Sudden Dwarf Gourami Death

[Meader85]

I've had my male dwarf gourami for a couple of months now and hes been very happy and healthy. I fed him this morning and he was eating fine, then about 15 minutes later I noticed he had positioned himself between the heater and the filter box and looked as if he wasn't able to turn around and get out. He was definitely alive and breathing at this point. To free him I moved the heater a bit, at which point he acted erratic almost like I'd shocked him and starting flipping around in the water unable to right himself. Less than a minute later he was dead.

Can a fish die of shock like that? Like I mentioned, I don't think he had some sort of disease, he wasn't showing any signs on his body and he was eating fine just a few minutes earlier.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I don’t think it was shock, that is very unlikely.

“DGD” (Dwarf Gourami disease) is very common for DG’s. DG’s are usually inbred, which leads to complications.

What are your water parameters? Were his scales sticking out? Was he bloated?

Sorry for your loss.

 

[Meader85]

I don’t think it was shock, that is very unlikely.

“DGD” (Dwarf Gourami disease) is very common for DG’s. DG’s are usually inbred, which leads to complications.

What are your water parameters? Were his scales sticking out? Was he bloated?

Sorry for your loss.

No signs at all on his body of any kind of disease, checked before and after taking him out of the tank. I've got hard water (I know they prefer softer), pH of 7.5 but like I mentioned he's been in the tank for a couple of months now and has been getting on great. No ammonia or nitrite either.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

There was a recent discussion on wether or not a fish can get burned by a heater. Maybe you electrically shocked him?

@essjay, is this possible the fish got shocked?

@Meader85, what brand/model is your heater?

 

[Meader85]

There was a recent discussion on wether or not a fish can get burned by a heater. Maybe you electrically shocked him?

@essjay, is this possible the fish got shocked?

@Meader85, what brand/model is your heater?

Thats what I thought might be a possibility, mainly due to the way he moved and jerked in the water just after I freed him. This is the heater I have, the 100W version https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/aqua-range-aqua-eco-heater

 

[PheonixKingZ]

It is very possible. After doing some research, I actually found that they can indeed get shocked.

I have no experience with fish being shocked, so I cannot give any advice...

Not sure who to tag here... @essjay? Good luck.

 

[Essjay]

Fish don't get electric shocks. You have to be earthed to get a shock, so if a heater is malfunctioning and we put our hands in the tank we'll get a shock. But fish are not earthed so they won't, in the same way that birds don't get a shock when they sit on high voltage cables.

I have no dea what caused a sudden death like this but I know it is possible for fish to have a stroke so maybe something like that?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Fish don't get electric shocks. You have to be earthed to get a shock, so if a heater is malfunctioning and we put our hands in the tank we'll get a shock. But fish are not earthed so they won't, in the same way that birds don't get a shock when they sit on high voltage cables.

I have no dea what caused a sudden death like this but I know it is possible for fish to have a stroke so maybe something like that?

That makes sense silly me.

A stroke is possible, an Arowana at my LFS once had a stroke, and died. That was an expensive mistake, as it cost $650+.