Blue Gourami with nasty looking red fin - PLEASE HELP

[KnightRid]

Ok I dont know if the side things are called fins, but that is what is nasty looking. I have attached a picture, and would like to know if anyone knows what this is and how to treat it.

I have 2 blue gouramis, a pink kissing fish, multiple snails ( came with a live plant and wont go away , and a common loach ( long and slender tannish color ). All of the other fish are doing fine, and it is only the one side that is so red. I am not sure if maybe the kissing fish nibbled him or what? I am hoping it is not an infection!!!! PLEASE help if you can!

Oh I have done a partial water change due to high nitrate. I have ALWAYS had high nitrate, and have no idea as to why. It has never effected any of the fish before, and i keep the filter with the sponge, carbon, and ammonia stuff clean and change the ingredients when i should.

I had to get rid of my 10" Pleco due to my small 20 gallon tank, and I really would not like to lose any more fish! I gave the Pleco to a pet store since i thought he was getting too big for the tank, and did not want him to get humpbacked

I hope someone can help me with this one.
Mike

If you need the full sized image, please give me an email and I will send ASAP!!!.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Hi KnightRid, welcome to AA.

Looks like your gourami is either suffering from a bacterial infection, or prolonged nitrate poisoning. My guess is a bacterial infection. Do you have a tank you can isolate the fish in? I would try treating with Melafix and repeated every other day tank cleanings for a while to see if the fish improves.

Also, how high are your nitrates? Is your tap water loaded with them? What kind of filtration do you use?

 

[KnightRid]

Only other tank I have is the 55 gallon that I have asked about in the saltwater forum to try and setup for saltwater. I have put that on hold till I can get the Gourami better!!

Willget some Melafix today - it wont hurt the healthy fish will it?

Nitrates always test at the UNSAFE mark on the stick i use for testing...80-200 turns purplish/pinkish. Even after a complete water change it tests UNSAFE. I have no idea how to get it lower.

Filtration I use an Aquaclear 50 Filter - http://www.thatpetplace.com/Product...ers/T1/F26DA+0171+0284/EDP/9552/Itemdy00.aspx

I use the foam block, charcoal, and the ammonia remover inserts.

I treat the water with Chlor-Out before putting it in the aquarium for water changes and to top it off.

You say every other day tank cleanings. Do you mean 100% take the fish out and clean it, or do you just mean like 50-75% water changes?

Thank you for your help so far!!!!
Mike

 

[Devilishturtles]

Melafix is completely safe, won't hurt the other fish at all. Beware, it will bubble in your tank water, it's normal.

As for the nitrate test, those test strips are notoriously inaccurate. If you have a petsmart, petco, or LFS near, I'd ask them to test your nitrates for you and see what reading they get. FWIW, the liquid test kits are much more accurate and about the same price.

By tank cleanings, I mean around 50% changes. And just as a test, if your nitrates test at around 100, a 50% water change SHOULD bring them down to around 50. If it's not, then I'd put my money on your test kit being bad/very inaccurate.

HTH

 

[KnightRid]

Ok thanx a TON for the help - I grabbed the MelaFix and the PimaFix, since the PimaFix said about the red stuff. i also read that they can both be used together with no problem, and that it can actualy be better to use them both.

I removed the Carbon part of the filter as the instructions suggested, but left the foam and the ammonia one in.

I will keep you updated on his progress.

I will also check abotu a differnet kit to use, and get a local store to check my water after the 7 day period, then the water change.

Mike

 

[joannde]

Mike - take a sample of the tank water AND your tap water to the LFS to be tested for nitrates. I can't imagine that you have that much nitrate in your tap but there is probably some, which would be the lowest your tank could ever be unless you used RO/DI water (at least in part).
Good luck with the Gourami.

 

[Guest]

i thought melafix was bad for labrynth fish...

 

[KnightRid]

Well the red color in his fin seems to be getting just a TINY bit better, but now he is..how can I say...kind of pulling himself into an S shape from the middle of his body to his tail...looking head on or tail on it looks like an S.

I am also reading that even though the bottle of the melafix says to treat 7 days then do a 25% water change, that this is wrong? I dont see how they could put it on the bottle if it is wrong....??

Mike

All of the other fish are still doing fine. No signs of anything going wrong - they are all eating just like normal, except the sick one of course.

 

[KnightRid]

Well I thought i had it licked - he cleared up PERFECT!! No redness on fins or anything, so I did the 25% water change, but he still was pulling himself into that S shape for some reason. I decided to do another treatment of the melafix and pimafix to see if I could take care of that symptom. He was eating, swimming normal and everything, but this morning I found him dead on the bottom of the tank ( why didnt he float? )


I thank you all for the help, and I didnt realise that a fish dying would hit me like this. I hope my cat never dies

I hope the other blue gourami, pink kissing fish, and the loach all do ok, since they are not showing any symptoms of any disease. I will be changing at least 25% of the water today, and then again on Friday just to help out a bit.

Mike