White Stuff Covering My Gourami...help!

[electric yellow]

I don't know what's wrong with my gourami.

He is the oldest in the tank and is sick.

It started a couple of weeks ago when I notcied what i thought was a wound near his tail fin. It was round so i assumed the bristol nose had munched on him while he was asleep thinking he was food. But whatever it is has now spread up his back furthur and also down the other side of him. It looks like his scales are disappearing and a white thing is replacing it. Some of it is slightly fuzzy looking but only when you stare at him for ages. None of my other fish have it *touches wood for luck* and my quarantiene tank is in use with my baby platy fry so i cant separate him.

I dont know what ick or whitespot look like. I thought it would go away because they are nice and healthy but it doesnt seem to be going. None of the other fish have any signs at all. The tank has plants in it and a carbon pouch in the filter i am removing after ive posted this.

Stats:

Water change weekly 20%
Ph: 7.0 neutral
Tank size: 3.5ft
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm

Ive also just noticed hes missing his tente4cal/feeler thing from one side


Stock: two clown loaches, 3 grown gouramis, 3 platys, 1 tiger barb, 3 bristol nose, a few tetras and a silver fox. All one happy family. All these fish are over 12mths old and have lived together in harmony.

I can't get pics coz they all come up the front whenever i try but i took a vid. Dodgy quality but i hope it helps!



[URL="http/au.youtube.com/watch?v=XlgcRsbvAmA"]http/au.youtube.com/watch?v=XlgcRsbvAmA[/URL]

 

[LauraFrog]

Sounds like a slow growing strain of columnaris. Wish I had yours. A photo would let us make a positive ID. Usually columnaris is a result of stress or poor water quality (the strain I've got is a ******* which doesn't seem to care) but a wound can set it off as well. It can be fatal if left untreated. Tetracycline or oxytetracycline cures it. You do need to isolate the fish. Because it's a gourami it will survive in a smallish container. Fill a large tupperware with tank water and float it in the tank. Twice a day catch the gourami, empty the water back in and refill it. Once you get tetracycline it will need the use of the hospital tank. Chuck the platy fry in the tupperware.

That's all assuming it is columnaris - photo?

It's not ick (which is whitespot), that's not fuzzy or patchy it's like grains of salt stuck all over the fish.

 

[electric yellow]

I have a floating breeders box i could put the fry in which SHOULD float in the top of the communal tank. I could put him in the fry tank if that works.

I treated the tank with Melafix and Pimafix today which treats fungal infections on fins etc and internal bacteria etc.

Description: Aquarium Pharmaceuticals API Melafix Fish Medication 480mL

* Antibacterial Remedy for the Treatment of Aquarium Fish Diseases
* Melafix Liquid for aquarium fish.
* All natural Antibacterial remedy for the treatment of aquarium fish diseases, like fin & tail rot, cloudy eye, mouth fungus, fungus and promotes the regrowth of damaged fin rays and tissue.
* Rapidly repairs damaged fins and open wounds.
* Use when introducing new fish to the aquarium.
* Will not adversely effect the biological filter.
* Does not discolour the water.
* Does not alter Ph levels.
* Safe to use with planted tanks.
* For fresh and saltwater aquariums.
* 5ml treats 40 litres of aquarium water.
* Do not use on fish intended for human consumption.
* Shake well before use.
* For best results, remove activated carbon during treatment.
* As a disease or wound treatment:add 5ml for every 40 litres of aquarium water.
* Repeat dose daily for 7 days, after 7 days make a 25% water change.
* Treatment can be continued if necessary.
* When adding new fish to the aquarium or when netting and handeling fish add 5ml for every 40 litres of aquarium water, repeat dose daily for 3 days.
* Active constituents: Cajeput Oil 9.23 g/L.

Pimafix:

Treats mouth & body fungus, cottony growth, fin & tail rot, redness of skin & body.
Will not adversely affect the biological filter, alter the pH, or discolor water.
Safe for reef aquariums and live plants.

Use 5ml for every 40 liters of aquarium water. Repeat dose daily for 7 days.
Make a 25% water change and treatment can be continued if nesscessary.


My platy fry are only a few weeks old and about 1cm in length so they are not ready to battle bigger fishies yet...

I havent heard of the two medications you suggested before.

Ive got some photos uploading now which i will paste in..

I have hgad problems with my water quality lately in relation to it being cloudy. It only just went clear the other day.

 

[electric yellow]

Thesee are the best i could do pics wise...

 

[LauraFrog]

Dunno about the 'harmony' in your tank because the damage on that gourami looks to be open wounds. You might not see it happening but I think your other fish are having a go at it - probably the barb, the shark or the tetras, do you know what sort they are? This is also why the gourami is missing a ventral fin (Feeler) the others have bitten it off.

You probably want a second opinion on that, I could well be wrong but in the meantime keep up the melafix, it's good for wounds.

 

[minxfishy]

If you can isolate the gourami I think it would be best, looks like columnaris to me - Pimafix is good, but also try Myxazin with it.

 

[electric yellow]

Hes the biggest in the tank. The barb tends to keep to himself. I know the two gold gouramis chase each other round but nobody else sports battle wounds. I thought wound were 'opn'. Is it possible they are wounds and the scales are being munched off?

I know the round one near his tail is caused by a bristol nose. Last time that happened a ur ago it cleared up in a few days. I have seen that before. My friend at our local fish store said to start with pima and melafix and he will give me some Myzazin half way through the week if its not improved.

Would you suggest putting the fry in the breeders box and him in isolation? The fry love swimming round the tank they are in. Im not sure confinning them to a small box would be great for their health after being in a tank the whole time.

 

[WILDER]

http/www.flippersandfins.net/flexibacter.htm

 

[electric yellow]

Thanks for that Wilder The description is exactly what is going on with him. Hopefully I can cure him before he passes away from it!

 

[WILDER]

UK Myxazin by waterlife and pimafix.
United states maracyn one and two.
Good luck.

 

[electric yellow]

UK Myxazin by waterlife and pimafix.
United states maracyn one and two.
Good luck.

i will pick some myxazin up tmw. ihave some pimafix left in a bottle. i am also going to move my fry into the breeders box tmw and put them in the big tank so Mr Gourami can be isolated. Or should I be treating the whole tank?

 

[WILDER]

With columnaris its best to medicate the whole tank as it soon can spread to other fish.