Fish Disease Help.

[paleeagle]

Hi all.

It is a shame that my first post is going to be me begging for help but needs must lol.

I have had a problem with my male gouramis for getting on for 3 weeks now. It started with what looked like a scuff mark on the belly which developed into what looked like an ulcer. Then the problem (which hasnt gone from the belly) moved onto the opposite side of the fish around the face/eye/gills.

I checked for bullying but this fish with the "ulcers" was the only fish in the tank that would chase anything and since becoming ill, rarely does any chasing. It is still eating (although not with such "I'm the leader get out of my way!" attitude it used to have.)

I have treated for over 2 weeks with a general all round "tonic" http/www.seapets.co.uk/products/aquarium-supplies/fish-treatments/tropical/tropical-fish-medicines/tetra-fish-medicines/tetra-medica-general-tonic-100ml.html

but it didnt touch the problem.

Have taken pics to local fish guy who is generally very good and he says he has never seen anything like it before so wasnt sure what to recommend.

I feel unless I can do something soon I am going to lose this fish as more smaller (pinhead) ulcers are appearing (I say ulcers as I have no idea how else to describe them).

Any help will be appreciated.

 

[WILDER]

Poor thing.

Size of tank in gallons or litres.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

Any signs of darting, erratic swimming, excess mucas, flicking and rubbing.
Laobured breathing. any red pin prick marks on the fish.

Ulcers are pink or red with a circling of dead tissue around the edges.

If no parasites signs I would get treating with a bacterial med.
Whats your location.
Tonics are a complete waste of money.

 

[paleeagle]

Poor thing.

Size of tank in gallons or litres.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

Any signs of darting, erratic swimming, excess mucas, flicking and rubbing.
Laobured breathing. any red pin prick marks on the fish.

Ulcers are pink or red with a circling of dead tissue around the edges.

If no parasites signs I would get treating with a bacterial med.
Whats your location.
Tonics are a complete waste of money.

Size of tank 150litres
3 siamese algea eaters
2 blue gouramis
2 blood-red gouramis (male and female)
2 penguin tetras (remainder of a group that has long departed)
1 extremely small male Platie (I gave the rest away as they were taking over the tank but this little chap must of been hiding and now follows the male fire gouramis around everywhere)
6 algea eating shrimp
2 assassin snails.

Water stats. Sorry I forgot to mention. have been testing every 2-3 days and everything is pretty stable. Ph is about 7.5 - 8. Ammonia is not present according to reading. nitrites are less then 0.1 . Nitrates on the other hand I cannot get an accurate reading. I have been getting well over 110ppm as a reading which is massively high but it hasnt been changing with water changes. Tested pure tap water today and the reading came out at 110ppm so think I have a dud tester for that.

No signs of any problems with the fish. Even with the sores he doesnt rub or flick. Red pin prick marks I am not sure about. there are no red dots. but as you can see if you look closely in the pics the sore to begin with a small red coloured circle.

My location is Bristol. UK

 

[WILDER]

Going to get a link to gourami desease.

Are any fish pecking at him.

He really needs issolating and antibiotics from a vet.
Antibiotics should be used in isolation as they wipe the beneifical bacteria out in the filter.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/153493-a-dwarf-gourami-mini-f-a-q/

 

[paleeagle]

Going to get a link to gourami desease.

Are any fish pecking at him.

He really needs issolating and antibiotics from a vet.
Antibiotics should be used in isolation as they wipe the beneifical bacteria out in the filter.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/153493-a-dwarf-gourami-mini-f-a-q/

very interesting link thankyou.

he is now in isolation and was on his way out very quickly. So I thought all or nothing and got him out on the side in a net and put some neat meth blue direct onto the wound on his side which was getting very pink and when I picked him out of the tank you could nearly see through to the other side of the fish. Plopped him back into the tank and oddly enough he perked up within an hour. Colours/displaying fins everytime I went near the tank. (get away from me you b*******) Anyway looked the following morning and the side wound seemed to be clearing up. Not as pink but what looked like maybe a parasite attached to the top of the wound. (could of just been a loose scale) So made up a bath of concentrated meth blue in a bucket of tank water, (only a little) and dipped him in it while he was contained in a net. He didnt seem to mind too much but I only left him in there about 2 mins.

He is now back in the isolation tank looking quite happy. So we will see how this treatment goes.

I will keep you informed.

Although I do now have a blue bucket and blue hands.

I will be talking to the vet tonight if this doesnt seem to be doing the trick but fingers crossed.

 

[WILDER]

Bless Him.
Never thought of methylene baths or dabbing the wounds.
Let me know how he get on.
Good Luck.