Does my new flame gourami look healthy?

[Jovius]

We think it may have epistylis. We could just be looking too hard as we have had some losses recently. Thank you 🙂

Edited May 24 by Jovius

[Tony s]

Sorry for your losses.
 

Before we can do much for you. Do you have the current water parameters. What kind of symptoms is it showing. Not eating. At the surface often. Not swimming around. What were the symptoms of the ones you lost?  For symptoms of epistylis. It mostly looks like ich if you’ve had that before. Small areas of white raised bumps on the skin. Including on the eyes. Unlike ich, it moves very fast and grows very well in higher temperatures. 
 

@Colu  we’ll see if we can get you some help 

Edited May 24 by Tony s

[Jovius]

Oops! I meant to post that! 
Zero ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. Temp is 80 and it’s a 15 gallon tank.

[Tony s]

Okay, what are you thinking the symptoms are. And what happened to your previous fish.

 

zero nitrates? How long has your tank been running? Usually you expect to see something.

[Colu]

I can see something on the side of the head I can't say for sure that's epistylis have  you added any new fish recently if so did you quarantine them how many  fish have you lossed how long between deaths what symptoms did they have @Jovius

[Jovius]

On 5/23/2024 at 11:39 PM, Tony s said:

zero nitrates? How long has your tank been running? Usually you expect to see something.

It’s fairly heavily planted and has multiple pothos also sucking them up. It’s just slightly above 0.

On 5/24/2024 at 1:45 AM, Colu said:

I can see something on the side of the head I can't say for sure that's epistylis have  you added any new fish recently if so did you quarantine them how many  fish have you lossed how long between deaths what symptoms did they have @Jovius

I have two of these guys that I added. The losses were some Danio rerios that had some swim bladder issues. 

[Tony s]

On 5/24/2024 at 8:30 AM, Jovius said:

The losses were some Danio rerios that had some swim bladder issues

You’re probably fine.swim bladder is not contagious, usually. If the white spots spread, it could be epistylis. Or fungus. Keep an eye on it. But from the picture, I don’t see anything really alarming. That changes if it spreads. If they spread and look raised above the skin a bit. 
 

if it does spread, I’d lower the tank temperature to around 72. And run a course of kanaplex through the water. Following label directions very closely. Possibly adding in salt. Maybe 1 tablespoons to 10 gallons of water because of the high plant density. Remembering to remove all carbon if you’re using any.

Edited May 24 by Tony s

[Tony s]

And send us more pics so we can verify what you’re looking at. And colu would confirm on the correct course of action. He gives the best medical advice. 

The other thing to think of. Dwarf gouramis get an iridivovirus. It doesn’t happen often, but does happen. If he gets it, really can’t do much. So keep us updated.

[Jovius]

On 5/24/2024 at 7:52 AM, Tony s said:

And send us more pics so we can verify what you’re looking at. And colu would confirm on the correct course of action. He gives the best medical advice. 

The other thing to think of. Dwarf gouramis get an iridivovirus. It doesn’t happen often, but does happen. If he gets it, really can’t do much. So keep us updated.

I am trying to get more photos but it’s very hard. I have the stuff to treat ick on hand.. would it hurt to start the treatment in them and just keep an eye on them?

[Tony s]

Well, the problem is identifying what he has. Ich is a parasite. Epistylis is a bacterial infection. And treatment is exact opposite. Ich you use high heat. Epistylis gets worse under heat. Ich will look like salt granules all over. Epistylis are more in patches and on the surface of the eye. Epistylis needs the kanaplex or maracyn2. Ichx for ich

[Tony s]

the other difference between the two. ich is not raised up on the skin. epistylis is raised above the skin slightly

[Jovius]

On 5/24/2024 at 2:17 PM, Tony s said:

the other difference between the two. ich is not raised up on the skin. epistylis is raised above the skin slightly

I have been staring at them and can't tell but I think they look flush with the skin so I stared an ich treatment. I hope that is what it is. Thanks for your help, mate!

[Tony s]

On 5/25/2024 at 3:29 PM, Jovius said:

so I stared an ich treatment

Okay. For ich. I’d take the temperature up to around 82-84 degrees. Put in a tablespoon of aquarium salt around 1 tbsp per 5-10 gallons of tank water. And add your ichx.  I’d also throw in an air stone to help keep it oxygenated. 

Actually possible to control through just the salt and temp. But for sure with the ichx

[Jovius]

I am using the API ich treatment as that is all I can get my hands on locally. My temp is always at 80 in that tank but I'll raise it. 

I really appreciate your help with this! You are a HUGE help!

[Tony s]

That should work fine. @Coluis our expert, but I try to help where I can. Hopefully this clears up quickly, good luck!

 

[Colu]

On 5/26/2024 at 1:59 AM, Jovius said:

I am using the API ich treatment as that is all I can get my hands on locally. My temp is always at 80 in that tank but I'll raise it. 

I really appreciate your help with this! You are a HUGE help!

If your dealing with ich ick X or  api super ick cure and  gradually raise the temperature to 82 and add a small amount of aquarium salt as ich causes massive electrolyte loss and salt adds back in essential electrolytes to he's how you tell if your dealing with ich or epistylis  if your dealing with epistylis you would want lower the temperature to 75 and treat with a broad spectrum antibiotic treatment maracyn2 in food feeding a small amount twice a day for 7 days and  does the tank with malachite green active ingredient in ick X as epistylis feed's off of gram negative bacteria on the slime coat of your fish and spreads more quickly at higher temperatures 

Edited May 26 by Colu