PlanetCatfish.com

help! my banjo catfish is very poorly. For a while he has had a pinky white substance covering one of his gills and has been swimming to the surface alot. When I looked at him today I noticed alot of blood around the area. Can anyone tell me what it is and how to get rid of it or is it too late. If so what is the best way to put him out of his misery. Thanks.

any info would be helpful pleeeease!!!!! I don't like seeing him in distress.

here is a pic. sorry about quality

as I have been so overwhelmed with replies I would like to ask another question. How often can you salt dip a banjo? I did it this morning and it seems to have helped slightly so when can I do it again?

thanks everyone for your help my banjo has now died.

Sometimes things just aren't meant to be.

If your pet is very noticeably sick, never rely on forums for answers, unless of course you're searching archives. There's no telling when somebody will respond, or be around to respond.

Not to mention that a day, while it seems extraordinarly long to you in your time of distress, is hardly long enough to expect valid answers.

You also did not give enough information about your banjo or its tank. No water change schedule, water parameters, etc.

I'm sorry, but I left my mind-reading powers at home today. For future reference, water changes are rarely if ever amiss!

o.k. Fair comments. But I'm still non the wiser as to what it was. Can anyone tell from the picture in case it happens again. When I got him out it looked like whatever it was was eating him. His skin was transparent and holey. He was kept in a 400litre community tank with another banjo which is o.k. All my other fish are doing fine aswell.

My best guess would be some sort of bacterial infection, possibly from an infected wound. That said, it is hard to tell you what to change in the tank as we have no information about what else resides in the tank, filtration or maintenance schedule. Since the fish died 24 hours after you noticed the problem, I highly doubt that you could have done much for it.
-Shane