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Now while normally I wouldn't do this, but desperate times.

I have a pictus cat (Pimelodus pictus) in a 30 gallon, and he shared it with a convict cichlid for around 3-4 years. Recently, I took out the sand of the tank, and today I noticed something. The catfish is currently upside down, and is lacking the entirety of his tail. The bones are showing, and I can see red and flesh. Half of the tail has been shredded o the bone, and the other half hasn't. I understand that the chances of this guy making it are relatively slim to none, but I still have to try.

I've put him in a half filled 2.5 gallon tank for now, with an airstone, a piece of calcium carbonate, and the skeletal remains of a catappa leaf. I have absolutely no idea how to even go about treating this guy, and desperately need help. Medications I have on hand are salt, indian almond leaves, and a single packet of Erythromycin, as well as copper medication. I am willing to go buy more medicine if it will help. For now, I need to know what I need todo. The cat is relatively healthy, and is still squirming as I type this.

What do I need to feed, how often do I need to feed? When do I need to do water changes, should I change the water from tap to reconstituted RO/DI? Tell me what to do here folks, I'm waaaay out of my league here.

It won't eat anyway and having it eat is not a priority. I think the priority is to keep the water parameters perfect - especially zero ammonia and zero nitrite and lots of oxygen.

I'd keep it in the same water, more or less, that it is used to.

Having said all that, I don't think it will make it. The wound and the stress will be too much for it.

I'd not medicate.

Just as Victor wrote, the fish is in danger, due to both the wound and the stress. Both your handling (best intended, I'm certain, but not the best idea) and the wound provide lot's of stress - which is something the fish will have to cope with.

This stress will - amongst others - reduce its immunity and reduce its healing capacity. Therefore, try to keep the tank as quiet as possible, do not go into the water, do not feed the fish, (it won't eat anyway) and do not medicate.

Fishes are very fast healing animals, I've seen Synodontus granulosus being stripped of almost all their skin, surviving - but I removed the tormentors, not the victim.

If your pictus survives today, I would assume everything will become OK again. But the odds of surviving the day are slim

Wait...but if I remove the airstone (which is a sound source), then that removes oxygen from the water, which the catfish needs. Similarly, removing the frozen bloodworms will result in stress either way (either by adding ammonia, or me entering the tank). I woke up today, and the fish is still alive, but it's back to lying on its back and not its stomach...is this a normal occurence due to the lack of fins now?

leave both the bloodworms and the airstone.

You'll need the airstone, but the bloodworms is unlucky. Still removing them is more stress than leaving them, especially on short term: Now your fish cannot cope with stress. Leaving the bloodworms to rot will take a few days to pollute the water.

Therefore, if it makes it to Monday, and starts to being more or less normal (belly down, for instance) do a water change on Monday. But don't feed it yet

Well, on the plus side, the bloodworms are gone. I guess the cat has been snacking on them for the past few days. There are only a few left. But I shouldn't add anymore, right? The tail is looking kind of better. There's no more red vein looking thing, but there's some sort of white fungus on it. Also, the barbels seem to be disappearing....ummmm ????

Fungus is not good. However, are you certain it is fungus and not fish tissue? If it is fluffy, I'm rather certain it is fungus.

I'm afraid you will need to cure for this fungus

Disappearing barbels in Pimeloids usually means the water needs changing.

As the fish is still alive, it had been able to withstand the stress it has had. I think you best change the water as stress free as possible (remouving a bucket, filling it again and remouving the next is far less stressful then remouving 50 % before filling the tank again) and add a cure against the fungus.

I'm rather hopeful the fish, which has survived until today, and which is healing, will survive.

@ feeding - I would still be very careful. the bloodworms can also have rotten and be the cause of the bad water which shows in the barbels.

Perhaps adding 1, fresh one, letting it fall in the front is an idea: If it is eaten within a day, you can replace it. If not, wait a week before a next attempt. Personally I would not feed yet

Bas Pels wrote:@ feeding - I would still be very careful. the bloodworms can also have rotten and be the cause of the bad water which shows in the barbels.

Live worms like these can be very unsanitary, especially when store-bought and not grown at home. Although I don't know how universal this practice is, I presume most people who buy a bag of worms like tubifex, etc., wash them 3-4 times with water every time they feed the worms to their fish. This removes much of the worm feces, dead/rotting worm bodies, bacteria, and what must be a horrible ammonia load that builds up inside that bag during the days when you don't wash the worms.

Of course, this doesn't remove all the junk, and I'm still always aware of the possibility that these worms can spread infective bacteria to my fish, but I think the thorough washing helps reduce that significantly.

Good luck, Eric

Unfortunately, the catfish died yesterday. Thanks everybody for the input.

I'm sorry to hear so

Well, at least you gave it your best shot and attempted to help the poor guy.

I'm sorry the outcome was not a better one, but know that we've all been in your shoes and can understand how you feel.