spartucus' sore bigger

[krogey]

Hi all,

I know I asked this a little while ago but it has goten bigger. Spartucus got nipped by a crab late last month, and it seems to have only gotten bigger - it's turned into a large white spot... not really sure what something like this is meant to look like when its healing but the fact that it is growing concerns me a little. She doesnt seem bothered by it at this stage and is still as hungry as ever, I tried putting a little aqua plus in but my skimmer, skimmed it all out (yeah I know not to bright leaving the skimmer on when putting that in )
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Also on more of a general note, a friend of mine got an octo last week, it seemed fairly healthy he put it in his tank - water quality good - and he woke up the next morning and the octo was dead and covered in a white furry slime. Any ideas?? I know when fish die they get a bit furry but I have never seen it happen so quickly, normally it takes a day or two...
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c-yas!

 

[Nancy]

I'm certainly not an expert in wounds, but I did read that the abilitly to produce color can be damaged around a wound and stay that way. So it might be an white area healing.

As far as I've been able to find out, there's not much you can do to help her. It's a good sign that she doesn't seem bothered by the hurt area.

As far as the octopus dying suddenly, I've never heard anything like that before.

Hope Spartucus is OK.

nancy

 

[Colin]

Hi

Was your friends octopus sent mail order or picked up in a shop? Perhas the travelling was a bit rough (cold/hot?) or maybe the octo was an older one and got too stressed out?

Either way, chack all tank parameters again and its even worth doing a copper test...

 

[ant]

just lemme ask 1 thing........... did u get ur octo name from halo

 

[joel_ang]

Is an infection a possibility? Or perhaps it is healing, my cuttle which got pinched by a crab had a white line left permanantly on his skin. Could the reason why its bigger be due to the octo growing then the skin stretching slightly.

THese are just a few thoughts I had.

 

[krogey]

yeah it appears it is definately infected, i dont know how many of you are also fish keepers (most i imagine) but it seems to be a very similar if not the same infection wich eats away the flesh of fish (flesh eating disease - thats not what the actual name is Im sure(!) but commonly refered to over here as that). It suddenly went very deep and as if it was torn.. but i think you may be right joel_ang, her sudden growth spurt is probably a contributing factor - (does anyone think if I cut down her food intake that it would be a problem? - I mean I dont want to starve the poor thing but she is growing unusually quick!).
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By Friday night I was extremely concerned and although her appetite has not waned in the least, i feared it only a matter of time. We tossed up about using a product called "Bactonex" which for those who may not know is "to assist in the prevention of bacterial, fungal and protozoal infectuions". Although we have used sucssefully in marine tanks with scaleless fish and sharks/rays before i was still really aprehensive about putting anything like that in which might damage her system in any way. Also thought about using less conventional methods such as fresh water dipping etc as used in marines but didnt think such a good idea from what I had read and i really didnt want to stress her.
So instead took something my mum taught me from vetrinary clinics (mum to the rescue again!) and decided to create a sterile environment - well as sterile as posible.
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took out sand bed - good move as it seemed to be going off, Spartacus had taken to digging and stirring up the sand lately, so I'm sure a combination of bacteria in the sand and the abrasiveness in general was not helping, took out live rock and base rock and anything
she played with and soaked all (except live rock) in fresh water to kill any bacteria on it.
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meanwhile i had put her in a bucket but she decided she wanted to be part of the action and come looking for us, taking a walk accross the kitchen floor the sight of her accross the other side of the kitchen crawling accross the floor took about ten years off my life - and trying to get her to let go of the floor and be put back in some water was a whole other experience - note to self: ocopuses and wooden floors do NOT mix! - funny now ... not funny then
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All in all after RO was mixed and salt added (we decided for best results and no bacteria we would make our own water - normally we get from bay and it goes through and carbon filtration system which takes out any toxins but probably not all bacteria) spartacus acclimatised. she freaked for the first 24 hrs and hid but last night she happily fed and went for a bit of a walk and this morning she was out and about though I think she is still sulking at us becuase now when you go past the tank, if shes out she will immediately hide as if to say "please dont take me out and change everything again!" :P but I have faith that she will get over that soon.
As for the sore it is still big and like you say I think will probably always not have pigment but it looks less torn and hopefully we will see some results of healing soon.
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If anyone has sucessfully used bactonex though or anything similar containing the same ingredients (Aminacrine Hydrochloride and Methylene Blue) please let me know as it may halp quicken the healing process if I can add this to her hospital regime.
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keep you posted though !

P.S Sorry ant I didnt get my octo name from halo - who or what is halo?