Flashing Pearl Gourami

[tosviolation]

My pearl gourami has been rubbing against my crypt spiralis every now and then. I havent been able to see any spots on her, as Ive been watching for ich. She actually looks quite great. Eating well and swimming around. Just this rubbing every now and then. I have a 20g High with 1 pearl gourami 6 Bronze Cory 7 Harlequin Rasboras 3 Otocinclus and 3 Red Cherry Shrimp. I also have crypt parva crypt lutea crypt spiralis and crypt wendtii growing in the tank with some mopani driftwood and a few rocks. I have a penquin biowheel 150 Hang on back filter and I do 25% water changes on mondays and fridays. Ph is 7.1 temp is 74F Ammonia is at 0 ppm Nitrite is at 0 ppm and nitrate is at 10 ppm after my water change today. Ive had this fish for about 2 weeks. I dont have a quarantine setup but I did drip acclimate and I never add LFS water to my tank. If it is ich, will I be able to raise the temperature in my tank without harming my other fish or my plants?

 

[tosviolation]

I went ahead and turned the heater up over the course of last night and today. Raised the temperature to above 86. Everything seemed ok for now. I want to try and catch ot early if it is ich. I never saw any white spots, just the itching in the gourami. I figure it might be in the gills

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[tosviolation]

Also doing water changes every day once I get the temperature stabilized

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[Fishfur]

If you are not seeing ich spots, there are other things that can cause flashing. Flukes are one that comes to mind. Gill flukes in particular. I doubt it would be ammonia, as that would affect all the fish and your parameters sound very good.

Look up flukes and see if anything matches up. There are treatments for it, I believe.

 

[tosviolation]

Im having a real hard time figuring what might be the problem. Ive yet to see any white spots on any of my fish, and the other than flashing against the spiralis the gourami acts fine. Eats like a horse, taking air from the top of the aquarium, chasing the corys around. Its color has even filled in nicely since i brought it home from the LFS. I cant find any physical abnormalities on this fish at all. Its not scratching on any hard surfaces either. I really dont want to medicate the tank because im afraid ill lose all my crypts, but Im really at a loss.

 

[Delapool]

Can there be anything else that may be irritating the skin? I've got a loach that I can't figure out why it is flashing, I've pulled out all the filter wool holding plants down just in case. Does he flash all the time or after a water change or feeding or anything?

 

[tosviolation]

I want to say maybe more after water changes. This could be biased tho because I get to watch them more after i change the water. Definitely not during feeding. Hes always hungry tho. He eats the shrimp pellets i drop in for the corys, the flakes, he even eats the spinach i put in for the otos. I try and temp match my water changes, and I dose prime in the water before i put it in

 

[tosviolation]

Its not even shy or anything, when I do my water changes it even comes over and nibbles on my fingers. I had a cory I accidently sucked up during a water change last week, he got scratched pretty bad, split a fin and even drew a little blood on his tail. But hes healed up really nicely. I cant even tell which one it was at this point, and defintely no signs of sickness in this fish

 

[Delapool]

I'm eyeing off flukes on mine as a possibility but otherwise at a loss.

 

[Fishfur]

If the fish is not flashing on hard objects, but only on a crypt, it may be a behavioural anomaly. In other words, weird fish behaviour not linked to any particular disease or parasite.
Flashing due to to parasitic infestation normally involves rubbing on hard objects.. decor, rocks, wood, filter intakes or heaters, but not relatively soft plants. In the absence of any visible parasites, and given it has a healthy appetite and otherwise normal behaviour, I'd tend to simply observe the fish for awhile longer, but I wouldn't be particularly concerned.

 

[tosviolation]

I've kept a pretty close eye on him, but I'm starting to think the same thing. It's been 4 days since I turned up the heater and I still haven't seen any spots, so I was thinking about just going ahead and turning it down. It's starting to take a toll on my plants. And if it turns out to be a parasite but not ich, the heat isn't gonna cure it anyway

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[Delapool]

Aye, you would think after 4 days of higher temps that the ich would be showing up strongly.