Hole in head, and growth on gill? Sparkling Gourami Help.

Hamdhan777

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Hi guys,

One of my female sparkling gourami has developed what appears to be a dent on her head, and discoloration to part of one of her gills (there is also some white growth protruding from this area). She still eats, but is swimming rather lethargic.

Tank is cycled.
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate (Don't have a test kit, but 25% bi-weekly water changes are carried out)

Any one know what this could be and how to treat. Any help would be most appreciated. Let me know if you need any more information.
 

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Please get the test kit for nitrates, you should be able to know if they are 0ppm or out of control. The gourami could have had the disease before you could have noticed it. The whole in head could be Hexamita (I'm not sure 100%), but I'm unsure about the growth. Either @Colin_T could help you or other member. So sorry to hear about your gourami :(
 
It looks like hole in the head or head and lateral line disease, but that normally affects cichlids and some marine fish. Anyway, google Hexamita or hole in the head disease to see if it looks like that.

Hexamita is normally found in dirty tanks with lots of gunk in the filter and gravel.

You can try doing a 75% water change and gravel cleaning the substrate every day for a week and see if that helps.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. Wash filter media/ materials in a bucket of tank water and re-use the media. Tip the bucket of dirty water on the garden/ lawn.

If there is no improvement after a week of water changes, you can try Metronidazole. Look for API General Cure, which contains Metronidazole and Praziquantel.


Need a better picture showing the side of the fish but it could be a tumour.
 
It looks like hole in the head or head and lateral line disease, but that normally affects cichlids and some marine fish. Anyway, google Hexamita or hole in the head disease to see if it looks like that.

Hexamita is normally found in dirty tanks with lots of gunk in the filter and gravel.

You can try doing a 75% water change and gravel cleaning the substrate every day for a week and see if that helps.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. Wash filter media/ materials in a bucket of tank water and re-use the media. Tip the bucket of dirty water on the garden/ lawn.

If there is no improvement after a week of water changes, you can try Metronidazole. Look for API General Cure, which contains Metronidazole and Praziquantel.


Need a better picture showing the side of the fish but it could be a tumour.

Thank you for the response.

Have just done two 25% water changes. Refraining from a large 75% due to (Cherry) shrimp in the tank. Will do another 25% later on today after monitoring the shrimp, and repeat for the week.
All water is dechlorinated with Seachem prime. I have also cleaned the filter as per your recommendation.

Let's see how things pan out. API General cure is not available in the UK so I'd have to get this ordered from the US. Googling suggests there is no exact alternative.

I'll get you a better pic of the side of the fish when I can.

Thanks again :)
 
Thank you for the response.

Have just done two 25% water changes. Refraining from a large 75% due to (Cherry) shrimp in the tank. Will do another 25% later on today after monitoring the shrimp, and repeat for the week.
All water is dechlorinated with Seachem prime. I have also cleaned the filter as per your recommendation.

Let's see how things pan out. API General cure is not available in the UK so I'd have to get this ordered from the US. Googling suggests there is no exact alternative.

I'll get you a better pic of the side of the fish when I can.

Thanks again :)
 
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That ships from the US. I mean I've ordered it anyway for the future, but lets hope the Gourami survives till then.

I will say the external growth seems like some sort of parasite as the fish flicks the location against leaves. Is it worth giving her the aquarium salt bath treatment?
 
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That ships from the US. I mean I've ordered it anyway for the future, but lets hope the Gourami survives till then.

I will say the external growth seems like some sort of parasite as the fish flicks the location against leaves. Is it worth giving her the aquarium salt bath treatment?
Ok, that's good to hear.

I'm not sure if the salt bath will work for her, but I'm sure that salt will not help her with Hexamita but may probably help with the growth. You might well try it.
 
You would be better doing 50% water changes, the shrimp will be able to handle it and it removes way more nasties than a 25% :)
 
Thanks guys. I'll let you know how things progress. For now maintaining the water changes. Salt bath will be concurring tomorrow if condition does not improve (I think this will be the case). but for now, I will say the fish is seeming more active. Still discoloured, but she is swimming around more and has marginally more appetite.

That said. I have never done a salt bath before. I have purchased some Interpet Aquarium Salt. Is the ratio a tablespoon of this stuff to a gallon of water? That's what google indicates.
 
Don't give fish baths in anything because the stress of catching them out and moving them about can kill them, especially if they are in a weakened state.

If you want to try salt (sodium chloride), add 2 heaped tablespoons of rock salt, sea salt, or swimming pool salt for every 20 litres (5 gallons) of tank water. Keep the salt in there for 2 weeks. Then dilute it out with small (20%) daily water changes for 2 weeks.

If you do water changes while treating with salt, you add salt to the new water before adding it to the tank. That helps keep the salinity (salt level) stable in the tank.

Aquarium salt is rock salt.
 
Update:

It's not looking good. Fish is in a pretty weakened state so I don't think she is going to make it :( . I had 3 sparkling gourami's in total; the other two died over the last two days. The first one showed dropsy symptoms (inflated belly) whilst the second one was showed no symptoms besides lethargy. The fish which I originally posted about is somehow the last one standing. The other fish in the aquarium (Corys, Chilis and Shrimp) are doing fine.

No idea what caused the deaths, but hopefully nothing affects the other fish (other fish are looking healthy). I'll dose with API General cure nonetheless as a safe measure when it arrives.
 
You can either use clove oil mixed with warm water and euthanize her or.. just let her pass away naturally.. :(
 

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