Photos Of A Fish Disease - Help Please

[FishFriends]

Our female gourami got these lesions on her back. I'll try to upload a photo. Please help. Many thanks. 

 

[Baccus]

They look like bite marks, what other fish are in the tank?

 

[FishFriends]

Thank you for the reply Baccus.
 
Only a male Gourami and 3 neon tetras. But they've ben together wiyhout any problems for over a year.
 
The water parameters are all fine.
 
The tank is just over 1 year old, and now it appears to be fully cycled. We just had many months without any problem - until now...
 
It's a small aquarium, only 45 liters, but with 2 air filters.

 

[Akasha72]

I typed a reply to this yesterday saying the same but it's not here! Odd ...
 
 
I treated a neon just a few days ago with what looked like bite marks and I used an epsom salt bath. As far as I know Gouarmi's arn't sensitive to salt (someone shout if I've got that wrong) Here's what I did (and it's worked)
 
I added some tank water to a pot deep enough and wide enough for the fish to swim in and added a pinch of espom salt - gave it a swirl with my fingers to make sure it was mixed in and then netted the poorly fish from the tank. I added her to the pot and left her in there for a good five minutes. Because I have fish that are sensitive to salt I got another pot and added some more tank water to that and moved her to that one to 'rinse off'. Then I netted her back to the tank. I had to repeat the process again the following day but the next day she looked much better. She's fine and recovered now.
 
Provided no-one shouts and says Gourami's are sensitive to salt (I'm 90% certain that they arn't) then you could try it. What ever you do though ... don't add salt to the tank. Use the bath method I described  

 

[FishFriends]

Thanks Akasha72.
 
Yes I learnt about baths just yesterday, when googling about my fish problem. I even ordered some Methylene Blue. Is it equivalent to your suggestion of Epsom salt?
 
And I may have some new development. Baccus may have had a point after all. See my reply to him next.
 
FF

They look like bite marks, what other fish are in the tank?

 
You may be right. I've been observing my aquarium, and the male gourami did chase/harass the female 2 or 3 times within 5 minutes. I didn't see him actually biting her, but it may have happened when i was not looking... 
 
Odd behaviour. In the past she has harassed him, but never him harassing her... Besides, she is much bigger than him. Why is she allowing that now? She used to be the bully!
 
Could it be because she does have some health problem, is weak, and he notices that??

 

[LyraGuppi]

How old is this fish? She may be getting older.

 

[FishFriends]

Hi LyraGuppi,
 
IIRC we bought our Gouramis from our local fish shop around 1 year ago.
 
I assume they were young then?

 

[FishFriends]

Update: Now there is a small lesion on her left side as well.
 
I've noticed that the lesion has no scales, and Googling about scale loss I bumped into a disease called "fish tuberculosis" (!), which can be transmitted to humans!!!
 
It doesn't cause human tuberculosis (lung stuff) but it is serious! I'm VERY worried now. Even more so as we have a baby in the house.
 
Will I have to dispose of the whole aquarium???

 

[LyraGuppi]

Fish T. will only infect you if open wounds or missing skin is in the water. Don't let anyone with a scratch touch the water, or to be extra safe you could wear gloves.
 
Is the gourami's back bent?

 

[FishFriends]

Thanks LyraGuppi,
 
No, her back is fine.

 

[FishFriends]

I've uploaded a photo with higher resolution online, i'll try to link it here.
 
Edit: Good, the photo is showing. Unfortunately the focus is not perfect. And that is my best photo, out of some 20 attempts! I think my camera's auto-focus has troubles with the aquarium glass, and the fish moving all the time, or something like that.
 

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Before you get yourself scared to death, consider the this information on the subject published in Practical Fishkeeping in Nov. 2013. While it goes to great lengths to scare heck out of readers in terms of how nasty the disease might get, reading down a bunch you read this:
 

 
Infection rates in people are low. In the USofA, where they seem to get it a bit more than in the UK, the rate (for all cases, not just aquaria) is around 0.27 infections per 100,000 population. In the UK, the current rate of murder is 1.22 per 100,000 population. So, you’re likelier to be killed by a loon with a machine gun than catch it. It’s pretty rare.

from http/www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=6079
 
I have been keeping fish for over 14 years. I have had 15 - 20 tanks most of that time. I work in the tanks with bare hands and sometimes with cuts or scrapes. As far as I can tell i have never had nor do I now have any mycobacteria in my body.
 
Since you like in the UK you have about a 4 times greater need for a bullet proof vest than you need to be worried about fish TB. And bear in mind that rate includes everybody who works with fish in any capacity- ie. catching, preparing, selling, fish farming etc. not just aquarium keepers.

 

[FishFriends]

Thanks TwoTankAmin,
 
Yes, i agree that i shouldn't "panic", and that fish TB is very rare, i had read that same article. Though the data would have been much more useful if it was the rate amongst aquarium keepers, as opposed to the general population.
 
What is annoying, and worrying, is that i can't find any other disease that causes scale losses.

 

[LyraGuppi]

Anything she could have nicked herself on?
 
My betta has these scale losses occasionally from scuffles.

 

[FishFriends]

Hi LyraGuppi,
 
I can't think of anything like that. Actually just 1 week before this problem appeared I was commenting with my wife that our aquarium had finally achieved a blissful condition of health and harmony, no diseases, no fights, just perfect...
 
Have i jinxed it???