Help! - Injured Female Dwarf Gourami

[bushbrother]

Hi all, this is a copy of my post in the beginners area, didn't realise there was this one ... link is here, I will copy paste what I have done so far ...

This happened yesterday evening, so its almost been 24 hours now ... any help appreciated.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/313270-help-injured-female-dwarf-gourami/

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1st post:
I need some help guys, I just looked into my tank and the female gourami had somehow swam into a "tunnel" in the bogwood and had wedged herself hard in there. I quickly got a small cotton budd and tried to tease her backwards but didnt want to apply too much pressure.

I have just spent 30 minutes slowly using a small pair of pointy pliers to gently enlargen the hole so she could get out. She is swimming about and looks very nervous. She has a quite big cut at her top, just before the dorsal fin and also looks like some damaged scales along the top where she was wedged in and wiggling

What should I do? I have to sleep now as its already midnight here in UK so hope she lasts till morning, is there medication I can give her or will the wounds heal? Any advice please ...

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2nd post:
So this morning she is still alive and moving about a bit, though very close to the ground. I noticed that the male was pestering alot and she cannot move away so fast now. So what I have done is float a large bowl in the tank and fill with as much water so that it still floats on top of tank. I then netted her and put her in there with some bloodworm.

I then added like a pinch of non-iodised salt (how much should I put?). Atleast now she can be in peace from the male gourami and she seems to have picked up a bit.

I noted that the sore looking cut on her top is no longer a red looking cut but more silver/white. Is this good? My plan now is to monitor the ammonia in the bowl and change the water as often as needed.

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3rd post:
I have just changed the water in the bowl to prevent amonia build up and also re-sprinkled some salt in there ...

How long do I keep the salt up for? How much?

She is still looking pretty sick

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[WILDER]

Sounds fine to me.
I would use the salt for another day to stop infection.
Also make sure no fungus grows on the wound.

 

[bushbrother]

Sounds fine to me.
I would use the salt for another day to stop infection.
Also make sure no fungus grows on the wound.

Thanks for the reply, so just a small pinch of salt is enough? How do I prevent the fungus?

 

[Curiosity101]

I've had fish do this quite a few times.

Infact I actually had a male gourami who did something similar, he cut the area just before his dorsal fin and above his eyes.
So long as it doesn't look red and inflamed or open and sore then I'd just pop her back in the tank.
Fresh water and being stress less will be the best medicine for her.

If it's the tank in your signature then it's plenty big enough for her to stay away from the male if she really wants.
Also the longer she's out the more dominant he's likely to be as he'll be more likely to regard the whole tank as his territory.

 

[bushbrother]

So it is definately not red and inflamed any more, that was gone this morning.

I really dont want to put her back in with the male yet, as she doesnt seem able to swim very much, like she wants to rest on the bottom and doesnt want to swim upwards. Although she was moving around the tank.

Her one side is a bit kind of ruffled, like she damaged some of the scales too. Almost like they are reflecting in a different direction. I will try to take a picture later.

Edit: yes its the tank in my signature, its my only one. I just finished cycling 2 weeks ago I am having to use a bowl as I have no hospital tank ...

 

[WILDER]

it depends on the size of the bowl.
For salt can be one teaspoon to a gal or one tablespoon to 5 gal.

 

[bushbrother]

it depends on the size of the bowl.
For salt can be one teaspoon to a gal or one tablespoon to 5 gal.

Its quite small, but the biggest I can fit, i might move her to a bucket but was worried the water might get too cold. I would guess its about 2/3 a gallon.

 

[WILDER]

No. I wouldn't use a bucket with no a heater and airstone.
I would just add one teaspoonful of salt then if the tanks 2 to 3 gallon.
Good Luck.

 

[bushbrother]

No. I wouldn't use a bucket with no a heater and airstone.
I would just add one teaspoonful of salt then if the tanks 2 to 3 gallon.
Good Luck.

Sorry, I think I confused things. The tank is 25 gallons, but I have isolated the fish in a plastic bowl and floated that bowl in the main tank to keep it warm. The bowl is only 0.75 gallons ... The male was giving her a hard time and she needed to be alone. I thought I should not add salt with the tank mates that are in there (my signature).

 

[WILDER]

Ok.
I would just add half a teaspoon then. How many litres is 0.75.

 

[bushbrother]

Ok.
I would just add half a teaspoon then. How many litres is 0.75.

I guess about 2 litres ... I realise it is very small, but there was nothing else I could use to separate them that quickly and she was getting bashed about ...

 

[Curiosity101]

0.75 us gal = 2.8 litres
0.75 uk gal = 3.4 litres

 

[WILDER]

I would add a quater of a teaspoon then.

 

[bushbrother]

I would add a quater of a teaspoon then.

OK thanks for the help guys, I will continue the salt for another 24 hours with regular water changes in the bowl. Then she should be strong enough to go back with the others.

 

[WILDER]

Match ph and temp before you add her back to the tank.
Also water changes once she back in the main tank.
Good Luck.