Is This Possible?

[linda1503]

I posted a while ago about my gourami 'George'. He had 'blown up' but was eating and swimming fine. After a few weeks he went down and regained his colour and looked healthy again. About the same time a bacteria infection hit my tank and devestated my fish. I lost most of them within 24/48 hours. I had not added or changed anything for this to happen. Anyway I waited for over 2 weeks and everything had seemed to settle down, no more losses.

I went to buy some more fish this weekend. Came home with 3 sterbai cories and 2 otos. Carrying my precious bag to put into the tank I couldn't believe my eyes!!!!!!!!! George had blown up again in the short time I'd been out and he was even bigger!! He now spends his time head down in one corner though he is still eating ok.

My question is: could he have polluted my tank the first time by releasing any sort of bacteria bad enough to have killed my fish when he went down? I'm very worried about my new fish considering he has again blown up. Might be a stupid question but I just don't know so any opinions would be most welcome.

 

[merry78]

i'm not really positive, but i think the answer is yes, if george had a bacterial infection such as dropsy, he could most definitely have infected your other fish.
I'd say he needs to go into a quarantine tank right away, and you may want to research the pros and cons of adding an anti bacterial med to your main tank as well.
I wouldn't add any more fish now if i were you, even if you keep your new fish from today in a big plastic tub and do 3xdaily water changes to keep them happy till you have a healthy tank to add them to.....

 

[WILDER]

Once fish head stand back news.
Is he resting on the bottom to oneside.
Don't think he will pull through this time to be honest.

Need more info on size of tank in gallon or litres.
How many fish and which type.
water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph.
What do you feed the fish?

 

[linda1503]

Thanks for replying. New fish are already in the tank and I don't have a quarantine tank unfortunately. When I posted about him last time someone said that it didn't seem like it was dropsy and was maybe a tumour. Like I said he did go down and looked fit and healthy for over 2 weeks then whatever it was hit him again and worse. Just wondering wether to euthanase (sp) him cos he does look miserable. poor little thing and I'd hate to endanger my new fish.

Sorry Wilder added the above before I saw your reply. Tested my stats on Saturday:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrates 15 ppm
temp 25/26
Not sure about my PH though
Tank size and fish can be seen in my replies, plus the new fish.

The fish I lost were;
4 cories
8 neons
5 rasboras

 

[WILDER]

Bloating up can mean a number of things, constipation, swim bladder which they head stand, dropsy, to internal parasites.
What do you feed the fish as to many dried foods and over feeding blood worms can make them bloat up.
Has the fish stopped going to the toilet as well.


If you want to try and save the fish, epsons salt baths one teaspoon to a gallon.
Bacterial med.
Shelled peas and frozen daphnia.

 

[linda1503]

Just feeding tetramin flakes or tetramin crisps. Occasionally peas bloodworm or daphnia (frozen) about once a week. I put cucumber in for the shrimps but George doesn't bother with it. To be honest I can't tell if he goes to the loo or not, never noticed him doing it like you can with platties.

He just stays in one corner now with his head down but not to one side and just moves when theres food about. He's pineconed quite badly now and has lost a lot of colour. He's been this bad for 3 days now and I keep wishing he would die so he doesn't suffer any more but as soon as I think hes gone and go up to the tank to check he moves!!

I tried the epsom salt baths last time on -germ-'s recommendation but unfortuately didn't help.

 

[WILDER]

If his scales have stuck out organ failure they rarely make it once this happens.
I would end his misery to be honest.
Sorry.

 

[linda1503]

I think you might be right Wilder, last time he went like this it didn't seem to bother him at all but this time he does look like he's suffering and I should think of my new fish and try to protect them.

Thanks very much for advice Wilder. Noticed that you are quite busy at the moment trying to help different people so I'll not keep you any longer.

Oh and also thanks to merry78.

 

[WILDER]

How is he?

 

[linda1503]

George is still the same. I've put him in a breeders net for now, he just lies there looking sorry for himself, not eating much either. Just trying to get up the courage to euthanise him. I think I wil have to do the deed today because all my other fish are just 'hanging' about not doing much and I'm worried that whatever hes got is being transfered to them.

Dammit!! I've just done it and now I'm sobbing all over my computer! It was very quick, put him straight into some prepared tank water with some clove oil, he gave a few flicks and was still, hopefully he died quickly. I did love that little fish, had him ages and he was quite a character! He was always first for the food and spent ages watching TV or at least thats what it looked like, he'd swim to the nearest corner as soon as we switched it on. Or he'd sit on the bottom staring out at us for ages, waving his little 'feelers'. Don't think I'd bother getting another gourami.

 

[WILDER]

I had to do it with my favourite fish of all tweety ranchu fancy goldfish loved that fish to death so no how you feel.
R.I.P.