Small Mark on Side of Fish

[JohnNYC]

I have a 20 gallon long tank with 1 honey gourami, 6 neon tetras and 4 albino corys. Yesterday I noticed a small mark on the right side of the honey gourami. I did not notice it on Friday, but maybe I missed it. He normally spends time in the back behind the plants. He seems to be spending some time resting on top of plants, but he may have been doing that already and I never really noticed it. He ate well this morning. He seems to swim okay. I went to my local fish shop and showed the fish guy a picture and he suggested API Melafix. When I got home I did a water change and did the first dose. The label recommends doing this for 7 days then doing a 25% water change. The problem is that I go away for 5 nights, leaving early next Sunday. So if I do a water change, I will be doing it on Saturday. Then I am away for 5 nights.

Any ideas on what this could be or general suggestions? I can set up a quarantine/hospital tank tonight that will be ready tomorrow. Although he may be tough to catch! So I may just need to treat the whole tank. Melafix seems safe for that. I also have Para Cleanse, Maracyn and Ich-X on hand. If it is something serious then I would want to get him into the hospital tank because I would hate to have a dead fish in the main tank while I'm away.

I tested my water before the water change. 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 60 nitrate, pH is 6.8. Temperature is 78' - 79' depending on how hot it is outside.

I posted this on the Facebook group and got a like and a love, not sure why someone liked a sick fish. Maybe they just thought it was a pretty fish, lol. I attached a picture, any advice is appreciated.

[nabokovfan87]

On 6/25/2023 at 5:56 PM, JohnNYC said:

showed the fish guy a picture and he suggested API Melafix.

Just a heads up that in future you can use what is called botanicals.  This is introduced into the aquarium to provide humates.... think tea, but for fish.  It has antifungal properties and helps with general issues for most fish.  The other thing you could use is aquarium salt for other issues.  If you had a QT tank, given that the plants are in the tank currently, you could dose in some salt and botanicals and give the fish a place to recover.  Those are just general tips if you run into some issues.  Aquarium co-op has some blog articles on these things and videos.  Common botanicals you'd see available are alder cones or indian almond leaves, also called catappa leaves.

I think the fish may have hurt itself on the hardscape and lost a scale.  I have heard this can be permanent, but let's hope that it is able to recover.  I would check the tank for thin / pokey decor or something like a skimmer or other equipment that could suck the fish onto it.  By chance do you have a tidal filter on this tank?

I think right now, exactly what you're doing is perfect for the fish and you should see some recovery from the injury.  Keep an eye on and look for any fuzziness (like cotton balls) or for any sort of redness in the area that could indicate a fungal or bacterial infection is forming.

[JohnNYC]

Thank you for the reply. Yes, I do have a Tidal 35 filter. I’m relatively new, first aquarium, but I like it and the water is very clear. He does hang out by it. 
 

I just fed the tank and he was actively eating. I also began setup of the quarantine tank last night, so if needed I could move him there tonight. But I bet he’ll be tough to capture!

[Guppysnail]

That looks like a scrape or minor injury. One of mine had the same. I kept the water pristine and she healed on her own. A bit of salt will help if you notice it getting worse. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 6/26/2023 at 4:37 AM, JohnNYC said:

Thank you for the reply. Yes, I do have a Tidal 35 filter. I’m relatively new, first aquarium, but I like it and the water is very clear. He does hang out by it. 

For flat bodied fish, In my case it was tiger barbs, they can get stuck to the side of the filter when they sleep. That may have been what caused the damage. I just want to mention that in case you can't find another explanation.

[JohnNYC]

I did not post an update at the end of last week. I noticed that the honey gourami was looking bloated, like a football. Also, his scales were looking like pine coning. I was scheduled for a 5 night vacation starting on July 2nd. So I put him in a 10 gallon quarantine tank with fresh water, sponge filter and an extra air stone. I added the extra air stone because I was advised to raise the temperature a little. I searched for bloated fish on Aquarium Coop and one thing list was using Fritz' Maracyn, which I have. The Fritz directions are every day adding a packet of Maracyn for 5 days, which was not possible since I was going away. The Aquarium Coop directions was 1 packet for 7 days. So I added a packet. Tonight I got home. The good news is he is still alive. But he is very bloated and still pine coning. I also tested the water using test strips. The ammonia was a hair high and the nitrites were at 1. I added Prime to help detoxify the Ammonia and Nitrite. I filled a bucket with fresh water so that I can do a water change in the morning, it will reach room temperature by then. I tried to feed him. He goes to the top but did not seem interested in the food. I'll try again in the morning.

