Dwarf gourami dying

[VioletThePurple]

I have him in a quarantine tank and given a little bit of aquarium salt but no sign of improvement. He's a relatively new fish; I've only had him for about a month. When I found him lying on the floor of the aquarium, I also found a dead platy hidden away. The dead platy isn't as surprising cause I've had it for years and it was the oldest fish in the tank. But I am afraid it could be a sign of my fish dying off one by one. My dwarf gourami lives in a 20-gallon planted tank along with seven platies. I use a sponge filter, and the tank is several years old. I have a test kit stashed away somewhere but I don't really use it as it's confusing for me, so please don't hound me about water parameters. I'm thinking about going to the pet store to get some stuff that can help him heal but idk how long he's going to last, if I'll just come home from the pet store and find him dead. The dead platy didn't have any markings; its eyes were glazed over so I was confident it was dead and maybe bloated but those were the only physical things I noticed.

 

[Innesfan]

Your Dwarf Gourami is likely a lost cause since they are widely affected with a lethal iridovirus rampant in the species, commonly called Dwarf Gourami Disease, and many have TB as well. I wouldn't continue to medicate in any way.

 

[VioletThePurple]

Your Dwarf Gourami is likely a lost cause since almost all are infected with a lethal iridovirus rampant in the species, commonly called Dwarf Gourami Disease, and many have TB as well. I wouldn't continue to medicate in any way.

I didn't know there was such a thing as Dwarf Gourami disease, I'm 95% sure he's dead now. Does this mean my other fish will be fine?

 

[Innesfan]

DGD is contagious but very few species thus far become afflicted. It is surmised the the weakened immune systems of DGs, in part due to the species being inbred on fish farms, makes the species more vulnerable. There are threads about it here and there's info about it all over the internet.

TB is highly contagious. Some species are more susceptible than others and many species succumb to. Sorry to say you will just have to wait and see. Fingers crossed for you.

 

[VioletThePurple]

DGD is contagious but very few species thus far become afflicted. It is surmised the the weakened immune systems of DGs, in part due to the species being inbred on fish farms, makes the species more vulnerable. There are threads about it here and there's info about it all over the internet.

TB is highly contagious. Some species are more susceptible than others and many species succumb to. Sorry to say you will just have to wait and see. Fingers crossed for you.

So, if I were to get another dwarf gourami, do you have recommendations on places/websites that don't use fish farms?

From what I understand, if it was just DGD my other fish should be fine, but if they have TB, I may expect to see more dead fish. My platies seem active and fine so far, but with how instantaneous my gourami went from seemingly fine to dying, there's really no telling

 

[seangee]

So, if I were to get another dwarf gourami, do you have recommendations on places/websites that don't use fish farms?

From what I understand, if it was just DGD my other fish should be fine, but if they have TB, I may expect to see more dead fish. My platies seem active and fine so far, but with how instantaneous my gourami went from seemingly fine to dying, there's really no telling

Its a worldwide problem. The only place I would consider a DG is from a local breeder and then only if I knew them.

 

[VioletThePurple]

It's a worldwide problem. The only place I would consider a DG is from a local breeder and then only if I knew them.

So, they're all tainted with bad genetics and this disease in their genes that can kill them. That's depressing. I wonder how common DGD is. Like, do most of these fish die early from this disease?

 

[Innesfan]

Here's a post by @Colin_T from another current thread on the subject relevant to your question:

<<
The Gourami Iridovirus and Fish TB are in the exporter's tanks, the importer's tanks, and the pet shop's tanks. Unless you get wild caught fish sent straight to your home, bypassing other aquariums, you can never be certain the wild caught fish haven't picked up either disease before you get them. When you get the wild caught fish you need to put them in a clean tank that has never been exposed to domesticated fish, plants, snails or water.>>


Bottom line is, in one way or another, nearly all are affected or become affected from the water they are housed in. The same would likely happen to any DG you put in either tank that was occupied by your late DG.