Dwarf Finishing Ulcer Treatment

[Biulu]

Thanks to SouthernCross, Jozlyn and Sylvia, I was on time starting the ulcer treatment of my dwarf. Tonight I will to give him his last medication session according to the instructions. He has become more lively, and has not stopped eating.

Now I wonder what to do next. First of all, the red point of the ulcer is gone, but he still has the 'pimple' so to say. Should I keep treating him until the pimple is completely gone? When would I be able to put him back in his original tank? Should I leave him in the hospital tank until he starts blowing bubble nests as a sure sign that he is ok?

Or should I not put him back altogether, as he was the lowest in the picking hierarchy, which I think brought on the disease in the first place (due to the stress). The only problem would be then what to do with him, as he is currently occupying my Betta's home (9 litre tank), and the poor Betta has been in a 3 litre jar for a week now... I am working on a new tank, but it needs to be ordered in the big city, then delivered, cycled etc. This will take me at least a month!

 

[sylvia]

Keep up the treatment.

You are very, very lucky if he's improving. It rarely works out this way. It's also an indication that he, in fact, was suffering from a bacterial infection (rather than the viral version) - though it may also just be that a secondary bacterial infection has been cured - while the 'real' problem remains (lets hope not).

If he was bottom of the hierarchy, you'll have to keep him seperate as a relapse is very likely. I would suggest you buy a plastic food storage box to replace your betta's home - at least for the time being. Just transfer all equipment, decorations etc into it and remember to fill it with dechlorinated water.

You could do the same for the dwarf - even if it's only temporary.

I use food-safe storage boxes like these all the time for both quarantine and breeding/raising gouramies. As long as you come up with some makeshift cover to prevent suicides or else keep the water level low, they work a treat. Just note that you mustn't use air-tight lids. The fish will suffocate!

 

[SouthernCross]

I don't want to burst your bubble.....but all the redness went out of the ulcer on mine for a couple of days (I got super excited), then unfortunately he rapidly got very sick, stopped eating, the redness came back, was barely moving, then he died within 48 hours. But you ARE treating, so hopefully it's the treatment thats working for you.

I just can't get over the amount of us lately with this problem. I'm pondering posting a topic in a high-traffic forum like the Tropical Chit-Chat to see if ANYONE has kept dwarfs successfully for a long period of time. I'm especially interested in if anyone in Australia has - if they've had better luck than me, Jozlyn, and cuticom - all Aussies with dwarfs who died from this

I had thought I'd try once more with dwarfs cos I love them, but now I'm not sure. Am pondering going with pearls instead. Might make that topic later and see what people say...

 

[Biulu]

Well, from your answers I understand chances for survival are pretty slim. I will keep him separate from the rest, and continue to add the meds every 48 hours. I have bought an old-fashioned small filter to put into his tank to make maintenance easier as what I thought would be a temporary home, now looks to be pretty permanent! What size would I have to put him in? He is currently in a 9 litre tank (around 3 gallons) with plants, a cave and some bogwood.

I am moving house next week, so the betta has to bear with me for another 2 weeks until I can give his home a good scrub to ensure that he doesn't catch any of the disease the dwarf brought to his home!

 

[sylvia]

A 10 gallon would be ideal - but a 5 gallon would also be an improvement on the 3 if you can't manage the 10 at the moment. Remember to move all gravel/ornaments with him (I suspect this wasn't part of the plan ) so that you can hopefuly speed up the cycling process in the new tank or cut it out altogether - sick fish cannot deal with ammonia and nitrite spikes.

BTW, I have kept dwarfs for extended periods but they have been fish I raised myself or else got from a breeder. All those I have ever bought from an LFS have died prematurely of disease though I have had a few live 2-3 years so their deaths may have been coincidental and not linked to their origins. But those that were not LFS-bought lived fairly long lives - my oldest was about 5-6 years old (which is a good age for a dwarf and about average for other 'common' gourami species like pearls, three-spots etc). A bunch of dwarfs I was keeping when I moved, now live with a friend - they are all around 3 years old and, so far, very healthy.

 

[SouthernCross]

Unfortunately for me the LFS is the only place I can buy fish from. I did end up making the topic in Tropical Chit Chat - got some mixed responses, some people say theirs have been ok, others nothing but trouble, a few going 'wow, that exact thing happened to my fish too' (I described our recent influx of ulcer problems).

Anyhoo, its making me think I'm going to get some pearl gouramis instead.