hole in madarin?!?!?! (pic)

[mayjong]

Holy Mandy!
Last week I noticed a small "œspot" on my mandarin. I thought it was sand, as it sometimes sticks to it. With "œMandy" flitting around all the time, and the spot being so small, it is was hard to tell.
Last night, Mandy was near the glass, and facing the right way- OMG!!! There is a hole near his belly"¦
What in the world could this be???
He is still eating/swimming normally.

Thanks!

 

[krowleey]

looks starved to me.

 

[spw4949]

Definately looks emaciated.......

 

[jakano]

I had a mandarin that had that exact same thing except his was on his back. I hate to tell you but it eventually became a very large wound. It was like a flesh eating disease or something. That or another animal was eating him alive. But he swam around and ate like nothing bothered him.

 

[mayjong]

i would agree on the thin comments.. as few as a couple weeks ago (before this "hole") , he had a nice, round belly... tons of pods (tiny and large) in my tank...

dang...
any hope?
oh, and will this effect other fish? (should i remove him if i can?)

 

[JeF4y]

looks starved as well... if you can get him out and put him in a fuge/sump where you're cultivating pods or where there may be more of them, do it... But something tells me he's a goner. Sorry...

 

[JeF4y]

I had a mandarin that had that exact same thing except his was on his back. I hate to tell you but it eventually became a very large wound. It was like a flesh eating disease or something. That or another animal was eating him alive. But he swam around and ate like nothing bothered him.

And what was the ultimate outcome?