My Sunset Honey Gourami Is Sick! Please Help!

[shadowangels27]

So I went to a friend's house last night. I fed my fish their flakes, turned the light off, and left.

This morning, I come home...
And my danios are playing and being happy, the corys are wanting their daily wafer, but I couldn't find my gourami.

I looked around the filter, around the tall plants... then I finally found my gourami. In a plant, at first I though he had gotten stuck, so I used the fish net handle and "released" him from the plant. He fell, and was swimming abnormally. He was also breathing heavy which made me question if he had gotten any air since whenever he got stuck.

I used the fish net, caught him, then raised the net to where he could get air. He did... But that didn't help at all.

Worried, I used a cup, lowered it into the water, then it basically "sucked" my gourami into the cup.

I placed my gourami in a 2.5 gallon tank with a small filter, so the current didn't bother him... He layed down and continued his heavy breathing...

I finally got the net again, caught him, and helped him get air... Now the net is positioned to let him get air...

Please help!! he was fine when I left! He ate bloodworms and flakes...

What could be wrong??

[BTW I have stress coat, aquarium salt, and Maracyn-One and Maracyn-Two.

 

[Caprichoso]

Don't add any salt or meds because we don't know what's wrong. Is your 2.5 gallon tank cycled already? Is your existing tank cycled? Have you tested your water? How long has your tank been set up for? When did you get the fish?

 

[shadowangels27]

Don't add any salt or meds because we don't know what's wrong. Is your 2.5 gallon tank cycled already? Is your existing tank cycled? Have you tested your water? How long has your tank been set up for? When did you get the fish?

Okay, just saying I have them on hand. Yes it was, but the gourami cannot stay in there... too small... Yes the existing (main) tank is cycled. It has been set up for OVER a year. I got him 2 days ago...

 

[Caprichoso]

Don't add any salt or meds because we don't know what's wrong. Is your 2.5 gallon tank cycled already? Is your existing tank cycled? Have you tested your water? How long has your tank been set up for? When did you get the fish?

Okay, just saying I have them on hand. Yes it was, but the gourami cannot stay in there... too small... Yes the existing (main) tank is cycled. It has been set up for OVER a year. I got him 2 days ago...

Does the gourami look thin? Are there any physical symptoms other than the awkward swimming and heavy breathing? If not there isn't much you can do. Some fish just can't handle the stress from lfs to home. His swim bladder may have been damaged as well and there's nothing you can do if that's the case. Hope he pulls through. What were the results when you tested the water?

 

[shadowangels27]

Don't add any salt or meds because we don't know what's wrong. Is your 2.5 gallon tank cycled already? Is your existing tank cycled? Have you tested your water? How long has your tank been set up for? When did you get the fish?

Okay, just saying I have them on hand. Yes it was, but the gourami cannot stay in there... too small... Yes the existing (main) tank is cycled. It has been set up for OVER a year. I got him 2 days ago...

Does the gourami look thin? Are there any physical symptoms other than the awkward swimming and heavy breathing? If not there isn't much you can do. Some fish just can't handle the stress from lfs to home. His swim bladder may have been damaged as well and there's nothing you can do if that's the case. Hope he pulls through. What were the results when you tested the water?

Well he's a gourami so he isn't really thin. Like he is, but he's eaten... Alot.
And near his head is getting brown..
And since I put him in the 2.5 gal with little current, and helped him get air, he's gotten somewhat better... Like he's swimming around now. Not much, but it's a start?
The main tank has a current but he didn't seem to mind it much...?

pH - 7.2-7.4
Nitrates - 10-20 ppm
ammonia- 2.0-4.0 ppm

Horrible but I added 9 new fish 2 days ago... I was expecting some higher levels... I have 2 filters.

 

[hanny93]

Ammonia poisoning, as much as youve tried to avoid it your filters just cant handle the amount of ammonia produced.
2-4 ppm of ammonia is way over tolerable.

Do major waterchanges until youre down to at least 0.25, then continue to do major waterchanges every time it gets over 0.1.

 

[shadowangels27]

Ammonia poisoning, as much as youve tried to avoid it your filters just cant handle the amount of ammonia produced.
2-4 ppm of ammonia is way over tolerable.

Do major waterchanges until youre down to at least 0.25, then continue to do major waterchanges every time it gets over 0.1.

I'm really trying... it's a mini cycle basically...