My plan is to do a 50% water change in the morning. Then start the Fritz directions for Maracyn, 5 days of adding a packet each day, then 25% water change on the 6th day. If necessary I can repeat the treatment. I don't know if he'll get better, but I'll try.

[nabokovfan87]

On 7/7/2023 at 8:41 PM, JohnNYC said:

The Fritz directions are every day adding a packet of Maracyn for 5 days, which was not possible since I was going away. The Aquarium Coop directions was 1 packet for 7 days.

For clarification, this is an active vs. preventative set of directions.  The co-op "QT Trio" method being preventative.  What you're dealing with is active, so follow the directions on the package from Fritz!

Best of luck, keep us posted.

[JohnNYC]

On 7/7/2023 at 11:56 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

For clarification, this is an active vs. preventative set of directions.  The co-op "QT Trio" method being preventative.  What you're dealing with is active, so follow the directions on the package from Fritz!

Best of luck, keep us posted.

That makes sense about it being preventative. Thank you for the encouragement. I'll update with, hopefully good, news.

[Colu]

What I would do is treat with a combination of aquarium salt 1 table spoon for 2 gallons that will help reduce the fluid buildup causing the pineconing and do a course of metroplex in food feeding a small amount twice a day for upto 3 weeks as active ingredient metronidazole treats aeromonas that can cause some of the symptoms your seeing and dose the tank with kanaplex that go antibiotic treatment for treating kidney infection that can cause fluid buildup @JohnNYC

[JohnNYC]

On 7/8/2023 at 7:16 PM, Colu said:

What I would do is treat with a combination of aquarium salt 1 table spoon for 2 gallons that will help reduce the fluid buildup causing the pineconing and do a course of metroplex in food feeding a small amount twice a day for upto 3 weeks as active ingredient metronidazole treats aeromonas that can cause some of the symptoms your seeing and dose the tank with kanaplex that go antibiotic treatment for treating kidney infection that can cause fluid buildup @JohnNYC

I have Fritz' Freshwater salt on order, but I'll see if the local Petco has API salt in stock. He's barely eating anything at all. I have been adding freeze dried peas and garlic to the tank, just a little. I'm using daily doses of Maracyn for anti-bacterial cure.

He looks real bad, just lays there then floats to the top and then back down. I'm trying to balance between trying to cure him but having him suffer. I wonder if initially he got a cut from the swimming behind the hang on back filter and that got infected. I'm not sure.

[Colu]

On 7/10/2023 at 12:29 PM, JohnNYC said:

I have Fritz' Freshwater salt on order, but I'll see if the local Petco has API salt in stock. He's barely eating anything at all. I have been adding freeze dried peas and garlic to the tank, just a little. I'm using daily doses of Maracyn for anti-bacterial cure.

He looks real bad, just lays there then floats to the top and then back down. I'm trying to balance between trying to cure him but having him suffer. I wonder if initially he got a cut from the swimming behind the hang on back filter and that got infected. I'm not sure.

Once you get pineconing you have to be very aggressive with treatment even then the chance of recovery aren't very good some do recover with the treatment I recommended 

[JohnNYC]

I got home today and the gourami looked the same. Hanging out on the bottom, would sort of swim up then down. Very bloated and pine coning. I felt very conflicted about what to do. I found a drugstore that listed pure epsom salt in stock. The one I stopped by on the way home had scented salt. Before I went to get I looked at him, he's so bloated that his bottom half looked like 2 boils. The hospital tank has nob gravel, just some smooth flat glass marbles. So I made the decision to euthanize him. I felt bad, but the only reason to keep him alive is to say I did it, like some bad experiment. I followed instructions for using clove oil. I gave him 30 minutes of no movement in total. Then I threw him in the garbage. I have to bleach the tank, but that has to wait for another day. It's late and I wanted to do a water change on the main tank. 

I think I messed up through ignorance and inexperience. When I saw the cut I should have removed him immediately and treated him for a cut. Having a planned vacation in the middle of all this didn't help. I also think he a little bloated before and I have read that they should have some roughage in their diet like freeze dried peas.

I can't be too hard on myself, I see plenty of other new fish keepers having sick fish. The other fish seem healthy. I'll bleach the tank and equipment this week, dry it out, and set it up for quarantining some more neon tetras. I think they'd feel happier with more than 6 in a 20 gallon tank.

Thanks for all of the advice.

[nabokovfan87]

Very sorry for your struggles and loss @JohnNYC.  It is an unfortunately common experience and sometimes we the hobbyist just feel at a loss.  I have been in the same situation before and had to go through the anguish of that choice.  It isn't ever going to be an easy one, but the suffering on the fish's part is no more, thankfully.

It's a tough hobby at times.  Hopefully we can get you on the side of enjoyment in future.  Chin up.... try to stay positive.