Gourami Healing?

[shaddai]

Alright...I need someone smarter than I.

This is the dwarf blue a week ago or so,

This is him now after a round of antibiotics.

2 other dwarf blue gourami's bloated up and died in the med tank, however I think #2 was my fault. I didn't stop to think that the med tank had a well built load of antibiotics in the water, and the main tank didn't.

Anyway, the little guy in the pics has just finished a 5 day course of Maracyn2, salt & stress coat. He's pooping normal, acting awful energetic, but has these huge holes in his side that aren't healing up. They don't seem to bother him at all, but they sure don't look good. At the suggestion of the LFS, he's started a round of Maracyn while maintaining the Maracyn2 until the Maracyn treatment is complete. M2=7days, M=5days.

After knowing this battle I've been having with gourami's staying healthy, and now noticing my swordtails acting odd too, I decided to treat the big tank. I finally found some Furan2 at a pet shop I'd thought had closed up years ago. After seeing how Furan2 has improved things, I wish I would have found it a week and a half ago. The 4 tetras now hang out together, the swordtails act normal, and the 1 gold barb I thought was loaded with eggs is shrinking, and the dwarf gourami in there looks like he hasn't eaten in a week compared to yesterday, and now spends his time pacing back and forth accross the glass.

The improvement with the Furan after 24 hours is better than what Maracyn 2 did in 5 days. It also was the med I originally was trying to find...at least the big tank's going better than the little one.

At any rate, what to do with the little guy in the med tank now? Should I keep going with the M/M2, or do a whoppin water change & turn the tank green with Furan2?

Todd

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Personally I'd stop the meds he's having. They obviously aren't helping even slightly. Do a big water change and put some activated carbon in the filter to rid the tank of all remains of the med. After 24 hours remove the carbon and try the other med. It's always best to leave some sort of gap between meds or you can stress the fish to death. I wouldn't add salt either anymore. If anything all it will do is cause him pain.
He does really look very bad.
Hugs,
P.

 

[shaddai]

That's what I figured. After thinking about it all night last night, I arrived at the same conclusion. I got up this morning and loaded the filter with carbon and did a 50% water change. I'll do another with the gravel vac once I get home from work. If the sores don't show a visible response to the Furan2 within 24 hours of introducing it, then I'm gonna let him have a swim in the clove oil...which is sad, because it's really apparent he wants to keep going with life!

Do you think there's a possibility that those sores are fungal? I doubt they're parasitic because of the salt, but if they aren't responding to anti-bios, what else could they be? Not that it would change anything, but for future reference in case I see it again?

Todd

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

I wouldn't give up hope on him that fast tbh. Clean water and tlc can do wonderous things. After my synos got all butch with each other several had bad scratched up faces. The worst I moved out and treated as his bites developed fungus very fast, but I only treated with clean water and melafix and pimafix. He's healed up a treat! Although it does seem he's a tad accident prone. He lives in a peaceful tank now and still manages to get the odd scratch on himself.
Maybe melafix and pimafix would work for this guy? I didn't use them at 100% dose but have kept the treatment going longer then normal. Along with alot of water changes to keep the conditions excellent. If he's a true fighter he'll pull through.
Hugs,
P.

 

[shaddai]

I actually had him on pimafix and melafix at first, but then stopped them soon after the maracyn stuff was started, because I didn't want his tank turning into some sort of toxic cocktail I did 3 more 50% water changes betwen last night and this morning to be sure, and left the carbon there.

At any rate, put the first dose of Furan2 in this afternoon at lunch. Tonight he's showing signs of his situation changing, but I'm not sure if it's good or bad. His sores aren't anywhere near as red or swollen as they were, but are developing a white ring around the outside of them. Is this is what the beginning of healing looks like? It doesn't look enflamed and isn't growing fuzz or anything...it's just white. Sorta like the white dry tough skin around a good scrape on your knee. I'm hoping this is good.

But, it seems he's not anywhere near as active as he was before the Furan2 was dosed. He's not lethargic or anything, but he's just not quite as perky as he was after the Maracyn2. Also, he let out a long stringy white poop today that was really odd. He was poopin normal yesterday. I hope this is because of the med change & the salt content coming down & not signs of an internal bacteria back up and running..

We did finally name him though.. he's Chemical Ali..


Todd