Swollen Gouramis

[JamesMac]

One of my dwarf male gouramis has become quite swollen. He almost looks a little obese. He otherwise seems heathy and happy. Any thoughts on what this may be?

 

[sylvia]

Has he been eating normaly and what have you been feeding? He might be constipated in which case fasting him for a day and then only feeding green peas or daphnia will help.

However, it could also be something more serious like dropsy. Are his scales sticking out like a 'pinecone' and is he acting even slightly lethargic? Any white, red or black fin edges or red streaks on his body? What are your water parameters?

 

[JamesMac]

Has he been eating normaly and what have you been feeding? He might be constipated in which case fasting him for a day and then only feeding green peas or daphnia will help.

However, it could also be something more serious like dropsy. Are his scales sticking out like a 'pinecone' and is he acting even slightly lethargic? Any white, red or black fin edges or red streaks on his body? What are your water parameters?

Sylvia;

You were right. His scales are now like a "pinecone" and he is more lethargic. What now?

 

[sylvia]

You need to isolate him in a cycled hospital tank and start treating with a med. that says it treats dropsy immediately. Preferably an antibiotic that is administered through the fish' food. At this stage, the fish actualy has organ failure and probably won't survive. If he stops eating, euthanise him using clove oil as he'll have gone beyond the point where he might still recover. Make sure not to flush the dead fish and risk introducing disease to local waterways.

If you cannot isolate, treat the whole tank but watch the fish carefuly. If he stops eating, it's even more important to euthanise or remove the fish as, once he dies, if the body is nipped by the fish in the tank, they can easily contract what he has.