Please help cuddles the sea goblin

[chowz]

I recently purchased a sea goblin from live aquaria. When I got him his bottom lip was very swollen but he was eating well. I watched him for a few days and it looked like the swelling was going down and that he was getting better. Yesterday I noticed that part of his lip was turning white and by last night it looked almost like some of his flesh was coming off. I started treating him with melafix because that is what I have in the house. Tonight when I got home it looks like part of his jaw is gone. I called live aquaria that told me they think he has hole in the head disease. I am thinking that it's more likely an infection. The only think I have found online is to treat with merthiolate. He was still eating as of last night. I have included a couple of pictures for help in diagnosing what is wrong with him. Any recommendations on how to treat him would be greatly appreciated.

[humaguy]

follow what la/dd recommends and keep in touch with them daily if you have to...send them pics...

[rayn]

That is most likely bag rub that got infected. Place it in QT and treat with a antibiotic. Dosing Vit C would be good as well.

[namxas]

That is absolutely NOT "hole in the head" (scorps don't really get HLLE)...we've seen this before, and as Doug mentioned, it's bag rub that has gotten infected. It's a hard one to cure, and most fish don't make it. If it's not arrested in time, your fish won't survive as it will likely lose its lower jaw (it's heartbreaking to see a fish WANT to eat, but can't because it has no mouth).

Drop your temp to about 72*F to slow the infection and treat with a broad spectrum antibiotic such as Furan 2.

This a tuff one because the fish go off their feed, so they're not only stressed from the disease, they can't eat. Do let us know what happens, good or bad, what you tried, etc.

Good luck.