Gourami sick. Need help please.

[Br@in]

I have a bonded pair in a 40 gallon planted tank. They’re both 8 years old. They’ve been getting a weird infection these past few days where their scales are just coming off. The rest of my tank mates are totally fine. I wasn’t sure how to treat when I had no idea what I was dealing with. But they didn’t seem bothered. Today, the male was swimming funny so I panicked. His fins had disintegrated overnight. I put him in a hospital tank so he could be near the surface to breathe. He seemed a little better through the day. And he died within 12 hours of being sick. The female still has wonky scales (some flaking off) and a new hole in one fin that makes me nervous. Water parameters are within normal limits. I’m so confused I’ve never seen anything work that fast. It didn’t look like fin rot to me. There wasn’t a visible fungus or bacteria. Both fish were eating fine. I just don’t know what killed him and how to make sure it’s gone. It really seems like their immune systems just crashed and I can’t figure it out.

 

[Br@in]

I have a bonded pair in a 40 gallon planted tank. They’re both 8 years old. They’ve been getting a weird infection these past few days where their scales are just coming off. The rest of my tank mates are totally fine. I wasn’t sure how to treat when I had no idea what I was dealing with. But they didn’t seem bothered. Today, the male was swimming funny so I panicked. His fins had disintegrated overnight. I put him in a hospital tank so he could be near the surface to breathe. He seemed a little better through the day. And he died within 12 hours of being sick. The female still has wonky scales (some flaking off) and a new hole in one fin that makes me nervous. Water parameters are within normal limits. I’m so confused I’ve never seen anything work that fast. It didn’t look like fin rot to me. There wasn’t a visible fungus or bacteria. Both fish were eating fine. I just don’t know what killed him and how to make sure it’s gone. It really seems like their immune systems just crashed and I can’t figure it out.

To be more precise: my tank is ten years old. I do water changes weekly. No new tank mates. 2 snails, 2 panda corys, 6 tetras, 2 kirbensis cichlids. pH: 7.5
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20
gH: high as test will read. It’s always been that way, for many years.
My tank is very well established. I got a cascade canister this year, a few months ago. That’s the only new thing. And I built up media using already-established media in the old filter. Ran them both concurrently.

 

[Circus]

I am not very good with fish diseases, but @Colin_T is the go to for sick fish.

 

[Naughts]

Quarantine the female, then do a large water change in the main tank, you need to try to avoid the other fish getting sick.

 

[Br@in]

Quarantine the female, then do a large water change in the main tank, you need to try to avoid the other fish getting sick.

Yup, I’ve done all that since everything happened. I’m just hoping whatever it is doesn’t spread. Or that maybe my gouramis are just old and can’t fight little stuff anymore?

 

[Naughts]

Good work. If it was old age they wouldn't both succumb within days of each other. Hopefully, whatever the cause, it doesn't affect other species easily.

 

[Colin_T]

I wish people would post pictures of the sick fish

 

[Br@in]

I wish people would post pictures of the sick fish

I didn’t realize I should. I’m new and didn’t see I could pin photos I was more worried about my emergency. In the future please just ask.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I didn’t realize I should. I’m new and didn’t see I could pin photos I was more worried about my emergency. In the future please just ask.

I'm sorry about your fish

I'm afraid I don't know what's happening with them, but just want to say you've done well getting them both to eight years. Clearly you've been doing a lot right

 

[Colin_T]

Bacterial infection. needs medication asap

 

[Br@in]

Bacterial infection. needs medication asap

Would a salt bath help until I get to the store? I work a lot these next two days. I’ll probably be able to get some in the morning.

 

[Colin_T]

You can add salt to the tank but don't handle the fish, just leave them in the tank and add some rock salt/ aquarium salt (same thing).
Use 2 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres (5 gallons) of tank water.

Before you add the salt, clean the filter and do a 75-80% water change and gravel clean the substrate to remove as much gunk as possible.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Would a salt bath help until I get to the store? I work a lot these next two days. I’ll probably be able to get some in the morning.

Do check on your panda cories if you decide to use salt water treatment in the main tank. If they start freaking out or become stressed or pale, do large water changes to dilute out the salt.

 

[Br@in]

Cool. Right. Well. I did everything. Did it yesterday since we got a blizzard thru the weekend. Aaaaand my cycle crashed overnight killing almost all my fish. So. Fantastic. I didn’t even rinse my filter because I was afraid of that. What the heck. I’m royally ticked off.

 

[Br@in]

I got Melafix because it’s the only bacterial remedy my LFS has. I live in South Dakota..... I’d already did a massive cleaning job like suggested. The only thing I didn’t do was rinse my filter because I don’t really ever like rinsing it unless I need to in case the water column crashed. Apparently what’s in my filter isn’t enough. I dosed properly given the instructions. So I really don’t know how it could’ve gone just so wrong. I haven’t had a crash in many years and now there’s a crash that killed almost everyone in the tank.