I'm trying to answer some questions for myself about my Dwarf Gourami.
When I bought him I noticed that his striped pattern had a couple of 'glitches', which at the time I took to be natural variations in his pattern. He certainly seemed healthy enough.
Well, as some people may have read in other posts of mine, he recently devloped a 'Fin Rot' like condition, where his tail and anal fins were eaten away very rapidly by what loked like a cottony white fungus.
I isolated him in a hospital tank, and treated the fungus. His health and behaviour improved, the fungus disapeared and the tail started to show signs of regrowth. All seemed well.
Since he was now in a bigger tank, and seemed to have overcome the problem, I introduced a couple of new fish, as I didn't want to put him back in the tank with the Serape's (who may have nipped his tail and started it all)
The new fish include a couple of baby bristlenoses and a young pair of Parkinson's rainbowfish. (no comments on tank ize here, this is a temp tank for them and I have already ordered a much bigger tank that they will call home)
ANYWAY... about a week after the new fish are introduced he's got fungus again, this time on his side, two patches of cottony strands, and he's off his food again. This fungus is now responding to treatment, quite quickly, just as the first did, but it's left a big scar on his side.
Which brings me to my original question. Is this an infection which can stay dormant for long periods? is it likely that he'd had this problem before I bought him, and the marks on his side are actually old scars from previous outbreaks?
If so, is he really worth keeping? Am I going to have to continually treat him, and watch him suffer what must be quite painful infections? Will it be passed onto my other fish? (none have shown any signs yet)
I really don't want to isolate him in tank by himself all the time.
OK.. now since some people will ask... tank parameters & details:
Ammonia <0.1
Nitrite: 0
Nitrates: around 5ppm
pH: 7.5
Water temp: 27C
kH: 40ppm
Water changes: Normal regime 30 to 50% weekly, or 50% every 3 days while treating with Fungus-Ade (as per specific instructions from aquarium center).
Cleaning/Maintenance: I vacuum a seperate section each water change. Filter is rinsed every 2 weeks, never at same time as water change.)
When I bought him I noticed that his striped pattern had a couple of 'glitches', which at the time I took to be natural variations in his pattern. He certainly seemed healthy enough.
Well, as some people may have read in other posts of mine, he recently devloped a 'Fin Rot' like condition, where his tail and anal fins were eaten away very rapidly by what loked like a cottony white fungus.
I isolated him in a hospital tank, and treated the fungus. His health and behaviour improved, the fungus disapeared and the tail started to show signs of regrowth. All seemed well.
Since he was now in a bigger tank, and seemed to have overcome the problem, I introduced a couple of new fish, as I didn't want to put him back in the tank with the Serape's (who may have nipped his tail and started it all)
The new fish include a couple of baby bristlenoses and a young pair of Parkinson's rainbowfish. (no comments on tank ize here, this is a temp tank for them and I have already ordered a much bigger tank that they will call home)
ANYWAY... about a week after the new fish are introduced he's got fungus again, this time on his side, two patches of cottony strands, and he's off his food again. This fungus is now responding to treatment, quite quickly, just as the first did, but it's left a big scar on his side.
Which brings me to my original question. Is this an infection which can stay dormant for long periods? is it likely that he'd had this problem before I bought him, and the marks on his side are actually old scars from previous outbreaks?
If so, is he really worth keeping? Am I going to have to continually treat him, and watch him suffer what must be quite painful infections? Will it be passed onto my other fish? (none have shown any signs yet)
I really don't want to isolate him in tank by himself all the time.
OK.. now since some people will ask... tank parameters & details:
Ammonia <0.1
Nitrite: 0
Nitrates: around 5ppm
pH: 7.5
Water temp: 27C
kH: 40ppm
Water changes: Normal regime 30 to 50% weekly, or 50% every 3 days while treating with Fungus-Ade (as per specific instructions from aquarium center).
Cleaning/Maintenance: I vacuum a seperate section each water change. Filter is rinsed every 2 weeks, never at same time as water change.)
ahh what a dark underbelly the aquarium trade has.
