Should i get a replacement Gourami?

[Clairel]

I have had 1 (f) Dward gold, and 1 male dwarf blue, for about 6 weeks, due to some un-expected change in my water ~ ammonia, which was treated straight away, today i woke up to find my female had died I have phoned up the Fish Centre, and they say this is perfectly normal, after finding ammonia in my water, then treating it, although my gourami looked very healthy, the male is now all alone without any species of his own, should i get another female? if my water is ok??

Claire xx

 

[Clairel]

I have decided i am getting NO more fish, till my medication and water levels are perfect and the medicine has finished..(treating a mollie)....

I dont want to wake up each morning very sad

Claire x

 

[dwarfgourami]

That has got to be the right decision. At the moment you need to sort out your tank; an unstable tank with medication in it is not the place to take a new fish. Besides, this will give you more time to think about stocking levels, compatibility etc. You need to concentrate on sorting present problems out, otherwise your life will become one dreary round of replacement trips to the lfs (been there, done that ) ).

Anyway, dwarf gouramis are not shoaling fish, so he won't be unhappy or stressed without company. Lots of people keep just one.

Hope things take a turn for the better soon.

I have decided i am getting NO more fish, till my medication and water levels are perfect and the medicine has finished..(treating a mollie)....

I dont want to wake up each morning very sad

Claire x

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[Clairel]

Thanx for the info....I thought he was looking a bit sad, since his g/f has gone Lol, but thats all in my head im sure....I like to keep at least more than one of each species i have, but im sure he will be ok, eventually when everything is sorted out, i do think i will get another Dwarf Gourami (f), as i like them very much, but we will see

Claire x

 

[scuba_jez]

what was the ammonia levels that killed her?

my tapwater contains .5ppm of ammonia so im always concerned not to do too bigger water changes.

thanks

 

[Clairel]

Im not sure of the exact amount of ammonia only that it was quite high, but now i have managed to get it down to 0 im so happy !!

I put some Prime(red) this neutralises the ammonia straight away, and with the cycle treatment that i have put in seems to have done the trick !!

Just tested and its

Nitrates 0
PH 7
Ammonia 0

Claire xx

 

[sylvia]

Test your nitrItes. They are what ammonia is converted to before becoming nitrAte and should also be 0. A cycled tank should have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrItes to be safe for fish. However, you'd expect some reading for nitrAte unless the tank's very heavily planted. As such, I suspect your tank is not fully cycled and that you'll find that, though your ammonia is 0, your nitrItes are rising.

As for providing your male dwarf with company, you didn't mention what size tank you have but males of most gourami species are territorial and do absolutely fine without any others of their species. In contrast, most females appreciate other (female) companions. Having said that, it's actualy usualy stressful for the female if you keep a male/female pair so, unless you've got at least a 20-30 gallon and are prepaired to get 2 females to split the stressful attentions from the male, stick to the single male you have.

 

[Clairel]

Hi thanx for your advice...

I have a master kit, and tested the water again this morning first thing...

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
PH 7

The only thing im worried about, is my master kit didnt come with a Nitrate test So i am going out to buy one now, and will do a test, and post my outcome, but i am happy to say, ive gone a couple of days, and my water stats are fine, and NO more dead fish !!! I hope i can keep this up.

As far as my Gourami goes, thanx for the info, i did just have 1 male and 1 female, in a 90 litres (20gal) tank, so maybe in a few weeks if i decide to get anymore fish, i could get 2 females?

Claire xx

 

[sylvia]

Well I would have said yes but I see the list in your signature and if that's your tank you're much too over-stocked (or soon will be). Don't add anything else to it. Think about removing those silver sharks and clown loaches instead (both get to at least 12" and the sharks are very nervous, active, schooling fish).

 

[Clairel]

Thanx Sylvia, for your advice...I am thinking of upgrading my tank, to a bigger one for the Clown Loaches and Shark, so i can get a few more shark for her, as she is all alone, i did buy 2....but one sadly died

Claire x