Gourami with sore on mouth

[bman]

I have recently purchased a Fire Gourami from the LFS 4 days ago. Two days later I noticed a raised bump just set back from his mouth on one side toward the lower jaw. (I guess it's the jaw area.) This raised bump has progressed and a couple of scales fell off on the bump exposing a red sore underneath. It seems to be eating fine, but suspect this is something that needs to healed.

As a side note, I have a black lyre tail molly that was sort-of picking on him when he arrived the first day. since then he does not pick on him that much anymore, but I'm wondering if that did anything to him. I have heard that Gouramis are particularly sensitive.

Any suggestions on What to or how to handle this?
I do not have another quarantine type tanks.

tank specs:
20gallon long
Planted w/ wisteria and dwarf sags
pH - 7.5
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 20
temp 79 F

I have attached a pic, blurry but you can sort of make it out.

 

[dskidmore]

You really need a QT. It's really not that expensive. $10 cheap 10 gallon tank, $10 sponge filter, $15 heater, plus an air pump or splitters for your existing pump. (If your house is really cold, or the fish like to jump, some sort of lid should be arranged, but it doesn't have to be the fancy store lid.)

I even ran a QT in a 5 gallon bucket last time I was in a pinch.

I'm not sure what the cause, but I'd be worried about secondary infection. Get that QT going in case you need to treat him with anitbiotics. If you use it more than a few times, you'll make back the money you spent in not having to use up a 20 gallon dose of medicine each time.

 

[bman]

Is there anywhere or anyone who can give me a clue how or what to do?

I don't want to go the route of a QT, and the wife said NO as well.

I'm waiting until the lfs guru comes back from vacation, which will be tomorrow.
As an update, it has not gotten any worse. It still eats, poops, and swims around.

 

[Zagz]

You can add some melafix to the tank and keep up on water changes. Regardless of whether or not the molly picked at the gourami and started this, infection can set in. Melafix is mild and will not hurt the other fish.

 

[dskidmore]

I agree. Lots of water changes with similar temperature water. Cleanliness will reduce stresses that might be supressing the immune system.

Is the QT thing a cost issue, or an appearance issue? When I was a kid, we kept the QT in the basement for space/appearance reasons.

 

[bman]

First off, the QT idea is both what you stated; the cost issue and the appearance issue.

Cost, including tank, filter, bubbler, light, establishing the bio-filter, heater, etc. Not that I am poor, but I'm estimating at least $60-$80.

The appearance, well, there is no "good" place to put it, or anyplace that is high enough that my little daughter that WILL not get into it as well.

Also, my tank is only 20 gallons, so treating the entire tank, as I have done previously with ich, is not a major deal.

Well, after visiting the lfs guru, I am now set up with meds to help my red-headed-step-child. Two tabs of Maracyn daily and 10ml of Melafix daily for the next four days, at least. Plus removing the carbon from the filter. W/C as usual after the treatment.

Melafix is stinky. I can not believe that is just tea tree oil, and that it is OK to add to the tank. My wife uses that stuff (or similar, not the fish store brand) to treat acne or clear up her face, or something to that nature.

Anyway, the lfs guru could not say exactly what is was, and of course he could not see it personally, but he said that either the maracyn or maracyn-2 should cure it.

I guess we will see.

Interesting info in with the maracyn tabs. It's a sort of engineering process chart that you can go through to diagnose fish illnesses. Although, I still do not know what I'm dealing with, but it may prove to be parasitic?

I'll post back to update on the progress.

 

[dskidmore]

Many fish diseases are difficult to diagnose. Often in these circumstances we provide the antibiotics to reduce the incidence of secondary infection, and hope the fish can heal on his own.

With use of Maracyn, be sure to test your ammonia levels daily. If you can't afford the test kit, use your nose. Try to ignore the melafix smell and hone in on the fishy smell. Invariably if the tank smells stronger, I find one of my nitrogen compounds has increased. Do extra water changes as necessary to keep the ammonia down, medicate after the water change. Ammonia or nitrite shock can add to the problem.

 

[bman]

It says on the Maracyn bottle that it does not harm the nitrifying bacteria already established in the tank. I do have the AP master test kit which I will test for this evening when I get home, just to see what's going on.

I am at a loss about the water changes though. It said on the bottle to not do any until the completion of the treatment as the antibiotics will be diluted. But, in the same respect, if my levels get too high I might have to.

I do not know how I could possibly weed out the smell of the tea tree oil, as that stuff stinks up my whole living room. I guess I'm glad I have a test kit.

 

[dskidmore]

I have had many problems with antibiotics that claimed to not hurt the nitrogen cycle. I think the big issue is that the isolated strains that they test against are not the same strains that we have in our tanks. Last time I used Maracyn 2, my ammonia stayed steady, but my nitrite went up.

 

[Zagz]

I agree, even though the bottles claim they will not hurt the bacterial cycle, I have found that is not usually the case. I've had to do pwc's while doing treatments when levels go out of wack. The lesser of two evils I suppose.

 

[bman]

Does the Maracyn make the water cloudy?

Last night when I came home, the water was quite cloudy. I checked the levels and they were good.

I read the instructions again on the maracyn and melafix but they state nothing about the cloudyness.

I have attached a pic, although I think it looks worse in real life.

I'm wondering if I should stick it out for two more days, or do a pwc this evening, which will now be the third day of the treatment?

 

[dskidmore]

Yes, it does cloud the water. Stick with the full proscribed treatment. Unfinished antibiotic treatments can lead to breeding of anitbiotic resistant bacteria.

I wouldn't do the pwc unless the ammonia/nitrtite levels go up. Keep the medication concentration up.

 

[bman]

Well, the sore is definitely shrinking and less red. Looks like the scales may be reforming over it.

I guess the treatment worked?! I will continue the melafix until the pwc on Sunday, but yesterday was my last dose of antibiotics. And, wouldn't you know the water cleared up today.

Things are getting better, even though I lost a tetra last night. My wife had commented yesterday that when he was still, his tail seemed be drooping a little bit. We thought it was nothing, but I guess not.

 

[bman]

OK 16 days later, with the treatment well over with. The sore was still there after the treatment ended, and has been getting better ever since I stopped adding the melafix into the tank. It's still there, but light pink now and looking good.

 

[dskidmore]

As long as he's improving, you're on the right track!