodactylus and Dactylogyrus species.

These parasites spend the whole of their life cycle on the fish, although infective young parasites may be released into the water to spread to new hosts. The parasites live on the skin and gill surface, eating gill and skin tissue debris. If their numbers increase rapidly, they may irritate the skin and gills, causing excessive mucus production and usually killing the fish by smothering the gills and hence suffocation.

Slime Disease Treatment

The correct treatment (such as Interpet's Anti Slime and Velvet No.7) quickly and effectively eradicates gill and skin parasites and removes the mucus build up, therefore aiding the fish's respiration.

Im almost certain as he is not showing any other symptoms that are associated with velvet or slime coat desiese. Hes happily swimming and eating, acting normal, not signs of stress at all! The mucus is isolated to one area of trauma and the majority of the slime has fallen off as hes been swimming, so aside from a few lifted scales and a little extra slime on his trauma area thats it.

If iodine/sale can be used on my O i shall go ahead and treat as an open wound, as this is what id do with Koi in a pond so as not to treat all other fish and no other fish are showing symptoms.

Is salt/iodine safe to use on my O? Ive never had to treat my O's before.....