Dwarf Gourami Seems Sick

[snoopstar]

I have a Dwarf Gourami that I have had for 3 days. He is in the tank with another Dwarf and a few other fish. This evening he has just started to do what I can only describe as breath very heavily and rest against ornaments in the tank. He is laying on the gravel at this moment on the bottom, laying on his side.

Occasionally he swims up to the top of the tank and pops his head out as if to grab a gulp of air. Then sinks back down to lay at the bottom.

The other gourami seems fine as do all the other fish.

I can see no other signs of any disease, no white spot, lifting scales etc.

What can I do?? Any ideas? I don't think he is going to last long by the looks of him.

Edited to say - My water levels are all good. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 10. Tank is cycled and been running about 5 weeks.
I've just lifted him to the top of the tank in a net and have him there where maybe he can get more oxygen and safe from the other fish incase they sense his ailment.

 

[WILDER]

Sounds like a bacterial infection to me, he's not going to make it i'm afraid.
Can we take a look at your water stats just to make sure in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate, and ph.
Sorry you have just added stats.
Hes not good he's dying, sorry, can you issolate him in a container at the top of the tank.

 

[MHunt]

It may end up as dropsy, you could try treating early with a salt bath, and an anti bacterial med, perhaps interpet 9 or similar. I had one go the same way which ended up with dropsy, but if you catch it early it might be ok.

 

[WILDER]

His breathing gone don't hold out much hope, but worth a try what mhunt has said.

 

[snoopstar]

I've no-where to buy any aquaruim salt or meds now, should have been better prepared it seems !!! If I isolate him in a container suspended in the top of the tank (if I can find anything) would table salt be better than nothing and if so how much?

 

[MHunt]

I don't know any quantities or mixtures to try, just a bit of advice i read on dropsy treatment. Try a couple of teaspoons of salt in a largeish container of tank water, it's just for a couple of minutes to try and remove any excess fluids that may be building up in the body cavity.
Dropsy is a symptom of internal organ failure, and the heavy breathing may be an indication of the start of that. If you can combine salt baths with an internal antibacterial treatment then you may have some chance. But I do agree with wilder, dwarf gourami's are more succeptible to bacterial infections, and once they get ill, there's not really alot you can do for them. Good Luck

 

[snoopstar]

Thanks.

I've put him in a large-ish plastic container filled with tank water floating in the top of the tank to maintain the temperature and added a couple of teaspoons of salt.

When you say for a couple of minutes? What do you mean? Then add him back to the tank? Or should I leave him in the plastic container overnight and hope for the best? My concern there is that there is no surface water disturbance and maybe not enough oxygenated water for him?

 

[MHunt]

Thanks.

I've put him in a large-ish plastic container filled with tank water floating in the top of the tank to maintain the temperature and added a couple of teaspoons of salt.

When you say for a couple of minutes? What do you mean? Then add him back to the tank? Or should I leave him in the plastic container overnight and hope for the best? My concern there is that there is no surface water disturbance and maybe not enough oxygenated water for him?

The salt is intended as a short term treatment, give it perhaps 10 to 15 mins, then put him back in freshwater. Gouramis being abantoids can breathe oxygen from the air so being close to the top of the tank should allow him to get that when he needs it. You could repeat the salt bath daily, and like i say, add some internal anti bacterial meds when you can.

I am only suggesting what i might try from what i have read since i lost my dwarf gourami, so it may not work at all, but it would certainly die with no intervention so might as well give it a go!

 

[snoopstar]

Good morning all.

Unfortunately my Gourami didn't make it through the night. Thanks anyway for the suggestions.

If anything, I have learnt another lesson, be more prepared. I'll go out today and get a few meds etc to store incase I have another episode and all the shops are shut.

 

[MHunt]

Sorry you lost the fish

I wasn't sure there was much that could be done, but it was worth trying anyway! I really like gourami's anyway, they are a really endearing fish. My one was a bit of a bully to some of the fish, but also as soft as a duvet when it came to my apisto, or me!

 

[snoopstar]

Yeah was a shame. I had two, an orange (rainbow) dwarf Gourami and the Blue Dwarf Gourami. They came from the same tank in the fish shop and got on quite well, both following each other around the tank.

I am now watching the other very closely hoping he doesn't go the same way.

 

[MHunt]

When you can get some meds, it might be worth using an anti internal bacteria med as a precaution incase it carries over to the other one. I got some interpet 9 in after a spate of unexplained deaths in my tank, and it appeared to settle things down. Good luck!

 

[WILDER]

Sorry for your loss bless him R.I.P.