Sad Looking Dwarf Gourami

[iihay]

Hi,

I have a dwarf gourami who is behaving strangely. I have a 49l tank with a few plants, 4 platys, 2 dwarf gourami and a female betta. I am fish-in cycling and all levels are below 0.25. One of the gourami is heading in the top corner of the tank between the glass and the filter. He looks ok, no panting and seems physically fit. He does swim out occasionally and is eating but he has spent a very long time over the last 2 days in the corner.

I am wondering if he is ill or lonely or something. He doesn't seem to be getting bullied and for the first week he was in the tank he was happily swimming around. If anything the other gourami was more subdued to start with, perhaps this i a change in pecking order?

All advice appreciated.

Cheers

Iain

 

[scooterchick]

He's most likely ill. Your tank is overstocked and would be stressful mature. As it's still cycling, the stress on the fish will be even greater.

The only advice I could give you would be to reduce the impact on your bio load by taking some fish back to your LFS. I'm not 100% on female betta's but I'm not sure they're suitable for a community tank. And you dwarf gourami's really need a bigger tank. Also, do you know what sex they are? 2 males should def NOT be kept together, that is another problem.

All in all I'd return the gourami's and the betta until your tank is fully cycled, then decide what kind of fish you want to add then.

 

[iihay]

He's most likely ill. Your tank is overstocked and would be stressful mature. As it's still cycling, the stress on the fish will be even greater.

The only advice I could give you would be to reduce the impact on your bio load by taking some fish back to your LFS. I'm not 100% on female betta's but I'm not sure they're suitable for a community tank. And you dwarf gourami's really need a bigger tank. Also, do you know what sex they are? 2 males should def NOT be kept together, that is another problem.

All in all I'd return the gourami's and the betta until your tank is fully cycled, then decide what kind of fish you want to add then.

Ah LFS not a chance of taking it back, wish I had found this board first so I was a bit more clued up! I thought however that it was roughly 1" per galllon which makes it about bang on? They are 2 males though so perhaps I need to find a home for the sad one. The female betta seems fine, most of the advice around here seems to indicate betta's should not be in community tanks but she seems to be doing ok.

What can I do until I find a home for him, I have been changing minimum 25% water every day and the levels for ammonia have always been less than 0.25, nitrite is virtually zero now and has been no higher than 0.25. Should I keep going with this, is there anything I can add to protect him a bit?

Thanks for the help

Iain

 

[Rooster]

Male dwarfs are doomed from day 1 I'm afraid, they are very weak strain, due to inbreeding - had a few in the past year, never lasted more than a month or so...

 

[scooterchick]

He's most likely ill. Your tank is overstocked and would be stressful mature. As it's still cycling, the stress on the fish will be even greater.The only advice I could give you would be to reduce the impact on your bio load by taking some fish back to your LFS. I'm not 100% on female betta's but I'm not sure they're suitable for a community tank. And you dwarf gourami's really need a bigger tank. Also, do you know what sex they are? 2 males should def NOT be kept together, that is another problem.All in all I'd return the gourami's and the betta until your tank is fully cycled, then decide what kind of fish you want to add then.

Ah LFS not a chance of taking it back, wish I had found this board first so I was a bit more clued up! I thought however that it was roughly 1" per galllon which makes it about bang on? They are 2 males though so perhaps I need to find a home for the sad one. The female betta seems fine, most of the advice around here seems to indicate betta's should not be in community tanks but she seems to be doing ok.What can I do until I find a home for him, I have been changing minimum 25% water every day and the levels for ammonia have always been less than 0.25, nitrite is virtually zero now and has been no higher than 0.25. Should I keep going with this, is there anything I can add to protect him a bit?Thanks for the helpIain

