Can anyone offer any advice on curing a gourami? I have a 18 inch long gold gourami who is about 5 years old. Recently, he has developed a fuzzy, stringy white material on his head. One would assume it was fungus, but he has not responded to Primafix or Maroxy. My local pet store advised this might be a fuzzy legged fluke, and I have dosed with fluke medicine. However, I don't want to keep dosing my tank. Any suggestions on what this might be?

That's a huge gourami! Which species is he?

I have never heard of a fuzzy-legged fluke. Sounds phooey to me. There are some bacteria that may look like fungus, such as columnaris. If you've treated with MarOxy and PimaFix for fungus with no luck, then try Maracyn I and II (erythromycin and minocycline for gram negative and positive bacteria) and MelaFix. If it's bacterial, they should knock it back.

If you go through medications for fungus, parasites, and bacteria to no avail, I'm not sure what to tell you.

Oh, do you use aquarium salt? A tablespoon per few gallons will deter both bacterial and fungal infections.

Can you post a photo of the problem?

I hope he gets better!

She said an 18 inch gold gourami! I think she mest up while typing or doesnt know what fish she has.

I know what fish I have and I meant to say 8 inches. He was huge. Unfortunately, he died. Thanks for the tips.

Sorry he didn't make it. 8" is still a huge gourami!

sorry to hear that he died :( It sounded like a fungal something to me though.

Sorry about your gourami. Wow the water where you live must be fishy steroids. Again I'm sorry about your fish...sometimes we get very attached.