Should I Be Worried

[dryzone]

Hello, I'm not sure I should be concerned, but does this look like it may be bacteria or fungus?

If so, could someone please provide information on treatment as well as whether or not I need to isolate the fish or remove carbon etc whilst treating.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Water parameters
Ammonia = 0, Nitrite = 0 , Ph = 7.5 Nitrate = <20ppm Temp =26C

Please see photos below. Some of the scale seem a little discoloured. This only began today. It has been in my tank for about 7 days now. It doesn't seem to be in any discomfort and is eating well. The only new addition to the tank are 12 Zebra Danio. No other fish are showing any symptoms.

How often you do water changes and how much.

This is a relatively new tank, but I do a 20-30% water change every two weeks. The tank cycled about 2 weeks ago.

4. Any chemicals and treatments you add to the water.

Prime for water changes.

5. What tank mates are in the tank.

4 x platies
12 x Zebra Danio
2 x Mollies
2 x Panda Cory
3 x Flame Gourami (2F, 1M) includes one pictured


6. Tank size.

55 gallon tank

7. Finally Have you recently added any new fish?

the 12 Zebra Danio

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Looks like the beginning of columnaris to me, zebra danio's are not the best fish to keep with small gourami's as they are very active fish that can out-compete gourami's for food or nip their feelers; this does not always happen, sometimes they can be perfect tankmates (providing the tank has some really well planted area's with plants that grow the full height of the tank or floating plants etc), but i would guess the danio's arival in this case is what has brought this on in the gourami.
Treat with an anti bacterial and fungal med like Pimafix as well as do lots of regular small water changes and should sort the fish out, if you can separate the fish in its own tank though that would be best .

 

[dryzone]

Thanks Tokis, I thought it might be something like that. I'll go and buy some today. I did a 30% water change last night as well. Let's hope it's not going to be too late for this little fellow. I'll do a good search on Pimafix on the forum on use and application.

 

[Lynz781]

Kinda looks like the beginning of an ulcer, from experience with my deceased dwarf gourami. Is that pretty much the same thing?

 

[dryzone]

I read that the active carbon needs to be removed when treating with PimaFix. Can someone explain what the carbon does in this situation for a newbie like me please?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I read that the active carbon needs to be removed when treating with PimaFix. Can someone explain what the carbon does in this situation for a newbie like me please?

Carbon removes meds from tank water, it is handy to have around after you have finished medicating your tank to help quickly take out strong meds, but not good when you are actually trying to treat the fish as it will prevent you from doing so.

 

[dryzone]

Thanks Tokis, that's very useful. I bought some meds the other day so see how we go.

One questtion, is it possible that what you see in the photo's is a result of a plattie bite?

I noticed that one of the platies in the tank bit the gourami in that very spot yesterday. I wonder if the poor thing has been getting hassled or is it that the platies noticed the wound so he thought he'd take a shot?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Thanks Tokis, that's very useful. I bought some meds the other day so see how we go.

One questtion, is it possible that what you see in the photo's is a result of a plattie bite?

I noticed that one of the platies in the tank bit the gourami in that very spot yesterday. I wonder if the poor thing has been getting hassled or is it that the platies noticed the wound so he thought he'd take a shot?

It may be the result of a bite, the most damage a platy would be able to inflict though on a gourami would be to take a bite out of the feelers or tail or general protective slime coat covering the fish- it doesn't look like a platy bite, but its posible thats how the desease settled in on the fish.
The platy could just be taking advantage of the gourami's weakened healthy though- i would add some more planting to the tank (particually planting that either grows to the height of the tank or floats around the surface) to help provide it with more hiding places and a more stress-free environment as gourami's really appreciate planting in general as it is more keeping with their natural habitat .

 

[dryzone]

Thanks Tokis, the mark hasn't changed much but what isn't obvious in the photo is that part of his top fin (dorsal?) looked like there was a chunk taken out of it. this is almost looking normal again but the white-ish mark hasn't changed for the worse or better (yet). I'll keep you posted, thanks so much again tokis for taking the time and answering my question.

 

[WILDER]

Just want to check does the fish have a bleached out mouth or fluff on the mouth.

 

[dryzone]

Hi Wilder, no, the mouth seems to be fine and if my eyes are deceiving me, it looks like the white spot is fading and shrinking today. What would the bleached out mouth/fluff indicate?

 

[WILDER]

Good, a bleach out fluffy mouth is columnaris and quite common in this hot weather were having.

 

[dryzone]

Good, a bleach out fluffy mouth is columnaris and quite common in this hot weather were having.

Thanks for the info Wilder, I should mention that I'm from Australia. We're in the middle of our winter here.

 

[WILDER]

Ok then, good luck, wish it was winter here, it's to hot.

 

[dryzone]

Thanks for the help on this one everyone. The fish is now back to perfect health.