Hi Iain,I'm afraid there's not a lot you can do for him. He's suffering from 'new tank syndrome' and other than daily water changes, there's not much else will help. You could add a little tonic salt but I doubt it'll make much difference.You could always get a bigger tank? Have you room for one?You not a million miles away from me, if you fancy a trip to Glasgow I could sort you out with a 4' tank if you have room and some mature filter so you wouldn't have to cycle the tank. The bacteria will survive for about 12 hours so that would give you time to get home and get it set up. The tank has a hood and stand although the hood isn't in the best condition but it would do a job til you got sorted out with a new one. You would need a light though.If that's not possible, offer him in the for sale/swop section, free to good home. Hopefully someone will take him. I would if I could but I have 3 pearl gourami's inc a male in one tank and my other tank is mollies only and the dwarf couldn't cope with the salt.Keep changing the water and hopefully he'll perk up.Good luck!Incidentally as rooster says, dwarfs aren't teh hardiest of fish, so don't feel too bad if you lose him. I've lost lots of fish but someone said, for every fish you lose another will benefit from having a more experienced owner. And whatever you do, don't lose heart. This is a hard learning curve, we've all been there, I'm just coming out the other side where I finally seem to have stable tanks and healthy fish bit I've lost many fish on the way and nearly packed it on many times. But now I have 2 tanks and 23 healthy, happy fish!

 

[xweeqtx]

You're female betta is fine, its males that shouldn't really be kept in a community tank. Not just for the other fish's safety, but for his own as well - fin nipping can have a horrid result. Females are fine either as one in a community or a group of 3. And their fins aren't as long as males, so won't attract too much attention! Like everyone else said, try to get rid of the dwarfs but instead of adding anything else add another 2 female bettas and have a small sorority. They're awesome to watch together.

 

[mark.w.jones]

The main problem with female bettas in a community tank is that they are rather prone to getting bullied, nipped and generally pushed about by your other fish as they are absolutely crap at swimming. Dwarf Gouramis are a complete waste of money as well. It's completely pot luck if you get anything that lasts more than a month, and there is no way of telling when you buy them either. Fish that come to you in a weak or unhealthy state, which they can do from poor transportation, living conditions before etc. are much more likely to die when put into a cycling tank as well. I'd 2nd returning the male gourami + betta. You won't normally get a refund. Then just keep up regular small water changes 10 - 15% every day whilst checking water stats on a daily basis to keep an eye out for ammonia or nitrite spikes.

good luck

 

[iihay]

You could always get a bigger tank? Have you room for one?You not a million miles away from me, if you fancy a trip to Glasgow I could sort you out with a 4' tank if you have room and some mature filter so you wouldn't have to cycle the tank. The bacteria will survive for about 12 hours so that would give you time to get home and get it set up. The tank has a hood and stand although the hood isn't in the best condition but it would do a job til you got sorted out with a new one. You would need a light though.If that's not possible, offer him in the for sale/swop section, free to good home. Hopefully someone will take him. I would if I could but I have 3 pearl gourami's inc a male in one tank and my other tank is mollies only and the dwarf couldn't cope with the salt.Keep changing the water and hopefully he'll perk up.Good luck!Incidentally as rooster says, dwarfs aren't teh hardiest of fish, so don't feel too bad if you lose him. I've lost lots of fish but someone said, for every fish you lose another will benefit from having a more experienced owner. And whatever you do, don't lose heart. This is a hard learning curve, we've all been there, I'm just coming out the other side where I finally seem to have stable tanks and healthy fish bit I've lost many fish on the way and nearly packed it on many times. But now I have 2 tanks and 23 healthy, happy fish!

Thanks, bigger tank would be a nice option but would take a lot of rearranging, and my wife may not be happy! I appreciate the offer of help though and may yet take you up on it. He seems to have perked up a bit over the weekend, levels are still very low and have been changing the water as well. I have been watching closely and I think it's an issue with the 2 males. I'm going to ask around at work tomorrow and see if I can find him a home. Don't worry I won't lose heart I am well and truely hooked and all the water testing appeals to chemist in me.

Iain