Gourami Emergancy!

[Jodiem]

I set up my tank 1 month ago, 1st 2 weeks fishless cycle them I added 5 five banded barbs and 2 pearl gouramis(the fishstore lady said it was fine to add them all) and I tested the water and the nitrite was 0 and nitrate 20/30 (I don't have a tester for ammonia, I thought nitrite was almost the same) and now both of the gouramis are sitting at the bottom, and one it floating around on its head! what is wrong??

 

[-germ-]

I set up my tank 1 month ago, 1st 2 weeks fishless cycle them I added 5 five banded barbs and 2 pearl gouramis(the fishstore lady said it was fine to add them all) and I tested the water and the nitrite was 0 and nitrate 20/30 (I don't have a tester for ammonia, I thought nitrite was almost the same) and now both of the gouramis are sitting at the bottom, and one it floating around on its head! what is wrong??

How did you perform the 2 week fishless cycle without an ammonia tester...
Did you add any ammonia source at any point or did you just leave the tank running for a fortnight without adding fish?

Do the gourami ever get nipped or harrassed by the barbs?

Is there any bloatedness?

What is your PH?

Any other symptoms?

What size are the barbs and what size are the gouramis?

Does your filter disturb the waters surface?

 

[vinylman]

Just leaving a tank running doesn't cycle it, unfortunately. LFS rarely even acknowledge the existence of fishless cycling. Please read the pinned threads on cycling. If you can, return the fish to the shop and carry out a fishless cycle. It's possible to cycle a tank with fish, but it's going to mean a lot of work for you (water changes etc) and you run the risk of losing some/all of the fish in the process. You're not the first or last person to be given lousy advice by a LFS.

 

[newtotropical]

You could try adding Tetra Bactozym i have found it very good & it might save your fish.
Buy a decent test lit!!! Most on here use the API kit

Hope this helps

 

[Squidman]

From my past expierence, barbs are known to nip at other fishes fins. Especially guppies and swordtails due to them having long fins and tails. So your gouramis might be stressed out and being picked on by the barbs. you should get Mardel 5-1 test stips. They test nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, the hardness of water and the ph level. If you have nitrite and nitrate problems get the product called Prime. it lowers the nitrate, ammonia and nitrite levels down to a decent lvl.