What is on my dwarf gourami's side?

[Fish-mates]

Can anyone help my fish please?

I thought the gourami had damaged it's side crashing into a branch in the tank. As the side wasn't healing and looked white in the damaged area I moved the gourami to a QT and started treating with Melafix. What's weird is the white is not cotton like but looks solid... although I haven't tried to touch it! Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[julielynn47]

I don't know what it is, but my dwarf sunset gourami had the same thing show up on its side. I figured it was not long for this world, but I decided to do a lot of water changes. That might sound silly to some, but someone here suggested it. So I did a 50% water change every day for a week and whatever it was healed and went away. That was about 2 months ago and my fish is doing great!

I was set to leave on a weeks vacation and I figured I would come home to find him dead, but I came home to find him totally healed

 

[Fish-mates]

Thanks julielynn47. I'm happy to try anything, especially as the DG looks pretty perky at the moment and has a healthy appetite.

 

[julielynn47]

I just put a pic in my thread so you can see what it looked like on my fish Click the pic to enlarge

 

[julielynn47]

Yeah, mine never acted sick at all. I don't know what it is. But it did heal.

 

[Fish-mates]

I just put a pic in my thread so you can see what it looked like on my fish Click the pic to enlarge

Thanks

 

[BettaBettas]

parasitic infection?

 

[Fish-mates]

parasitic infection?

Do you have anything in mind? I'll have to research what might grow out of..or is it burying in to the flesh??

 

[BettaBettas]

parasites damage the skin -- the protective barrier against water-borne organisms -- and gills, causing sores, ulcers and small bleeding spots all over the fish's body. Due to the damage to the gills, the infected fish have difficulty breathing. Skin damage will also leave fish more susceptible to secondary infections.



Unless the infection is treated in early, the parasites cause death in the fish.
There are things you can cure this with of course, I recommend any API brand, its worked for me always whenever I had that kind of issue.



Causes


The parasites lay sticky eggs, which adhere to the nets and other objects put in the water. The parasite then roam the water in search of their hosts: fish.

 

[Fish-mates]

parasites damage the skin -- the protective barrier against water-borne organisms -- and gills, causing sores, ulcers and small bleeding spots all over the fish's body. Due to the damage to the gills, the infected fish have difficulty breathing. Skin damage will also leave fish more susceptible to secondary infections.



Unless the infection is treated in early, the parasites cause death in the fish.
There are things you can cure this with of course, I recommend any API brand, its worked for me always whenever I had that kind of issue.



Causes


The parasites lay sticky eggs, which adhere to the nets and other objects put in the water. The parasite then roam the water in search of their hosts: fish.

That sounds hideous! I really hope it's not parasites, as although I've quarantined the DG I took it from a 30 gallon tank. There's no breathing difficulties as yet, but I'm keeping an eye on the damaged site to see if it seems to be shrinking and healing or not.
Thank you

 

[Fish-mates]

I thought I'd put an update photo of my poor DG after a week in the QT tank with daily 50% pwc and melafix. The hard white lump seems to have gone and in its place is a huge hole of pink fleshyness. After thinking the problem was an infection due to damage to the side I'm now wondering if it's lymphocystis. Any opinions?

The DG is still behaving normally and eating well. Just a little sad at being alone, although he seems to enjoy watching the guppies in the neighbouring tank.

 

[Fish-mates]

Obviously spoke too soon as I just found my DG dead.... also I can see from the initial photos the DG looked much slimmer, so although I thought he was OK, the infection caused internal bloating which may also have led to his demise. Shame as the wound looked massively better when I fished him out just now.

For future reference I was reading an article last night about melafix not being the best idea for gouramis. Apparently it can cause an oil slick on the top of the water and stop gouramis from breathing at the surface, yet I had an air stone running so thought that would be enough. On reflection perhaps I should have tried something else...just no idea what.