A Little Bit Urgent....

[Lazerus]

Hi all…

A bit of Urgent question in order to save one of my Gouramis….as I feel time is of the essence!

I have two Red Honey Gourami in a quarantine tank. They are in there over a week now and were doing great.

(I also had six Cardinal tetras, but I am down to one now due to perceived pH acclimatising problems.)

I believe the Gourami are both male fish as they are quite colorful, but still unsure about that at the moment…anyway, either way both are in there over a week and both appeared to be getting on just fine (no fights / attacking each other etc, if anything they’ve been very friendly, intertwining with each other etc, making me think that one is male and one is female)

Now, One unfortunately has fallen ill since yesterday evening….h/she appears listless, is not feeding and is either lying at the bottom, or staying at top lodged between the heater….but he/she is not energetic and swimming around like my other guy.

Now, the problem is, I think this fish needs to rest, and have some time on its own away from the healthy Gourami, as what’s happening now is that the healthy Gourami is ‘bothering’ the other sick guy by pecking at him and nudging him and wanting him to 'play'.

I can see my sick guy just wants to get away and be alone but is just not been given the chance.

So…to my question.

Should I move the Healthy Gourami to my main tank at this point? I don’t have a third tank to separate them!!!

What would you do in this situation?

P.s before you ask:
0ppm Ammonia
0ppm Nitrite
0- 5ppm Nitrate depending...(I do daily water changes.)
pH.7.8

 

[Miss Wiggle]

if you move the healthy gourami into the main tank you risk transferring over whatever the sick gourami has got to the main tank.


if you don't seperate them then the sick gourami may be made worse by the stress from the healthy fish


i wouldn't risk it tbh but it's abit of a judgement call

 

[Carp4U]

Actually if one is ill i would keep them in the quarantine tank. The gourami could have a contagious illness, which the 'healthy' one might as well. If you move either of em to the main tank you could risk spreading disease. Plus, the other fish in your main tank may do the same if you bring the ill one into there.
I think you should buy a breeding net. Very easily found in your local fish shop. They are basically a plastic frame with a net around to stop fish getting attacked but means fish can be in the tank water still and have oxygen.

Keep us updated!

 

[Lazerus]

Yes, well this is the thing, the cardinals deaths are still 'unconfirmed' and perhaps this is what the sick gourami has now too, so whatever it is might be incubating in the other healthy remaining fish too.

I REALLY don't want to add any problems to my main tank...those fish are thriving!!! I'd be really stupid doing that, so its really not an option I suppose!!

Hmmm, but that's an idea about separating them in the quarantine tank itself....but with what?

I've no access to a pet shop this evening...

Any homemade ideas people might have?

I do believe that this fish won't last another night with all this bullying. Poor thing. God, the stress!!! I'll be grey by the end of this month, I swear I will!!!

 

[rabbut]

How about cutting the top off a pop bottle, filling the bottom half to just above the level of the tank and standing it on the bottom before moving in the sick fish. As a temperary solution, it would be fine for a day or two and keeps it away from the bully

Red Honey Gouramis show strong colour regardless of gender. To sex them, you look at the dorsal fin (Top one). Males have long and pointy ones, females have shorter and more rounded

HTH
Rabbut

 

[Lazerus]

Too late, he's dead.

Watched him die just a few minutes ago....absolutely gutted.

 

[rabbut]

Take a good look at the gills. Anything in them? What colour are they? Anything protruding from the body and/or it's vents that shouldn't be? A fresh body of the size of a Honey Gourami is a useful tool for diagnosis for any diseases. It's large enough to see things clearly on and fresh, so colours of organs won't yet have changed It't quite a macarbra task though, but something thats always worth doing

 

[Lazerus]

I had a very good look at him....

Colour was ok-ish, although paler than my healthy guy....nothing protruding from gills or anus, fins intact...eyes not swollen.

However...did notice some pine-coning of the scales. Very mild though, and his stomach wasn't really that swollen that I could see... I'm wondering was he like that normally, but looking at my other lad, his scales are flatter so perhaps this guy died from a case of dropsy?

Also, I've just had a thought there about my quarantine tank...its perspex as opposed to glass. Could this be my issue? Is this causing problems for my quarantine fish...like, could something be harboring in the tiny scratches? Or is something leeching into the water?

I've been trying to figure out what the possible difference is between my main tank and my quarantine, and this is the only difference...perspex v's glass.

 

[rabbut]

The tank won't be perspex, as perspex (believe it or not) is water soluable to some extent. Get it wet and it expends, leading to cracks and fractures if it's being used as a tank...

The tank itself is unlikely to be a problem.

I agree with Miss Wiggle at this point, get an anit-bacterial medication in there with them, it's probibly internal Raising scales and a high death rate allong with loss of colour is almost always internal bacteria You have your problem identifyed

All the best
Rabbut

 

[Lazerus]

Hmmm, okay so....Its some sort of clear plastic anyway, whatever it is...and scrapes easily.

Anyway, Interpet No. 9 for internal bacteria is in there since yesterday...it wasn't enough to save my poor Gourami, but perhaps I might, at this point be able to hold onto my one and only remaining Cardinal, and my male Red Honey Gourami....

By the way, the lad in the shop confirmed that they were a mixed tank, but I'm certain now that my two Gouramis were male...both had pointy dorsal fins. But I'm definitely no expert!!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Yeah def sounds bacterial to me, fingers crossed for the remaining two.

the plastic/perspex tanks are fine, don't worry over that.

 

[Lazerus]

I'm really annoyed with myself that I just didn't put in Interpet no.9 from the very start. (like I had suggested before when I bought my Rummy noses.)

Perhaps I'd have all my new stock still today. Its something thats possibly a 'best practise' from now on in my situation.

My last cardinal and Gourami seem to be fine, they are eating well and exploring all around the tank....so I guess they are 'out of the woods' now ..... but knowing me, by just typing that, I've probably just jinxed myself. AGAIN!!!