Dwarf Gourami --- ?

[vanalisa]

Was just reading another thread, and other threads before have touched on the topic.
Is there something wrong with these fish?
If so, what about Honey Gourami?

 

[Fishmanic]

Dwarf Gouramis often succumb to Dwarf Gourami disease. They are an awesome fish but often die within months in my experience. I’ve had 3 of them at different times and none lived very long.

 

[Fishmanic]

Honey Gourami would be a great alternative.

 

[vanalisa]

Dwarf Gouramis often succumb to Dwarf Gourami disease. They are an awesome fish but often die within months in my experience. I’ve had 3 of them at different times and none lived very long.

What is the disease? I mean...well how does it manifest?
I like the Honeys but no plans on getting them. Thought at one time I would get a couple. Reaching overstock as it is. Also, I have kind of shied away from getting anything but a group of anything. I have one Pea Puffer and am often sad i didn't get more...

 

[itiwhetu]

Dwarf Gourami's have been bred for multiple color morphs, as a result their genetical make up has been compromised. So, these fish are now very unstable.

 

[vanalisa]

So, therefore the question may begin to beg?

 

[Fishmanic]

All about dgd

 

[itiwhetu]

So, therefore the question may begin to beg?

We must be careful here the fish we are talking about is Colisa Lalia. Not Colsia Fasciata, or Trichogaster Chuna, or Colisa Labiosa. Just make sure we are all talking about the same fish. Commonly known as the Dwarf Gourami ( Colsia Lalia).

 

[Colin_T]

Dwarf gouramis (Colisa lalius) regularly carry the gourami iridovirus and fish tuberculosis (TB). The iridovirus is a virus that remains dormant while the fish is healthy and relaxed, however it flares up when the fish is stressed. Symptoms can include small sores appearing on the outside of the body. Lack of energy, poor appetite and the fish waste away and die a week or two after this starts.

Fish TB is caused by a bacteria (Mycobacterium species) that settles inside the fish and infects different organs. The bacteria is slow growing and fish can carry them for months or even years before there is sufficient bacteria to damage an internal organ. When that happens, the fish stop eating, bloat up, do a stringy white poop, breath heavily and die within 24 hours of showing these symptoms.

There is no cure for either disease and the iridovirus and fish TB remain in tanks until the tank and all associated equipment have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

 

[vanalisa]

All about dgd

Thanks. This sucks. I started looking stuff up online before I saw this. I was thinking that it seemed like neon tetra disease.
Weird how it evolves species-specific.

 

[vanalisa]

Dwarf gouramis (Colisa lalius) regularly carry the gourami iridovirus and fish tuberculosis (TB). The iridovirus is a virus that remains dormant while the fish is healthy and relaxed, however it flares up when the fish is stressed. Symptoms can include small sores appearing on the outside of the body. Lack of energy, poor appetite and the fish waste away and die a week or two after this starts.

Fish TB is caused by a bacteria (Mycobacterium species) that settles inside the fish and infects different organs. The bacteria is slow growing and fish can carry them for months or even years before there is sufficient bacteria to damage an internal organ. When that happens, the fish stop eating, bloat up, do a stringy white poop, breath heavily and die within 24 hours of showing these symptoms.

There is no cure for either disease and the iridovirus and fish TB remain in tanks until the tank and all associated equipment have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

So any fish can get fish TB?
Is the iridovirus exclusive to DG?

 

[Colin_T]

Yes, any fish can catch fish TB

The gourami Iridovirus can be caught by any labyrinth fish. This includes Bettas and gouramis. However, it seems to be found mainly in the dwarf gourami (Colisa lalius) because the breeders have the virus in their ponds and tanks and won't kill all their fish and sterilise their setups.

Most other gourami species appear to be free of the virus at this stage but they can all catch it. When the Iridovirus first appeared, it was found in betta splendens (Siamese fighting fish), pearl gouramis and dwarf gouramis. That was 20+ years ago. There were lots of suppliers of these fish and they either destroyed their infected stock and cleaned their set up, or people stopped buying fish from them. The dwarf gouramis have fewer suppliers so it's harder to find clean sources.

 

[vanalisa]

Yes, any fish can catch fish TB

The gourami Iridovirus can be caught by any labyrinth fish. This includes Bettas and gouramis. However, it seems to be found mainly in the dwarf gourami (Colisa lalius) because the breeders have the virus in their ponds and tanks and won't kill all their fish and sterilise their setups.

Most other gourami species appear to be free of the virus at this stage but they can all catch it. When the Iridovirus first appeared, it was found in betta splendens (Siamese fighting fish), pearl gouramis and dwarf gouramis. That was 20+ years ago. There were lots of suppliers of these fish and they either destroyed their infected stock and cleaned their set up, or people stopped buying fish from them. The dwarf gouramis have fewer suppliers so it's harder to find clean sources.

Thanks Colin. This info really fleshed things out. To show my appreciation, here's something just for you:

 

[vanalisa]

Seriously, kitty belly aside. I meant it.
The joke takes away from the fact that your info was very helpful and informative.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I'm yet to be convinced and I strongly believe that there's a huge amount of hysteria associated with reports of this disease, where all Dwarf Gourami from all sources are deemed to have it.
Having done some not insignificant research amongst fishy forums, many of the so-called virus deaths could be attributed, just as easily, to poor fish care. This is consistent with @itiwhetu 's point about extensive breeding programs, to cultivate the various pretty colours that many customers apparently have a need for.
(Personally, I think Mother Nature did a more-than adequate job with the original, but in a world with bleached cherry barbs and the abomination of the so-called glo-fish, I increasingly feel that I'm in a minority).

Private breeders allegedly have disease-free fish and more commercial breeders from the Czech Re4public, for example, claim to be virus-free.