Dwarf Gourami Breathing/gill Issues

[confusion]

About 2 weeks ago, I bought a fire/sunset dwarf gourami. He's in my 55G community tank. When I got him home, I noticed that part of his left gill flap was missing. I can't tell if it's a deformation, injury or result of some disease. Anyhow, he's been doing fairly well, though he tends to hang out at the bottom of the tank quite a bit, and he's breathing fairly rapidly.

I have another dwarf in a different tank and he's much more active than this one, so I'm concerned that the rapid breating and hanging out at the bottom is a bad sign. Also, I noticed that he seems a little bloated. My wife has a soft spot for fish that beg, so I assumed that was a bit of a spare tire from too much feeding, but possible a sign of something else. No pineconing of scales, btw.

It's a 55G, moderately planted tank. The tank has been cycled for some time now, and no other fish are exhibiting symptoms. I've not treated the tank with any meds. Should I be concerned about him?

 

[WILDER]

Did you buy him with a missing gill plate.
What are yours stats as they need excellent water quality.
To be honest if he's on the bottom and heavy breathing he's not in good shape at all and with the bloating it sounds like an advanced bacterial infection.
He's not going to make it sorry.

What are you feeding the fish as to many dried foods can lead to swelling because of constipation.
If stats are good and the gill isnt inflamed he dosn't sound in good shape.

Abit of info for you.
http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/hdgilld.htm

 

[confusion]

he seems a little more active this morning, though still bloated. the water quality is excellent - well filtered, cycled and planted. I suspect that the problem is constipation. I have some algae flakes that I'll try feeding him, if he'll eat.

He did come with is gill like that - it never seemed to bother him before.

So, one big thing that has changed is that I went from a sparsely planted tank, to a moderately planted one. I added lots of plants, a new 130w light, and I started fertilizing with flourish, flourish trace, excel, phosphorous, and a few others.

 

[WILDER]

Try some shelled peas on him, but i don't like the sound of the heavy breathing, good luck.

 

[confusion]

So, it is dropsy after all. I moved him to QT and it was pretty obvious at that point that he was pine coned. I know he's probably a goner, but I've been treating him in my ICU - a 5G bucket in my sink.

 

[WILDER]

Add salt epson salt best but if havent any house hold salt it can help draw tne fluids out.
But once they pinecone not good at its organ failure, good luck.
Get you a link for the salt.
http/www.fishjunkies.com/Treatments/salt.php

http/www.fishjunkies.com/Diseases/dropsy.php

 

[confusion]

Thanks. I'm realistic about it's chances. I don't have epsom salts, unfortunately. I have every other crazy fish medicine that's made, though. I obviously can't tell if it's a bacterial, viral or parasitic organ infection. Since he doesn't have a lot of hope anyhow, I have him in 2TBPS of salt, with maracyn 2 and metro/paraquentizel (sp?)

He's laying at the bottom of the bucket, and goes up to the top for a gulp of air every now and then. I have a fairly big airstone in the bucket with him. I figure if he makes it through the night, he'll probably make it, but most likely he will not.

Thanks for all the help. I need to get some epsom salt for next time.

 

[confusion]

So, he survived the night, and he's looking a good bit thinner this morning. He seems to have much less energy than last night, though. We're getting some epsom salt today and I'll try a bath in that this evening if he's able to hang on that long.

 

[WILDER]

Has he gone thin through not eating.