Dwarf Gourami

[njnauticalnut]

I just stocked my new tank today. It was fishless cycled beginning May 27th and the tank is fully cycled. It has been converting 5ppm of amonia to 0 and nitrites remain at 0 within 24 hrs. It is a 75 gallon tank. The water parameters are amonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 0. All of the other fish seem totally fine. They are:

6 zebra danio
3 corys
3 bristlenose plecos
4 silver hatchet fish
4 platys
3 silver dollars
3 dwarf gouramis

One of the dwarf gouramis looks like he is gasping and he is the only fish that did not eat tonight. I have never had gouramis prior, so I am not cure of their behavior except that I know they can be shy and hang out in the plants. Is there anything I can do for him? He may be be stressed from the move from the lfs to his new tank. I'd appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks.

 

[xXMrBonesXx]

if you just bought him he could have been sick when you bought him, thats the only thing i could think of

 

[luxum]

You are aware that gouramis are labyrinth fish that breathe from the surface aren't you? I mean, when you say gasping, are his gills pumping like crazy, or is he just taking gulps of air from the surface?

 

[Wyld-Fyre]

I've got a couple of Dwarf Gourami's, and one of them had recently given itself a locked-jaw. As a result, the poor fish had problems taking in air from its gills. It was forced to take in surface air, but with painful difficulty. Happily, though the situation resolved itself within the same day.

Did this problem occur just recently for you, or has it been like this since you've had the fish?

 

[limelight]

I have had 2 gourami's ... the first the female lasted one evening and was giving the symptoms you stated. The second was a male that was fine until I added a blue gourami and was chased all over the tank. He was gasping for air, I swopped him out with a friend, but the gourami was then chased by a siamese figher in his tank... it to died... The moral of my story... Dwarf Gouramis are very docile fish and when bothered by other fish in the tank, they get very scared, gasp for air and then die!! So they need friendly tank mates. Well that is the way I see it.

 

[njnauticalnut]

Thanks for all your responses.

His gills are pumping like crazy and his mouth is opening and closing like crazy. None of the other fish are bothering him. In fact one of the other gouramis goes up to him every now and then very peacefully and if another fish goes near him this other gourami is right there near him--interesting behavior.

They, the gouramis, have been going up to the top for air, though this guy not very often. When he first got in the tank he hid in the plants for a long time which I know is normal for gouramis. Then he was near the surface for a very long time last night. This morning he was hiding in a hole in one of the rocks and is currently is in another rock. The other two gouramis are peacefully swimming around, but this guy is not doing that, he is clearly having some problems. I didn't notice him doing this at the pet store so he may have been stressed in the move, but also I may not have noticed this in the store.

Hope that gives some more info. Anything I can do?

 

[luxum]

Some fish adapt to a new tank more quickly than others. It's clear yours is stressed, so try a few extra water changes and see if that settles him in. Say, 20% every other day for a week or so.

 

[njnauticalnut]

Luxum,

Thanks, I had a feeling that he is stressed from the move from the store to my tank. I will do the water changes.

How do water changes help? Just trying to understand the why behind the doing.

 

[luxum]

Your tank was freshly fishless cycled, it's not really completely stable yet. There may be small variations in chemistry that he's sensitive to, so small frequent water changes insure that the water is clean and doesn't exacerbate the problem. If he is fighting off a disease or something, then the clean water will help lessen any additional stress on his immune system. In that time you can observe him and see if he develops more specific symptoms or if the stress subsides and he begins to behave normally. In my experience, water changes are the best general cure-all.

 

[Wyld-Fyre]

I agree with Luxum, the Gourami sounds really stressed from the move to your tank. However, as its a new arrival to your tank, I would think leaving it alone till the morning would be better than a water change.

 

[njnauticalnut]

Thanks for the info on the water changes! I appreciate it.

I checked the water parameters this evening, amonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 20-30 so I did the 20% water change to lower the nitrates. The gourami is still gasping, but he is jst hanging out in the plants and rocks. He does move around a bit. I haven't noticed him going to the top for air. I know that bettas need to breathe air, do gouramis? And how often? I will keep an eye on him and see how he is doing. I think it was the stress of being moved and the new tank and new tankmates. Hopefully he will settle in. I'll let you know if he exhibits any other signs as I will need more advice These are my first gouramis and I am loving them, what cool fish! They exude a calm and peacefulness.

 

[njnauticalnut]

He is eating today, the first time since he arrived. After he ate a few bites from within the plant, he actually came out to the front of the tank and ate some more. Maybe he is settling in, he is still breathing harder than the other two, but it seems less.

Thank you all so much!

I hope he will be okay!

 

[Wyld-Fyre]

Many more years of joy I hope!

My Dwarf Gourami's don't normally take in surface air, only when there was that 'locked-jaw' incident.

My Peppered Corydoras do take in surface air, apparently their 'lungs' are more adaptable than most other fishes.

Good luck!

 

[njnauticalnut]

I found my dwarf gourami Mr. G dead today. He never stopped gasping, but that was the only sign that he showed of anything wrong. He was not hiding as much and he was eating some. I thought he was getting better. I guess he just never got over the stress. Poor little guy!

 

[Tednol]

maybe it was the filter. once a long while ago the back of my filter where it draws in water got so clogged up with dead plants it stopped working and so no oxygen which caused one of my female gouramis to die