Worried About New Dwarf Gourami

[CKutz]

I just got fish for my 10 gal yesterday. (4 rasbora, 1 cherry barb, 1 balloon molly, 1 dwarf gourami) so far they are all doing well except the gourami.

yesterday i thought his behavior was a bit odd..but now i'm pretty concerned. he's got a spot on his back..and i'm not sure what it is..but he stays at the bottom on the rocks all the time, and now he's taken up hiding in my one ornament constantly. he only comes out very rarely to get some air then goes back in. I only noticed the spot today, but i don't think it's from any of my fish. he was housed with only other dwarf gouramies at the store so maybe they bullied him? is he just being timid cause he's hurt? or stressed from the trip?

the sore on his back is located where the dorsal fin connects to his back, but almost at the end of the fin. it sticks out slightly on both sides...sorta how a scab sticks out off a wound..i dont think it's fungus and it's not ick.

if it's just a wound. and he's just hiding cause hes hurt and it will heal and he'll be fine i'll keep him. but i'm tired of having issues with my fish, so if you think it's going to be a problem he's going back to the lfs.

 

[Miah002]

It will probably a problem as dwarf gouramis are not hardy fish these days. Treat him with some anti internal bacteria.

Can you post a pic of the spot?

 

[lil-x-me...x]

Heyaa,

yes, a pic will help, if you could get on a pic to show us then that will help alot

im asuming it is probably anti bacteria infection that dwarf gouramis tend to get alot. treat with anti bacteria as miah said, but if you can, send us a pic so we can make sure it is that before you treat it x

 

[CKutz]

it does look like it would be some type of bacterial infection. i'm at school and i forgot my camera at home, the best i can do is a cell phone pic, that's why i didn't bother putting one up in the first place. but i tried to get one as good as i can. i noticed the spot is more visable on one side than the other, but of course he wouldn't face that way for me, so i tried to catch it in his reflection.

here's the original:

then i messed with it in photoshop to try and show the spot better, the little black arrow points to it:



it's like an off white spot that sticks out from his body, it has a little bit of red around it..
I put some melafix in the tank earlier, but that was the last of it. i might just take him back because in another post someone told me i coud raise my stocking by 2 more rasbora and 4-5 more cherry barbs (this would make the stocking 6 rasbora, 6 cherry barbs, 1 balloon molly, 1 dwarf gourami, in a 10 gal tank)

 

[CKutz]

would you believe i just saw myballoon molly sampling the gourami's fin. stressed the gourami out pretty much and he's back to hiding in the ornament. this happened the last time i had a gourami and a molly together, however that was a dalmation molly, i can't believe the balls on this little balloon haha.
with the other gourami and molly the molly pested him quite a bit for awhile, but after a few days the gourami staked out a territory and made it very clear the molly was not welcome in it.

i don't think this balloon molly could have done the damage to the gourami that i'm worried about, but i'm sure given that plus getting stressed by the balloon molly he's not going to do too well. i could keep him in my 5 gal for awhile..but i may just take him back to the store and get a healthier one.

it's pretty funny how you hear about dwarf gourami's being so mean, but he was just getting his butt kicked by a little bubble haha.

 

[Miah002]

They're not mean it just depends on the personality. Treat her with melefix for a while.