Gourami Section (Help Needed!)

[ScarletwifRila]

Please help!! My giant gourami has red sores on his forehead and his face is slightly wrinkly! What do i do???

 

[the_lock_man]

First thing we'd want to know is how big a tank is he in, what other tankmates are there, how long has the tank been set up?
What are your cuirrent ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings, and what is your pH Level?
Have you recently added anything to the tank - other fish, livestock, decor, plants, chemicals?
 
Answers to these questions will help us diagnose the problem.

 

[ScarletwifRila]

My tank is 3 ft big, he is mostly alone, just 3 or 4 Siam Algae Eaters (i guess that's their species name), the tank has been set up for him for about 1 year.
I'm sorry, i don't know the readings, it's just a simple tank with simple fish, i don't have the thermometer thingy and stuff.
No, i have not added anything recently, it's basically quite an empty tank with a giant gourami inside
Thank you for replying, please help now that i've answered those questions! ^.^ (sorry i'm a newbie here so i didn't know how it works here).

 

[the_lock_man]

I'm wondering if the Siamese Algae Eaters are actually Chinese Algae Eaters, which may be sucking the slimecoat off the gourami?
 
Any chance of some photos of the sores on the gourami, and Algae Eaters?

 

[DoubleDutch]

You don't really keep a Giant Gourami in a 3 feet tank, do you ???
That's almost the size of the fish itself.

 

[ScarletwifRila]

He's not fully grown, i only had him for a year. I wanted to upload a photo, but they said the file size was too big -__- i'll see what i can do on the com, but thank you all for replying.

 

[DoubleDutch]

That's a general discussion I think. Fish that will (or better should) grow to such a size shouldn't be kept in small tanks. That's just asking for (health)problems such as you have. Even angels (staying a lot smaller than this Giant) shouldn't be kept in a tank like that. They will never stay healthy and never grow till the normale size they should.
So i'd advise to rehome this magnificent creature to a tank that's at least 5 times this size (20 times more water).

I know thoughts about this can be different in Singapore, but overhere even for Pearls, Thicklip aso this tank size is beleived to be the minimum for them.

Cheers Aad

 

[ScarletwifRila]

Please go check how big 3 ft is, and how small a 1-year old giant gourami is. It's okay if you can't help me, my fish has recovered after i put anti-chlorine inside the water. Wow, i thought this website had fish experts online. Maybe I was wrong.

 

[stanleo]

Doubledutch was just trying to help.
 
There are different gourami's that are commonly called giant I believe. One is a giant that can grow to 3ft in length but there is one that is listed on a sales site as a giant gourami that only grows to 4 inches. That one is also called a rainbow or banded gourami. Which one do you have? If its the latter than you have ample room.
 
If it is a real giant gourami, than a 3 foot tank really isn't big enough. Even if its true that a baby fish can be healthy in a smaller tank, you will have to know when to get that bigger tank so its growth isn't stunted.
 
I agree with the lock man. If it is Chinese algae eaters, they could very well be the culprit. I had one that was sold as a Siamese algae eater and when he got old enough he started to eat the coats of my other fish (I saw him do it). I took him back to the LFS. Shame because he was an interesting fish.
 
But hey, its your fish!

 

[the_lock_man]

Please go check how big 3 ft is, and how small a 1-year old giant gourami is. It's okay if you can't help me, my fish has recovered after i put anti-chlorine inside the water. Wow, i thought this website had fish experts online. Maybe I was wrong.

 
There is no need to be rude, people have been trying to help you.
 
The fact of the matter is that any fish shoul,d be kept in a tank that is suitable for the size of the adult fish. As it grows, it secretes a growth hormone. It is believed that where the growth hormone builds up in a "too-small" aquarium, this is a primaryu reason for an apparently healthy fish to become stunted and deformed. While many owners of large fish say that they will upgrade when the fish becomes too big, a lot of them don't realise when the fish has become too big, and don't upgrade tank size, or they simply cannot afford a larger tank at the appropriate time.
 
Either way, the fish becomes deformed and dies way before its natural "wild" liefspan. In the case of the Giant Gourami, it should live for over 20 years. Please remember that when it dies - only you will be able to judge if you were right or we were.
 
I am glad you have diagnosed the problem for yourself. Using a dechlorinator product is one of the basics of the hobby, and I personally assumed you were doing so already so discounted it as a possibility. I apologise for this.

 

[DoubleDutch]

 

Please go check how big 3 ft is, and how small a 1-year old giant gourami is. It's okay if you can't help me, my fish has recovered after i put anti-chlorine inside the water. Wow, i thought this website had fish experts online. Maybe I was wrong.

Never said I am an expert (sure I am not) but I am only someone trying to help others and share knowledge.
I now understand only experts are allowed to react. Excuses for the fact I misunderstood.
Only thing I have to add:
After reading Fish Crazy's post I suppose we're talking about two different species of fish.
That's exactly why often is asked to use the Latin names and/or to place a picture.
Think because this is an international forum there may be more mix ups due to using different "nicknames" for fish.
I am glad that the fish has recovered by taking the right action!!! Lots of succes keeping it !!!

Cheers Aad

 

[the_lock_man]

There is no need for sarcasm either.
 
Thread locked.