Sick Gourami

[CurlyQ]

I have an orange Dwarf Gourami who has been very healthy, however this morning I noticed a raised bump on the side of his head. It's white in color except for in the middle it has a red spot. Does anyone have any idea what this could be and how I should treat it? Should I treat my entire tank? What should I treat it with? I don't want any of my other fish to get sick! I just lost a panda cory catfish from something different(a white fuzzy thing on his tale and a few red spots...he died very quickly after I discovered he had something wrong with him!) This gourami has also been kind of mean lately...chasing the female and biting at everything. I don't know what I should do with him! Any help would be appreciated!

P.S. All my stats are normal and none of my other fish appear to be sick.

 

[glolite]

What other fish are in the tank with the gourami? What are your water stats like? ie: nitrites ammonia nitrates.

 

[WILDER]

Sounds like you have columnaris, i had a guppys once with a grey to whiteish spot on his head with a red bit in the middle.
http/www.flippersandfins.net/flexibacter.htm

 

[CurlyQ]

My Gourami doesn't have any fuzzy spots on him, just a bump on the side of his head. I've heard about Columnaris before, but I'm not so sure that's what he has.

 

[WILDER]

http/www.fishpalace.org/danscomments.html#Lump

 

[CurlyQ]

Thanks for that link...it's really helpful!

 

[CurlyQ]

Okay...I've been treating my Gourami since he got sick, and he isn't getting any better! Now, the red bump has grown some fuzzy white stuff on it and it seems to be growing! I feel so sorry for him...I don't know if he is in pain. He's eating and mostly acting normal, I'm just worried about how much this thing will grow. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Inchworm]

Hi CurlyQ

Your gouramis behavior is normal, but that spot is certainly not!

Your pandas died from bacterial infection which is something they come down with very easily. They are often difficult fish to keep. Your gourami seems to have the same problem, although the symptoms might not be the same. There are many different bacteria that effect fish and no tests to determine exactly which one(s) are causing an illness. But, don't worry about that because the medicines will treat more than one at a time.

What are you treating them with? If it's not an antibiotic, are they available where you live? How often do you do water changes and bottom vacuumings, and what is the temperature of your tank water?

 

[CurlyQ]

Okay. He died last night. He seemed fine until yesterday!! All of a sudden last night he was shooting all over the tank and was laying on his side and then all of a sudden I noticed he was not breathing. The fuzzy spot grew pretty big...not sure if it affected his gill. I felt so sad for him! He was a nice fish...pretty orange color. Anyway, I'm not sure the female would have taken him back in the main tank...she got pretty aggressive whenever she saw him. I hate fish getting sick.

 

[WILDER]

Sorry for your loss, R.I.P.