depressed dwarf gourami!

[sarahw20000]

My male dwarf gourami hasn't been looking very happy over the last couple of days. He's been sitting at the bottom of the tank and only comes to the top when he thinks he might get fed.

I noticed him doing a white poo yesterday but i can't see any visible signs of illness on him apart from his colours are a bit pale.

I tested my water today and last week and they're the same at ammonia-0 Nitrite-0 Nitrate - 5 also the ph is about 8.2 but it's been like that since i've had him (4 months) so i would have thought he'd have got used to that by now.

I did have two males when i started (lfs told me they'd be fine) but one got progressively more harassed and eventually died - he did white poo for a while aswell.

Any idea's what could be wrong with him?

 

[sylvia]

Isolate him if you can and then start treating him for internal parasites immediately (based on the white - is it also stringy? - poo). If it isn't parasites (no white/stringy poo), it's an internal bacterial infection and has to be treated ASAP. The symptoms you are describing are typical of dwarf gouramies that are developing an internal infection and he will die if not treated right away. The fact that he is still eating is a good sign and suggests it's parasites and not bacteria.

 

[sarahw20000]

What stuff can you get to treat internal bacterial infection? It is stringy poo so i reckon thats what he and my other departed one had. I Fed them last night and although he was interested he only ate stuff that came directly to him (which wasn't much coz of all the other greedy buggers )rather than the usual chasing around

 

[sylvia]

Stringy white poo suggests an internal parasitic infection - not a bacterial infection. Medications for either are available at your LFS and they'll be clearly labelled on the box. Remember that the problem is INTERNAL. Monitor your water quality as some emds. can damage your biological filtration and you'll need to do some water changes.

 

[sarahw20000]

I think he's a gonner
Yesterday he looked really puffed up and his scales were sticking out and he was just sitting at the bottom.

The only thing any of my lfs's did for internal parasites was the general methalyne blue which i used last night but this morning (through the murky blue) i could see he's got swimbladder now as he's floating around with the current.

I don't think theres much hope so i'm expecting a floater when i get home

 

[sylvia]

Sounds like he also has dropsy - internal bacterial infection. It's probably too late for him if his scales were puffed up.

 

[sarahw20000]

He's gone and the next day my honey gourami went too

Now i've got a blue tank with hardly any fish

i don't think i'm going to get gourami's again, they manage to get ill without showing any symptoms and by the time you know they're unwell and you treat them it's too late!

There arn't any other fish that get this as well are there?

 

[sylvia]

There are, unfortunately, a lot of fish that have this sort of tendency. However, not all gouramies are like this.

Try one of the less in-bred, but still small, species like the banded (colisa fasciata) or croaking, sparkling, paradisefish, pearl and moonlight gouramies etc. The first few would be fine in a smaller tank (20 gallons). The sparkling only gets to about 1" so a few would work in a 10 gallon. A single banded would also work in a 10 but they get somewhat larger at around 4". The smaller paradisefish are peaceful and would also work in a 10 gallon but the more common, macropodus opercularis, should idealy be in a 30 gallon minnimum (it also happens to be incredibly hardy and can even tolerate lower temps.). The rest should be in 20 gallon tanks or more except the moonlight which gets to 7" so should be in a 30 gallon or so. None of the above fish are prone to disease like dwarfs can be. Also, honeys are actualy quite hardy (colsia chuna/sota - NOT the dwarf color morph) dispite the fact that they have been extensively commercialy bred.

If you want something virtualy indestructable, three-spots are the way to go (trichogaster trichopterus). However, these can be aggressive so stick to just one if you have a tank that's on the smaller side. The minnimum tank size, if kept in a community, is 20 gallons (for a single one). They come in so many color morphs and grow to about 6" with the male being slightly larger with longer, pointed fins when compared to the deeper-bodied female. Here's a link with some lovely pics: http/www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Gouramis,%...ichogasters.htm
Click on the link about pearl gouramies to some fantastic pictures of those as well. Pearls are my favourite fish, peaceful, grows to a moderate size, has character and is incredibly beautiful. They aren't quite as hardy as the three-spot but are not likely to die suddenly without warning either.

Just keep in mind that most fish will contract a disease if kept in a less-than-ideal environment. If you itnroduce carriers of disease to that environment (your dwarf gourami would have been this), you can expect other fish to contract the disease as well. You should quarantine all new arrivals and ensure that water quality in all tanks is excellent and the inhabitants' requirements are met. Then all your fish will be healthy.

I have to say, it's a shame dwarf gouramies are so susceptible to disease but also so popular. It means that a lot of people have their first experience of gouramies through them. They often give up on these lovely fish afterwards. Do consider one of the other gourami species.

 

[sharky&george]

ok what you have been describing sounds just like what mines got so do i treat with interpet no 9 internal bactera med or somethin else? And will other fish catch?
and do i treat whole tank as i set up hospital tank earlier but dont know if it will be ok?


But also mine got red scratch type marks is this a sign too??

 

[sharky&george]

what u all think shall i go for it with the new tank?

 

[sylvia]

Ok... A few questions:

How long has the tank the sick fish is/was in been set up?
How long have you had the sick fish?
Is the hospital tank cycled? If not, do water changes constantly - bad water quality is the worst thing under the circumstances.
What other fish were in the tank, how many of each and how big is the tank?
Have you recently treated for anything else?
Is your fish eating?
Oh and, what species of gourami is it? Dwarf I assume?

Yes, treat for the internal bacteria ASAP.

It's fine to treat seperately but watch the other fish in case they show signs as well. That's why I asked what they were - to determine if they are likely to catch it.

Lastly, the red marks are a sign of hemorrhagic septicimia. This is usualy caused by poor water quality. The stress and bacterial ifnections also make it worse. Keep up water changes. Post your parameters in both tanks (main and hospital). A tiny bit (very tiny bit) of aquarium salt might be of benefit to the gourami but don't add it if there are scaless fish in the tank and only a tiny bit so as not to stress the fish.

Watch the temp. isn't too high or too low as well.