Fatal wound/infection? Bacterial?

[zenkatydid]

Today I lost one of my sparkling gouramis, one of my favourite fish, so I am very upset. I had noticed a surface wound in her side a couple of weeks ago, but had initially put it down to a scrape or injury. It didn't look infected or red, just like she had scraped herself against something sharp (not that there is anything sharp in the tank, mind you) and lost some scales and skin. I had just started to realise that it wasn't getting better and, in fact, may have been a little bigger, and then today she died. Her behaviour didn't change, she didn't lose condition or stop eating. Apart form the odd wound, she was fine.

I've attached a photo of her post-mortem - does anyone know what this could be? I've seen TB sores before, and this doesn't quite look the same. I'm especially worried because now one of my other sparklers has a similar mark.

As an aside, this tank has been especially problematic for no particular reason. Any cories I've put in here become listless with faded colours. More have died than I would expect of a healthy environment, along with an oto, which I have never lost from other tanks. Ammonia/nitrite/nitrate tests out fine and though it's reasonably planted I don't fertilise much. The only possible difference between this and my other tanks is that this is an AquaOne tank and because of the design of the system, it runs a few degrees hotter.

Any insight or advice would be great. In the mean time, I'm treating the tank with a broad spectrum medication in case it's bacterial/fungal.

Thanks.

 

[zenkatydid]

Anyone? Here's a photo of another sparkler with a similar wound. Has anyone seen this before? Please?

 

[Zagz]

I would guess perhaps a bacterial infection in the tank.Columnaris is a possibility. What medication are you using?

 

[zenkatydid]

i've just dosed with science products "broad spectrum medication", i've had success with it in the past. it doesn't look like any columnaris i've ever had.

 

[Zagz]

It may not be columnaris. It may be a bacterial infection. I'd stick with the broad spectrum antibiotic. There aren't really any aggressive fish beside the gourami's in your tank. Do you ever see any aggression between them?

 

[zenkatydid]

no, never - they all get along really well, usually they hang out together in a group. the most boisterous fish in the tank are the guppies - i've decided to remove them to another tank just in case, but i don't think they'd be attacking the gouramis.

thanks for your help. hopefully the medication works. after the dose, i think i'll put in a dose of melafix to encourage the healing of the wound, assuming the medication has killed whatever caused it. we'll see how it works!

 

[Zagz]

It's frustrating when your fish suffer from an illness that you can't figure out. I will be hoping for the best. Please keep us updated as things progress.

 

[zenkatydid]

i lost the male today. the remaining adult does not show signs of whatever it was, nor do any of the other fish in the tank. let's hope it won't recur.

 

[zenkatydid]

Since losing the two sparkling gouramis above, the oto has now developed this eaten-away appearance. Here's a dodgy photo... not too clear I'll try and gt a better one. It looks the same as the gouramis - starts with a discolouration, and the area seems to be eaten away, through the scales and into the flesh. The otos patch is near/on his dorsal fin, and the fin that's touching it is also being eaten away. It's definitely not finrot, though.

I have some highly-loved fish in this tank, and watching this thing eat them away and not knowing what to do is horrible. Once more - does anyone have any ideas about what this is and what I can do?

I have medicated with a dose of "Broad Spectrum" (mafenide hcl, aminacrine hcl, malachite green) and also an ongoing dose of Melafix. Neither have done anything. What else can I try? Even if I lose the oto... I don't want it to spread any further.

 

[Zagz]

I have had similar illnesses before and have had some successes with Jungle's fungus elliminator, it fights fungus from the bacterial aspect as well. I would guess it is a bacterial infection rather than a true fungus since the patches don't appear to be cottony from the pictures. So sorry for your additional loss.

 

[zenkatydid]

I believe it's bacterial, as it's eating into the, rather than growing on it. It's a slow killer, though, as it seems to be up to a few weeks from first appearance to death. I'm in Australia, I've never seen the Jungle brand, but I might try a fungus aide and see if that works.

 

[Zagz]

Read the labels and see if you can get one that specifies bacterial infection treatment. Good luck and keep us posted on how you are making out.