Bump Next To Gourami's Tail

[kuroifuragu]

I'm cycling a new tank, about 10 gal. Got a new gourami to cycle with. Water is very well maintained. Change water out 15-20% every other day. Been watching chemistry like a hawk. I had too much movement from trying to oxygenate the water. Gourami got mad cause they like still water. Now he has a bump just before his tail fin on the right side. He was real pissed about the water movement. I think he slammed his tail on somethin. I turned it down and he is cool now. Is this some infection, or just from him thrashing and smacked his tail on something? He is the only fish in the tank. I tried searching the forum already. Here's some pics. Please help. Thanks.

 

[tttnjfttt]

Exactly what are your water stats at right now? Also, is the bump discolored in any way? The third pix makes it really hard to tell. The other pix just look blurred where the bump is.

 

[sylvia]

Though I cannot tell from those pics, it's probably an ulcer. Dwarf gouramies are the absolute worst fish you could choose to cycle with. They are very sensitive to water quality and highly prone to disease. The best thing you can do for it is return it to your LFS and fishless cycle the tank instead. Not only will that take less time, you also won't be killing any fish (because the gourami would almost deffinately die). Fishless cycling is very simple - just remove the fish and add a pinch of fish food to the tank on a daily basis. Monitor water quality. When ammonia and nitrIte is at 0 and nitrAtes are high, do a 90% water change with de-chlorinated tap water, syphon up any debris (such as the rotting food) and then go and buy your first fish immediately after the water change. It only takes a couple of weeks or so at most while fishless cycling can take 2 months. With the fragile gourami, water changes every other day are a must so the cycle would take even longer. Do the fish a favour and take it back - you can always buy a new one later. He stands a better chance at the LFS than in an uncycled tank. There are links in my signature about cycling and fishless cycling - you can fishless cycle with pure ammonia if you can get hold of some - less messy than fish food

 

[tttnjfttt]

I don't think it is an ulcer. Ulcers are usually open wounds, where the skin and tissue ahs been eaten away, this is a bump that is sticking out.

 

[WILDER]

I agree with what has been said, it dosn't look like an ulcer to me either, if he has bumped it i would give it a few days to see if the swelling goes down.

 

[kuroifuragu]

Thank you for the info. It's amazing how diverse people's opinions are about how to care for these critters. I am gonna try to take the little guy back if I can find the reciept. Rather have him live a healthy life than no life at all.

 

[jolaf]

thank you for the at a glance fishless cycle I am keeping this one for my next tank great advice.

Though I cannot tell from those pics, it's probably an ulcer. Dwarf gouramies are the absolute worst fish you could choose to cycle with. They are very sensitive to water quality and highly prone to disease. The best thing you can do for it is return it to your LFS and fishless cycle the tank instead. Not only will that take less time, you also won't be killing any fish (because the gourami would almost deffinately die). Fishless cycling is very simple - just remove the fish and add a pinch of fish food to the tank on a daily basis. Monitor water quality. When ammonia and nitrIte is at 0 and nitrAtes are high, do a 90% water change with de-chlorinated tap water, syphon up any debris (such as the rotting food) and then go and buy your first fish immediately after the water change. It only takes a couple of weeks or so at most while fishless cycling can take 2 months. With the fragile gourami, water changes every other day are a must so the cycle would take even longer. Do the fish a favour and take it back - you can always buy a new one later. He stands a better chance at the LFS than in an uncycled tank. There are links in my signature about cycling and fishless cycling - you can fishless cycle with pure ammonia if you can get hold of some - less messy than fish food