My poor little dwarf Gourami has developed a strange sore on the side of its mouth. I have a feeling that he knocked himself on the tank thermometer as he's been swimming up and down, up and down right underneath it a lot.

The sore is a small, red raised mark. I rang my lfs and was told to treat it with Protozin as it could be an injury that has developed fungus.

Ok, so I put the first dose in last night. But what I wanted to check with you all is whether you've seen this type of thing before and also is Protozin harmful to fish that are completely healthy?

Just wondering if I should have isolated him before giving meds.

He's in a tank with the following:

2 Platies
4 Mollies (2 are sailfin)
4 Guppies
4 neon tetras
2 ADFs

Have done all tests last night using liquid test kit and all readings were ok so it's not the water that caused this I don't think.

I finally sussed out why he was swimming up and down (vertically) the tank non-stop - his tank is positioned next-door to another tank and he was obviously trying to swim over there. As soon as I put a cardboard insert between the two tanks, he stopped the strange swimming behaviour.

Sorry for rambling - Athena

This post has been edited by Athena: Jul 3 2008, 01:14 PM

mine has an ulcer on the side of his head. sounds like what youre describing but in a different place.

I am using myxazin though but I think he might die along with possibly my other gourami. from reading about them on here, theyre not lucky fish

Oh it's sad, isn't it? Yes, that sounds like it - an ulcer! They are lovely-looking fish but I don't think I will get them again. I've already lost the female I had and still don't know why. Water stats are fine - I guess it's true that they are problematic fish to keep.

Hope your fishie manages to pull through!

yeh v sad!

Even people on here whove kept fish forever have lost them within a month!

I hope yours and mine can be miracles

Is is pinkish with a white edge? If so, it is an ulcer, and you need anti internal meds for it. And a whole lot of luck

It looks like a red, raised, bobbly lump (about the same size as his eye). I'll continue on with the Protozin meds and see what happens. I was just concerned for my other fish in with him and whether the Protozin would irritate them at all.

I guess I'll just have to keep hopeful that they and the Gourami will be ok.

Thanks - Athena

Hate to be the bringer of bad news but what you are describing is all too common in DG's.

99.9% chance of death.

In my 5+ years of fish-keeping I have tried to keep DG twice. My set up was perfect for them (well matured and heavily planted with peaceful tank mates) My water stats were more than perfect but both times they quickly developed an ulcer around the mouth/gill area.

Death followed dispite medication

Don't even consider them now dispite thier splender.

Oh no, doesn't sound very promising, Doresy... I think you may be right, though. I can't see any improvement with the ulcer thing yet. He's still eating and swimming about energetically. I'm still not sure that Protozin is the correct meds for this but have started so will see it through.

Definitely will avoid DGs in future. Such a shame as they are pretty little things.

Do you happen to know if the same problem exists with other types of Gouramis? (e.g. golden or moonlight)

Athena

Amazingly my DG is still alive and the ulcer near it's mouth is beginning to go down and fade. It's not as red as it was, so perhaps the Protozin stuff has helped.

Still remaining hopeful for this lil fella...