parasites in my gourami, or something else?

stingray4540

stingray4540

Hello, Hello, Helloooo!
Oct 18, 2005
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San Jose, CA
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Hi,
I lost a dwarf gourami like a month ago and now my other one is showing similar simptoms. the first gourami that is already dead, had bulgy sides and pineconing scales, and was laying on the substrate, and wouldn't eat. I came home to this from being away for just a couple of days, he died that night.
Now, this gourami has really bulgy sides, and is having a seamingly difficult time swimming, or swimming strait anyways. He is still able to stay near the surface of the tank, unlike the first fish, and is still defending himself from my dwarf cichlids (blue ram, krib).​
Lovmykribs, suggested that the first guy had internal parasites, so I got some ultra cure PX from gel*tek, to treat the first guy, but it was too late. So, now I'm soaking this guys food in this stuff, to hopefully help him. It contains Praziquantel, flubenol, and Metronidazole. It seems to be helping a little, I mean that this guy has lasted 3 days so far and still doesn't seam to the point that the first guy was.
So, I just want your opinions. Is it internal parasites, and I'm doing the right thing with this treatment? Or, It's something else and I should look into an alternative treatment. Thanks in advance!
 
bulgy sides and pineconing scales
Click to expand...
are indicative of Dropsy. Dropsy, is actually a "symptom" and not a disease in itself. the standing scales and blown up appearance are the result of swelling within the tissues and organs of the fish due to a build up of fluids in the kidneys and an inability to excrete this fluid in a normal manner. in other words, advanced kidney disfunction.

the problem with treating this disease is that there are a number of "potential" causes: bacterial infection, parasites, cancerous tumors, virus', internal fungal infections or sudden temperature drop of more than 3 degrees.

If the cause is bacterial, the swelling typically comes on pretty rapidly. if swelling is gradual then one or more of the other potential causes are more likely. unfortunately, treatment is most often useless at this point due to the advanced state of the disease process. When the illness, whatever the cause, has progressed far enough to cause internal swelling, the concommitant internal damage is usually too extensive to be repairable.

the latest research has shown that if the disease cause is bacterial and if the disease process is caught early enough, treatment with Romet B, a broad spectrum antibacterial, *may* be effective when used concurrent with an increase in water temperature to 84-86F for 2 weeks minimum.

BE CERTAIN to maintain HIGH OXYGEN LEVELS during such treatment since at these temperatures, water holds significantly less oxygen at these higher water temperatures. one of the suspected bacterial precursers to the disease process -- Aeromonas, is killed at these temperatures.

concurrently add 1/8 teaspoon of EPSOM SALT -- per 5 gallons of water. feeding foods soaked in ERYTHROMYCIN will kill the second suspected bacteria, Mycobacterium. in rare cases popeye has been found to be caused by Edwardsiella etarda. this is found *only* in fish that have been bred in outdoor ponds -- the functional bacteria in this case is carried by frogs. while fair to good results in treatment have been found by feeding Romet B., even better results have been found using injectable chloramphenicol or amakacin. this is best done by your veterinarian.

If parasites are a known cause, treat for them first for 3 days increasing the temperature to 86oF as fast as possible.

EPSOM SALT may help reduce the internal pressure casued by the swelling. extremely good aeration is necessary here due to the use of such high temperatures.

NEVER USE SALT (sodium chloride, a.k.a aquarium salt) for treatment of dropsy. this will KILL your fish in a very short time. the affected fish are already having a difficult time getting rid of salts due to kidney disfunction. this causes the blown up appearance and concurrent scale standing. the osmotic inbalance caused by addition of sodium to your tank water will make this condition far worse.

EPSOM SALT on the other hand, does not pass through the walls of the gut or gills and will extract water OUT of the surrounding tissue into the gut where it *may* be excreted.
 
Dwarf gouramies are prone to having internal parasites--quarantine them on purchase, next go around.

As for treatment--once it's gotten to this point, it's hard to treat. Preventing the other fish from picking it up is critical--I'd remove this fish immediately.
 
thanks for the fast replies. I've had these fish for almost a year, so I don't think it was a purchase issue. The first one that died had the pineconing scales, this one hasn't shown that yet. I was woried about the other fish and would like to remove him, the problem is that I have no where to put him, as I don't have a quarentine tank.
I also should note that my tank is pretty well planted, and I have shrimp and plecos. would the epsom salt harm the plants or shrimp? Also, where can I get epsom salt? I will raise the temp in the mean time. Thank you again, I hope to hear from y'all soon.
 
The epsom salt should not harm anything else and you should be able to get it in a local drug store, maybe even a grocery store. Maybe one day think about getting a small tank for quarantine. Especially if you decide to get any new fish in the future. After all, how can you have just one :o)
 
Thanks, I'll look for some. I don't have just one, that's the problem, I have no more room for another tank, even a small one. I live in a very small one bedroom apartment with my wife, and I've already substituted the only space we have for a dresser, for my 85 gallon african tank, not to forget about my wifes 10 in the kitchen and our community in the livingroom.
 
Be carefull, plants DO NOT tolerate Epson salt.
make sure to take the laxative epson not the bath salts :thm:

You can do a bath in a bucket for a couple of hours and repeat every day if you do not want to harm your tank..

hope you get him back on his fins!
 
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thanks everyone, I did find the epsom salt(the laxitive stuff).
too late darli, I already added it, I'll just have to hope for the best.
One other quesion for everyone about epsom salt, is it ok to add the suggested amount to a healthy tank, just as a precationary for a short amount of time?
 
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