Dwarf Gourami white patch, wound?

[Dasmms45]

Hi all, noticed this morning one of my Gouramis has a weird white patch on his head. Its appeared overnight so not sure if it's a wound or something else. Had gouramis about a week and a half.
No other symptoms, its eating and swimming as normal but have noticed the 2 other gouramis chasing this one and each other.
54l tank
3 dwarf gouramis
6 cardinal tetra
6 glowlight tetra
3 black phantom tetra
2 guppies

0.25 ammonia (working on it)
0 nitrite
20 ppm nitrate
7.8 ph

Thank you

 

[itiwhetu]

The pH is too high for these acid-loving fish, also your nitrates need to be at zero or there abouts.

 

[itiwhetu]

All your fish besides the guppies require an acid tank

 

[Dasmms45]

I've been doing daily water changes of 50% trying to reduce ammonia and nitrate, how can I lower my ph safely?

 

[itiwhetu]

Have you got driftwood in your tank? Do you have lots of live plants? What is the pH of your source water? What substrate do you have, is it a natural neutral substrate that is not leeching minerals into your system?

 

[Dasmms45]

Have 2 java ferns both growing from wood, gravel is neutral as far as I know.Obviously use water conditioner, API for tap water.
Tap water is 7.6 -7.8
Hardness is 75 ppm
Carbonate is around 120-140 ppm

 

[Colin_T]

don't touch the pH

the fish looks like it is missing a few scales on its head. it probably got rubbed off during the night.
monitor it over the next few days and if it gets worse, post some more pictures.

to reduce ammonia, nitrite or nitrate, just do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day until the levels are 0ppm

 

[itiwhetu]

don't touch the pH

the fish looks like it is missing a few scales on its head. it probably got rubbed off during the night.
monitor it over the next few days and if it gets worse, post some more pictures.

to reduce ammonia, nitrite or nitrate, just do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day until the levels are 0ppm

You think all these fish are fine with a pH of 7.8 long term?

 

[Colin_T]

probably not long term but unless they are going to change the pH of the tap water every time they do a water change, there's not much point adjusting it.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

I am looking at the stocking list for this aquarium.

It is 54 litres / 14.5 gallons

I am happy to be corrected here but that seems an awful lot of fish for a small volume of water

The mark on the Gourami could potentially be due to overcrowding and tussling for a safe space.

Can you post a full frontal of the aquarium please to show where decor etc are in relation to open areas for swimming.....it just feels a bit too tight for my personal liking.

 

[Essjay]

You mention 3 gouramis. The two in the photos are both males, is the third also a male?


I agree with wasmewasntit, the tank is overstocked.

 

[DoubleDutch]

The wound on the head is the place where usually battlescars occure.

 

[Dasmms45]

I am looking at the stocking list for this aquarium.

It is 54 litres / 14.5 gallons

I am happy to be corrected here but that seems an awful lot of fish for a small volume of water

The mark on the Gourami could potentially be due to overcrowding and tussling for a safe space.

Can you post a full frontal of the aquarium please to show where decor etc are in relation to open areas for swimming.....it just feels a bit too tight for my personal liking.

 

[Dasmms45]

I just done some tests and have a nitrite spike now of 0.25ppm, I now done a 75 % water change again 2nd time today.

 

[Dasmms45]

I am looking at the stocking list for this aquarium.

It is 54 litres / 14.5 gallons

I am happy to be corrected here but that seems an awful lot of fish for a small volume of water

The mark on the Gourami could potentially be due to overcrowding and tussling for a safe space.

Can you post a full frontal of the aquarium please to show where decor etc are in relation to open areas for swimming.....it just feels a bit too tight for my personal liking.

Been thinking and I agree, theres too many fish in such a small tank. If not the waste, ammonia issue it's also the stress and general space for them to swim in is not enough. I'm buying a 100 litre tank tomorrow so will probably be asking questions re cycling etc.
Thanks for input etc