Stressed and injured Gourami, high phosphate to blame?

[Stroy15]

Hi everyone, my gourami's have been showing stressed behavior and flashing for the past week and a half, I figure patience and regular water changes. But that was not working. I did a full round of test I had available and grounded the tank. I intend to do full water change today (with or without neutral regulator) and add prazi-pro to treat possible parasite symptoms. I had have an opportunity to talk to someone before who worked for the water company and they said beware of doing water changes in the spring, because of additional chemicals they put in the water (clearing agents), although I didn't think this early in the year (although the made it through last spring fine). I did a little research in that high phosphate levels can cause phosphate stress (similar to salt stress) when it is in very high degrees.

Ph 7.4-7.6

Ammonia, 0

Nitrite, 0

Nitrate, ~20-30

Temp, 76

Gh 200

Kh 80-100

Phosphate, more than 10 (because of neutral regulator, my tap ph is 7.8)

no chlorine, no copper

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 21 by Stroy15

[MattyM]

On 1/21/2023 at 9:39 AM, Stroy15 said:

Phosphate, more than 10 (because of neutral regulator, my tap ph is 7.8)

Are you saying neutral regular is raising your phosphate level? Why do you need it - my tap ph is the same I my gourami's are fine. 

What is your phosphate level out of the tap? 

[Stroy15]

Neutral regulator turns kh into phosphate to lower ph, I think that's the culprit for why the phosphate is high, my tap phosphate is 2.0

 

[MattyM]

On 1/21/2023 at 10:12 AM, Stroy15 said:

Neutral regulator turns kh into phosphate to lower ph

Ohhh... yeah, I've heard that chasing ph can sometimes cause more harm than good. But even out of the tap that's a bit high. Either way a phosphate removing pad may help. 

[Stroy15]

Update: The gourami's are behaving better than last week much less stressed, my phosphate levels are still large but I think its hovering closer to 10. Unfortunately I think I am still dealing with the health consequences. The first pictured gourami does not have an appetite and still has a redden head, which I think might be a beginning to hole in head , and the snakeskin gourami has a redden cut on his cheek. 

Nitrate less than 10

Nitrite 0

Ammonia 0

kh 40

gh 200

ph 7-7.3

temp 76

phosphate 10-15

I think I need to medicate, although I am not sure on the method of delivery or whether I need a hospital tank for the blue gourami. I got general cure and paracleanse as well as other medicine on hand that can help.

[Colu]

On 1/29/2023 at 3:26 PM, Stroy15 said:

Update: The gourami's are behaving better than last week much less stressed, my phosphate levels are still large but I think its hovering closer to 10. Unfortunately I think I am still dealing with the health consequences. The first pictured gourami does not have an appetite and still has a redden head, which I think might be a beginning to hole in head , and the snakeskin gourami has a redden cut on his cheek. 

Nitrate less than 10

Nitrite 0

Ammonia 0

kh 40

gh 200

ph 7-7.3

temp 76

phosphate 10-15

I think I need to medicate, although I am not sure on the method of delivery or whether I need a hospital tank for the blue gourami. I got general cure and paracleanse as well as other medicine on hand that can help.

With the redding it more than likely bacterial infection I would treat with kanaplex or maracyn2 if no other fish seem affected I would quarantine and treat if you can 

Edited February 4 by Colu

[Stroy15]

What I think I should do is, do a water change today and set up a quarantine tank with some tank water and due general cure for the tank as a treatment and a preventative. The quarantine tank is 29 gallons I don't want to put two gourami's in there at the same time and wait for the kanaplex in the mail and due medicated food for the afflicted fish.

[Stroy15]

Update: Bluey the blue gourami is in her 29 gallon hospital tank where I added kanaplex, raised the salt to 1 tablespoon per 3 gallons and raised the temperature to 80 from 76. She hangs out in her terracotta cave most of the time but she is eating again, which is good.