HELP! Gourami w/ ulcer (pics)

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hamstamasta

AC Members
Feb 19, 2005
16
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0
Miami, FL
About 2 weeks ago I bought a blue dwarf gourami from a pet store chain and introduced it to my established 20 gal that contains 5 cherry barbs and some plants. All seemed to be going well -- everyone was eating, no bickering. Last week, though, I noted a little bump under the gourami's mouth. I decided to watch it for a little before taking action. Around Friday, though, the lump seemed to have ruptured and turned into a nasty little pinkish sore! I started dosing the tank with Melafix on Saturday but the sore doesn't seem to have changed much except now the scales are starting to flake off.

What's going on and what should I do? I'm thinking it's some kind of bacterial infection but I'm not sure if the Melafix is working, if I should find another medicine, or if I should euthanize the fish (it doesn't seem to be in pain...yet). The gourami is still eating well, but it doesnt seem to want any of the medicated fish food (Jungle brand) but neither do the others :(

Here's the gourami around Saturday


And here it is Monday (today)
I know it looks worse but in reality it's hardly changed except for the flaking
 

budrecki

Trust me, it's for your own good.
Dec 17, 2005
751
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Orlando,FL
what are your water parameters, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate?
 

hamstamasta

AC Members
Feb 19, 2005
16
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Miami, FL
Haven't tested for a while because I ran out of strips, but last time I tested (3 weeks ago) everything was normal... I've been making 20% water changes every week as usual, nothing different
 

Rowangel

I like fish with tarter sauce
Jan 20, 2006
415
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45
Champaign, Illinois
hamstamasta said:
Haven't tested for a while because I ran out of strips, but last time I tested (3 weeks ago) everything was normal... I've been making 20% water changes every week as usual, nothing different
Test strips aren't very reliable; the reading could be off just enough to make a HUGE difference. I would look into getting a liquid test kit, I use the Freshwater Master Test Kit (by Aq. Pharm.)

It defiantly sounds like a bacterial infection caused ulcer, hard to tell from the photos but the description is right. This is usually caused by poor water conditions, hence the need for quality testing kits. One or more of your water parameters could be off that your strips aren’t catching, plus you haven’t tested in awhile. I would test every week before and after your water change. When water goes bad, it can happen fast.

Are you only treating with the medicated food? I found most fish won’t eat this in time to be helpful. Instead get a medication you can treat the tank with. Also, if you use activated carbon make sure to take this out of your filter, or it will just filter out all the medication before it can help your fish.
 

hamstamasta

AC Members
Feb 19, 2005
16
0
0
Miami, FL
I'll go see if I can find that liquid testing kit at the pet store, thanks for that advice. I'm treating with Melafix as well as the medicated food (which none of the fish will eat, anyways) and I took the carbon out of the filter. I'm wondering if this is something that the gourami had before I bought it because none of the other fish seem to have any problems... also, could this be contagious? :( I'm thinking about setting up my old 5 gal as a quarantine, but the filter that I use with it has been dry for months so the ben. bacteria must be gone by now
 

mduros

AC Members
Sep 20, 2005
334
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Chicago, Illinois
www.maryduros.com
hamstamasta said:
I'll go see if I can find that liquid testing kit at the pet store, thanks for that advice. I'm treating with Melafix as well as the medicated food (which none of the fish will eat, anyways) and I took the carbon out of the filter. I'm wondering if this is something that the gourami had before I bought it because none of the other fish seem to have any problems... also, could this be contagious? :( I'm thinking about setting up my old 5 gal as a quarantine, but the filter that I use with it has been dry for months so the ben. bacteria must be gone by now
Chances are that the fish got sick because of parameters in your tank that aren't good. Very often new fish will get sick when introduced to an established tank because the resident fish are used to the parameters and the new fish are not. Of course, this is not always the case, but it is the case more often than not. Also, proper acclimation is important for the new fish to adjust well to it's new environment. But get that Aquarium Pharmaceutical test kit, they're great.
Take care,
Mary.
 

Rowangel

I like fish with tarter sauce
Jan 20, 2006
415
0
0
45
Champaign, Illinois
hamstamasta said:
Thanks mduros, I will definitely keep that in mind for any future fish... but what should I do about the gourami?
Keep treating per the instructions and watch for signs stress in the other fish. Test your water asap and post the parameters here when you get your new tests. I hope the poor guy pulls through! You’re doing the best you can for now. :)
-Chris
 
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