I've been doing 30% water changes since I got the fish

 

[hanny93]

At least youre trying, well done, but you need to up them to 50% or more, it wont cause any harm to your fish, it will benefit them!

 

[Caprichoso]

Ammonia poisoning, as much as youve tried to avoid it your filters just cant handle the amount of ammonia produced.
2-4 ppm of ammonia is way over tolerable.

Do major waterchanges until youre down to at least 0.25, then continue to do major waterchanges every time it gets over 0.1.

I'm really trying... it's a mini cycle basically...

I've been doing 30% water changes since I got the fish

Oh my! You have to do 75% water changes twice a day until ammonia is at 0. You also have to test water daily. The only thing wrong with the gourami is ammonia poisoning which is a HUGE concern. Please, water change asap. 75%, no exceptions. Every minute your fish are exposed they are closer to disease and death.

 

[shadowangels27]

Ammonia poisoning, as much as youve tried to avoid it your filters just cant handle the amount of ammonia produced.
2-4 ppm of ammonia is way over tolerable.

Do major waterchanges until youre down to at least 0.25, then continue to do major waterchanges every time it gets over 0.1.

I'm really trying... it's a mini cycle basically...

I've been doing 30% water changes since I got the fish

Oh my! You have to do 75% water changes twice a day until ammonia is at 0. You also have to test water daily. The only thing wrong with the gourami is ammonia poisoning which is a HUGE concern. Please, water change asap. 75%, no exceptions. Every minute your fish are exposed they are closer to disease and death.

30-50% is only what I'm doing... 75% Would destroy my filter and I JUST GOT IT BACK TO WORKING. It took me so long messing with it, and it makes noises when the water goes down (water level has to be at a certain level) so it's kinda hard, I need that filter.

 

[Caprichoso]

Ammonia poisoning, as much as youve tried to avoid it your filters just cant handle the amount of ammonia produced.
2-4 ppm of ammonia is way over tolerable.

Do major waterchanges until youre down to at least 0.25, then continue to do major waterchanges every time it gets over 0.1.

I'm really trying... it's a mini cycle basically...

I've been doing 30% water changes since I got the fish

Oh my! You have to do 75% water changes twice a day until ammonia is at 0. You also have to test water daily. The only thing wrong with the gourami is ammonia poisoning which is a HUGE concern. Please, water change asap. 75%, no exceptions. Every minute your fish are exposed they are closer to disease and death.

30-50% is only what I'm doing... 75% Would destroy my filter and I JUST GOT IT BACK TO WORKING. It took me so long messing with it, and it makes noises when the water goes down (water level has to be at a certain level) so it's kinda hard, I need that filter.

You have to turn the filter off whilst doing water changes anyway. I don't see the problem. Turn the filter off, it won't destroy the bacteria and do the 75% water change.

 

[shadowangels27]

Ammonia poisoning, as much as youve tried to avoid it your filters just cant handle the amount of ammonia produced.
2-4 ppm of ammonia is way over tolerable.

Do major waterchanges until youre down to at least 0.25, then continue to do major waterchanges every time it gets over 0.1.

I'm really trying... it's a mini cycle basically...

I've been doing 30% water changes since I got the fish

Oh my! You have to do 75% water changes twice a day until ammonia is at 0. You also have to test water daily. The only thing wrong with the gourami is ammonia poisoning which is a HUGE concern. Please, water change asap. 75%, no exceptions. Every minute your fish are exposed they are closer to disease and death.

30-50% is only what I'm doing... 75% Would destroy my filter and I JUST GOT IT BACK TO WORKING. It took me so long messing with it, and it makes noises when the water goes down (water level has to be at a certain level) so it's kinda hard, I need that filter.

You have to turn the filter off whilst doing water changes anyway. I don't see the problem. Turn the filter off, it won't destroy the bacteria and do the 75% water change.

Ammonia - 0.25
Nitrites - 0 ppm
Nitrates - 10-20 ppm

Is that good enough or do I need to do more water changes??

 

[Caprichoso]

Ammonia is still too high. It has to be at 0. I looked at your other thread and I know that you were at 4.0 and that it seems like it's come down a lot(which it has and good job) but it has to be at 0. Unplug your equipment, do a 75% water change. Test again. If there is ANY ammonia, nitrites, do another water change. Test every day. Since you have such a huge bio load, this is going to be a battle for awhile to get things under control.

 

[james_fish]

Doing big water changes won't affect your fish. And, if you use a dechlorinater on the new water, it won't affect your filter either.

Good luck.

James.