Convict with swollen gill??

[mullene]

Hey guys!
I know that you ask for parameters, tank size, etc BUT I got this fish from Petsmart the way he is!! SO, I know that my water hasn't had anything to do with it--

I have a Convict Cichlid that has a swollen gill. It is just one gill that is swollen and he seems to be breathing hard. Other than that he has an appetite and seems to swim normal.

Here are some pics-

Sorry about the pictures I know some are quite blurry!
Remember this is only on one gill and besides breathing heavily there aren't any other symptoms-
We've had him about a week now, We still have 1 week to take him back I think.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[sorberj]

My first inclination would be to check for flukes or some other parasite. If you have a clear container that you can put it in to keep it more still (a dip and pour works well for this), then that may allow for a closer inspection. This could be damage from fighting but usually gill damage heals up fairly quickly and it sounds like it's been going for a while. You could try a treatment of Metrondiazole or Praziquantel if it is a fluke of some sort.