Spot on dwarf gourami's head

[Westicles]

So, I noticed this the other day. I was hoping initially it was just a scrape or wound, and maybe it is. But just wanted some input. I've had the fish for several months. It eats fine, swims normally, etc. No problems with any of the tank mates.

 

[PhoenixFyre]

It looks like a gash. Possibly put there by another Dwarf or inhabitant of the aquarium.

I'd watch it carefully for infection. You might want to have API Melafix handy.

Now with that said, I've used this on fish wounds, tail rot, etc. and it has worked. Others though, claim it didn't work for them. Not knowing their situation I cannot tell you why.

Good luck!

 

[Westicles]

It looks like a gash. Possibly put there by another Dwarf or inhabitant of the aquarium.

I'd watch it carefully for infection. You might want to have API Melafix handy.

Now with that said, I've used this on fish wounds, tail rot, etc. and it has worked. Others though, claim it didn't work for them. Not knowing their situation I cannot tell you why.

Good luck!

Thanks!!

 

[PhoenixFyre]

Thanks!!

You're welcome!

 

[Westicles]

I didn't mention there is another, older, larger gourami in there. I've never seen them fight, but doesn't mean they haven't

 

[Zanaspus]

HLLE; Head and lateral line disease. Sometimes called "hole in the head." Do some water changes. Voila.

 

[Westicles]

HLLE; Head and lateral line disease. Sometimes called "hole in the head." Do some water changes. Voila.

I do a 20% percent water change every week like clockwork and have for the past 2 years since I've had the tank. But if continuing that will help, then hey, an easy fix! Thanks

 

[Zanaspus]

I do a 20% percent water change every week like clockwork and have for the past 2 years since I've had the tank. But if continuing that will help, then hey, an easy fix! Thanks

Awesome! In that case you're fine to do a 50% one. It will help immensely!

 

[Westicles]

Awesome! In that case you're fine to do a 50% one. It will help immensely!

Thanks again! Provided that's the issue, are any of the tank mates in danger?

 

[Zanaspus]

Thanks again! Provided that's the issue, are any of the tank mates in danger?

HLLE is generally considered to be a husbandry issue. And indeed, when I worked in the aquarium trade and did water tests for people, HLLE was often associated with high nitrites. So, I was treading carefully in my initial response. Since it seems you understand aquatic husbandry, you fall in the 5% who's hole in the head is not so attributable. Yes, I have had cases in my aquarist lifetime that occurred with good water quality. Usually, it befalls deeper bodied fish like gouramis for instance, and in such cases tends not to be in any sense contagious. So, I'd say you're good. Still, the sizeable water change never hurts. Keep us updated.

 

[Westicles]

HLLE is generally considered to be a husbandry issue. And indeed, when I worked in the aquarium trade and did water tests for people, HLLE was often associated with high nitrites. So, I was treading carefully in my initial response. Since it seems you understand aquatic husbandry, you fall in the 5% who's hole in the head is not so attributable. Yes, I have had cases in my aquarist lifetime that occurred with good water quality. Usually, it befalls deeper bodied fish like gouramis for instance, and in such cases tends not to be in any sense contagious. So, I'd say you're good. Still, the sizeable water change never hurts. Keep us updated.

Will do! Thanks again!

 

[Zanaspus]

It occurs to me in the stark light of day to ask one more question. You're not a "filter chucker" are you? Unscrupulous pet stores convince you that you need to buy new filter inserts to keep your tank healthy. In all my years of using power filters, I never once chucked a filter cartridge. All this does is destroy your current beneficial bacterial bed. Believer me, there's not enough nor generally a high enough quality of charcoal to make a real difference. My advice to any aquarium keeper is to just sort of rinse out the filter insert in a wastewater bucket to ensure you don't lose your entire beneficial bacterial bed. Hope this advice helps someone.

 

[Westicles]

It occurs to me in the stark light of day to ask one more question. You're not a "filter chucker" are you? Unscrupulous pet stores convince you that you need to buy new filter inserts to keep your tank healthy. In all my years of using power filters, I never once chucked a filter cartridge. All this does is destroy your current beneficial bacterial bed. Believer me, there's not enough nor generally a high enough quality of charcoal to make a real difference. My advice to any aquarium keeper is to just sort of rinse out the filter insert in a wastewater bucket to ensure you don't lose your entire beneficial bacterial bed. Hope this advice helps someone.

Nope, I have a canister filter. I rinse and reuse the different pads in a bucket of tankwater. The only ones I do toss and replace are the floss pads.

 

[Zanaspus]

Nope, I have a canister filter. I rinse and reuse the different pads in a bucket of tankwater. The only ones I do toss and replace are the floss pads.

Splendid!

 

[The Snark]

And indeed, when I worked in the aquarium trade and did water tests for people, HLLE was often associated with high nitrites.

Should go without saying regarding nitrates - acidification. Keep a close watch on pH. Ideal is two pH tests or sensors, one post filtration return water and one near the bottom of the tank. Don't get fooled by pH taken from water at the surface. The acidity should dictate filter changes.
(I worked on a trout farm for a few months, hired after they had a 40,000 fish die off. My sole job was chem tests and maintaining the filters). Extraction (water entering filters - ideal) DO >7, pH >6.8, temp <49F

 

[The Snark]

@Westicles Maintaining a pH in a tank is crucial. High nitrogen is the root cause of most fish diseases and die offs. It stresses the fish which in turn leaves them weak and unable to fight off diseases and displaces oxygen. If you have trouble controlling pH add a block of calcium carbonate as a mediator. It gives you and the fish some breathing room to head off acidification before the a nitrogen crises occurs.
Also avoid drastic changes in the water of any form. As @Zanaspus mentioned, simply changing filters alters the environment enough to stress fish. The 'filter chucker' problem. With trout, all it takes is 4 degrees water temp change to stop them from putting on weight. 48F ideal, 52F, no weight gain and stressed.

 

[Westicles]

@Westicles Maintaining a pH in a tank is crucial. High nitrogen is the root cause of most fish diseases and die offs. It stresses the fish which in turn leaves them weak and unable to fight off diseases and displaces oxygen. If you have trouble controlling pH add a block of calcium carbonate as a mediator. It gives you and the fish some breathing room to head off acidification before the a nitrogen crises occurs.
Also avoid drastic changes in the water of any form. As @Zanaspus mentioned, simply changing filters alters the environment enough to stress fish. The 'filter chucker' problem. With trout, all it takes is 4 degrees water temp change to stop them from putting on weight. 48F ideal, 52F, no weight gain and stressed.

Thank you very much for the info. I will definitely be looking into the ph sensors. Also, I'm guilty of checking parameters from surface water. Never knew otherwise. On another note, there's nothing but a tiny spot where the lesion was.

 

[The Snark]

@Westicles When I took the job at the trout farm I did my usual and went academic, pestering the local university and marine lab. Their die off was a hexamitiasis infection introduced from a local stream. Invisible and no warning, one morning all the fish in one raceway were belly up.
The people at the farm were taking surface water for tests which was freshly filtered and oxygenated. What they hadn't taken into account is nitrogen is heavy. Half way down the 6 foot deep raceway was a very different story. pH <6.5 and DO one fourth that of the surface. The fish were stressed, all trying to get to the water inlet which caused the weaker and smaller fish to become more stressed. Weakened, the organism was able to fully infect the stressed fish and they infected the rest. All it took was one filter filled with the wrong medium, an hour shut down of the pumps to clean that filter and overnight the domino effect wiped them out.
Closed systems need constant well thought out monitoring.