I have a dwarf gourami and within the last few days it has developed this rather large bump underneath its head just as it slopes from its mouth to the underneath of the body the scales are sticking out and the bump is very red fish is eating fine does not even seem like its bothered with this new bump i to the fish out to fill the bump and it is soft any clues

How long have you had him? Could it be an iritation from rubbing on the gravel? I honestly have no idea but i'll try and dig up some links for you to check out.

only have had it a week the bump just came up the last 2 days other than that its perfectly fine its so wierd i read alot on tb in fish but i dont think that is what it is

check this out. i hope it helps you sorry i couldn't be more helpful.link

Well, it's most likely bacterial or fungal. That's for sure.

Try some melafix, or pimafix... I dunno which.

It would help if you could post a pic.

I keep gouramis..... love labyrinths, so I'm sure I could help you in some way.

i read melafix was bad for air breathing fish do you use it on yours and also any tips on how to get good pis thur the glass my camera sucks and they are unviewable

hold the camera at an angle to the glass, also you can use a bit of tissue paper over the flash to diffuse it abit. try and get the camera up to the glass as well and if your camera has a macro mode use it.

where did you read that melafix was bad for labyrinths? i haven't heard that, but it doesn't mean it's not true.:)

http://www.fishlore.com/Forum/3-freshwater...se/index.0.html


thats the forum i read that one i have to charge my camera batterys and try the pic thing again

After a careful web search to corroborate their information, to which I failed, I have digested the information they provided.

Not to be mean, however I believe that they do not have a clue of which they are talking. They do not even know the ingredients in the medications they are using, clove oil in Pimafix.... Indeed...

This is my honest thought, one of them had a Betta Splendens that perished during a treatment with Melafix. Either they overdosed the fish or the ailment was not what Melafix is intended to treat. I do believe it is possible to use to much Melafix, especially in the minimalist setups most Bettas live in. If one teaspoon treats 10 gallons how much does one add to a quart of water? Could the oil from a regular dose in a small enough container kill a fish, theoretically yes. All it would take is coating the gills which would deny respiration and suffocate the fish. In reality I would guess that the Betta was just beginning to show signs of Velvet, can be confused for fungus, and rather than hitting it with Maracyn II or Tetracyclene the owner tried Melafix. Bettas are rather susceptible to Velvet and once you can see it they are extremely close to dead.

Just my opinion take it for what you will. In the case of your Guorami I would consider aquarium or kosher salt, maybe 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons. Honestly it is a very tough call, it is either minor damage with a slight infection or something cyst like perhaps. Watch your fish carefully to check for difficulty moving any parts in the affected area, not to mention further deterioration.

I would take the fish back to where you got it and ask them about it, maybe they have had reports of other fish coming down with the same thing, you may even be able to get a refund or at least store credit.

It doesn't sound like TB to me, however if you did suspect it I would be very careful in my handling of the fish as TB can jump from fish to humans.

Well, I used Pimafix and Melafix as my prime bacterial, fungal... whatever treatment. Haven't had it in a while as I haven't had sick fish in a while. mainly on bettas and they make extremely quick recoveries, just around 2-4 days and I can stop dosing. I also lower the dosage to about one third and only use it every 2 days. I use it along with a jungle sinking... thing, the days I don't use Mela or Pima, and at only about a half a tablet.

off topic, sort of.

Whatever the problem is, we'll still try our best to help.

thanks so much for the replys the bump looks much better today not as red or swollen

Very glad to hear your gourami's getting better.

Probably a beautiful gourami. :wub: You'll have to post a pic sometime anyway.

Glad to hear that the bump is improving. I guess all of us failed to mention the importance of clean water. lol

glad to hear it's clearing up. did you end up treating it or is it going away on it's own?