Val, this does not sound like ich... (parasite) but more like columinaris (sp) which is bacterial and unfortunately which I have learned much about. (or since you say edge of fins could be fin rot, either way bacteria not parasite such as is ich) Both can be treated as I treated for columinaris... can add melefix and premifix (sorry lens out can't see can't spell) as adjunctive therapies (along with salt) clean water, space, heat so on... basics - did you test for increased amnonia, nitrites, nitrates?

(one thing also I have found is you can spot treat along with salt dip - please search for salt dips, and go a bit lighter, lol, just in case.. this doesn't sound dire yet._

You can net, use wet diluted cotton swab with merurichrome or any other meds that treat what you need (I used betta zing, which has meth blue, and other anti fungal anti bacterial, diluted) to spot treat fungal (ie bacterial columinaris) on tail of gourami... rather then douse him with carcinogenic meds in hospital tank. It is shrinking as we speak. Added salt, and melifix, pemifix to his water....

Never do this around gills!

see link:

http://article.discusnews.com/cat-02/columnaries.shtml

The confusing this is this looks like a fungus, but is not... by the way either I missed it or you didn't mention, how large is the tank.. Gouramis need much more space or one per tank.. trust me, went through that... one will get sick as others defend and create territory...

I was going to post my results after months of dealing with this bacteria. So will mention to you.

After using every possible med... (and back ground in pre vet sciences)... found that salt water worked best...I had rescued bettas with apparently virulent strain (over night fish would be covered like cotton candy) and died - that fast.

Two have survived and are going to be ok... At the same time this occured with me, also at the lfs... has to do with it being in local water supply. Likes high ph high gh kh and high temperatures... Has become a big problem in fish farms and breeders, hence the resistance to antibiotics.

What worked for me was this...

I isolated in fish hospital tank..

heater, filter so on.

At it's worse, I had to do daily 100% water changes, with daily salt dips... main hospital tanks also had salt as bath... gourmis as well as bettas do aok with higher salt levels... if I did not do this, they were covered next day and died!

Trying to get away from meds' (I spent mucho money and with many rescues can say, not many survied do to meds)...

I used garlic as some referred me to.. I used it by spot treating areas that needed it (along with diluted merurichrome (sp) and idodine...(fish was at the end at this point)... switched to garlic (squeezed garlic clove and added water... belive me you will know it is there (I like garlic so not a problem)... I also, on suggestion from person with same problem, floated some in tank (small bit)...

Also, I soaked their food with it.. .diluted with water.

I did daily water changes in their hospital tank, daily salt dips... (some sources suggest several a day, but I couldn't do it, too many fish/cats to take care of)

It took many many months for my girl betta (started with slight discoleraton on one scale - next time I see that, I act fast!) (you know the hesitation, is it nothing or something oops)

But now she is I think out of the woods... man they are tough tough tough. she looks fantastic... fins flaring beautifully, scales (ok a bit of here and there, but this horrible bacteria digs deep into muscle so not sure if just some damage)... but I put her into larger 10 gallon planted heated, filtered quaranteen tank and think she is out of the woods.

Same for earlier rescued male betta... he had it to where he was covered! Now aok...

Again, gouramis do not do well in close proximity to others (rare exceptions) they will stress each other out and they will get sick. 3 would need 55 or larger and planted so on.

so let me know how it goes. best Sherry

Ich looks like velvet, very tiny white spots, and the fish will rub against gravel and rocks to scratch themselves. Larger cottony spots sound like an bacterial infection. I disagree with Sherry, ive had good luck with meds. Copper treatements worked well for me especially in my saltwater tanks. I called the Aquarium pharm. 800# once and talked to them about dosage levels and a very knowledgeable tech explained in detail treatement options. Check with the med. manufacture they know more than most of us.

You can try a combination of meds. For instance, if you think you have a parasitic issue, a copper-formalin product would deal with it. But you can also add tetracycline or other drugs if there is a possibility of it having a bacterial infection. It's a good idea to give the meds a good day or two to work before doing any water changes. And then you should keep doing like a 10% change every day to wean them off the meds.

Sherry,
Rats... I think you're right. I'm feeling pretty ignorant, but info. is what I came here for.
Maybe one day I'll have a hospital tank, but for now all I have is one 30 gallon.
So far, one gorami has died. (but not the one I thought to be sick)
The big guy still has white little puffs on his fins. I searched columnaris, & that sounds like what I'm seeing.
So thanks for the heads up.
Here's what I did today:
25% water change.
I started lowering the heat setting.
I had 2 meds in the house (from an auction lot I bought)
Jungle Fungus Guard (cupric sulfate, red potassium chromate)
Jungle Fungus Eliminator (salt, nitrofurazone, furazolidone, potassium dichromate)
Both these meds claim effective against columnius.
No carbon.
Added some extra Stress Coat.
12 hours later
So far everybody's still here...