[Mangala]

eerrr... there's a hole in my gourami's back. It's disgusting, it started with white cottony growth - fungus, most likely. I've had him seperated and in a 5gl bucket with a filter in a heated room for about 4 or 5 days, everyone else in his tank seems fine (thank god...). I think it started with a missing scale. Anyway, I'd been treating him with salt and melafix and ummmm... he's getting worse. I tried to feed him anti-bacterial foods, but he won't eat that. He loves his flakes... he's still got lots of fight in him, but today I scooped him up with the "sick fish net" and it's progressed to a bloody hole. (and no, I'm not being british here, I mean the hole's bloody!) through his body - I can SEE THROUGH HIS BODY!!! aughhhh...!!! (that's me screaming in panic) I know other people have dealt with this before, so I wanna ask, since the stores are closed now or will be by the time I can get to one: Will taking him out of the water and dabbing his wound with hydrogen peroxide kill him, or help it heal? I'd do a 100% water change, and then put him back in the water after dabbing him... anyone? experience? *cry*

 

[skabooya]

aww man im so sorry to hear that. Its happened to me twice. Once with a red tail black shark on his belly and again on the belly of a kulihi loach. Their intestines started to pour out and you could see their bones (rib cage) i euthanized them even though they looked super healthy other than their hole. It was like some kind of flesh eating bacteria. I didnt want them to suffer anymore, they had to be suffering even if they were swimming around normally and had a healthy appitite.
Geez dude, i wish i had some advise other than euthanasia. If someone else has an answer please say something because its horrible to see and if something can be done it would be great.

 

[Mangala]

Well, I decided to try what I described in my above post. He didn't even flinch when I dabbed peroxide on him... I don't know if fish don't feel pain like that, or if hydrogen peroxide is just not that painful (I know we get this stuff specifically because rubbing alcohol [email protected]##ing burns) I don't know if I noticed anything noticeable right after. I may have to... like, dab him twice a day or something? I have no idea. I will try it though. What can it hurt, really? If I don't do anything, he's going to die a horrible death, eaten away bit by bit... He was so beautiful... :icon_cry: I fear that even if he recovers, he'll be deformed for the rest of his life... if it keeps getting worse, though, I'll euth him. No sense keeping him in pain and frustration...

 

[Mangala]

aww man im so sorry to hear that. Its happened to me twice. Once with a red tail black shark on his belly and again on the belly of a kulihi loach. Their intestines started to pour out and you could see their bones (rib cage) i euthanized them even though they looked super healthy other than their hole. It was like some kind of flesh eating bacteria. I didnt want them to suffer anymore, they had to be suffering even if they were swimming around normally and had a healthy appitite.
Geez dude, i wish i had some advise other than euthanasia. If someone else has an answer please say something because its horrible to see and if something can be done it would be great.

Skabooya: What your fish had, since it was in the belly and whatnot, sounds like it was some kind of internal parasite that grew until it exploded out of your fish. I really hope whatever this is isn't a parasite of some sort. I just know I saw it while taking care of the angels (in another tank) and was like, "what's that white spot on his back?" and just automatically separated him. I will not have an entire tank full of dead, bacteria-infested fish. I refuse. Maybe I should change the filter right now just to be safe...

 

[Lupin]

Mangala, you may have to try consulting a fish vet and have the gourami's tissue examined. I've been thinking it could be erythrodermatitis.

 

[Mangala]

Bluebell, I duno... is a 5 dollar fish worth several hundred dollars that I don't have? I will do what I can by myself, but I can't afford anything "professional" unfortunately. Honestly, the reason I havn't gotten any Maracin green or whatever it's called is because I'm waiting for a paycheck...

 

[mistergreen]

just quarentine the guy and put antibiotics in with him.

 

[epicfish]

The fish is already QT'd. Use MelaFix or PraziPro.

 

[Lupin]

Bluebell, I duno... is a 5 dollar fish worth several hundred dollars that I don't have? I will do what I can by myself, but I can't afford anything "professional" unfortunately. Honestly, the reason I havn't gotten any Maracin green or whatever it's called is because I'm waiting for a paycheck...

'Twas just a suggestion in case you might like to dig deeper.:smile: Wish you best of luck.roud:

 

[Mangala]

The fish is already QT'd. Use MelaFix or PraziPro.

yeah... I'm gonna stop by big-name-pet-place today after work (as it's right across the street from work and I bike to and from...) and hope they have a bigger bottle than the last time I bought melafix, so maybe I could have it for a while.

 

[Jubs]

You can buy pond melafix, it is 5 times the strength. 1ml treats 10 gallons as compared to 5 ml per 10 gallons. It comes in a large bottle that will last you forever and its usually only a couple bucks more than a bottle of regular melafix. I have been using the pond version for you years it saves ALOT of money and does the same great job.

 

[mistergreen]

mix up your antibiotics.. If you used melaFix last time, use something else this time...like Myacin or Penicillan. If you use the same antibiotics over and over you basically create super bugs that are immune to that antibitotic.

 

[Mangala]

Yeah. This particular fish (and the tank he normally resides in) has never had any antibiotics used on him since I got him nearly 8 (or 9?) months ago. they didn't have any pond melafix So I got a relatively large bottle of the regular kind - should last me a while, considering the bucket he's in is just a 5 gallon. I'll be doing half teaspoons for him. I duno, if he pulls through, I'll be really happy.

I also got some pimafix, I'm not sure if the white stuff in the wound is just white flesh, or if it's fungus. it's not fuzzy, but it's definately white and ragged. it makes me feel a little sick just thinking about it. I hope he's not too deformed after this. I noticed he's swimming with just his front fins, and not using his tail much - he CAN use his tail, but I think it hurts him. I hope he's still alive when I get home today... at least now I have this stuff for the next time such a thing occurs.

 

[chaznsc]

I actually had a angel with a hole in it.......a clean hole right thru it. I called her "holy angel" LOL

chaz

 

[Mangala]

Well, he's still alive, but the hole is bigger. It is no longer a hole, but rather looks like something took a bite out of his back. Something with a mouth about as wide as... maybe a peanut? It's ragged and there's flesh hanging off. rather nasty. I put in the melafix and I also added pimafix, just in case. He's fairly active for someone who's missing a sizeable percentage of flesh! He does still eat, and he did that... spitting thing at me that dwarf gouramis do after I fed him. So he can't be doing all THAT bad. (I guess...) What do you guys think? Higher protein diet to promote flesh repair? I've got some freezedried brine shrimp he could snack on... got it for the angels but the guppies seem to like it more.

At least I can't see bones yet... I think I'd freak out.

(y'know, even more than I've already been freaking out...)

 

[Mangala]

Ok. this morning he's dead. I guess I don't have to worry about how to feed him or anything anymore... darnit... I liked Stripe.

R.I.P. Stripe: You were preceded in death by Blue, and survived by Red.

 

[epicfish]

Sorry for your loss...it's hard losing something you've raised for a while.

 

[skabooya]

Sorry for the loss, but at least you tried.

 

[Mangala]

Yeah. had to try something. But now I have the tools to catch these things before it's "a hole" but rather just a wound or something...