Trouble With New Fish

[Annchapman]

Hi
I have recently brought a new tank and have stocked it with a few cat fish, danios and dwarf gourami. My problem is that two of the male gourami have recently died within days of each other. All the other fish are fine but all of the remaining females seem to be hanging around at the top of the tank and not feeding just as the males were. There are also a few marks on them on there fins that look like small red spots.
I am worried that these are not well and i could do with some advice on what i may be doing wrong and how to prevent this happening

Thanks

Annchapman

 

[diademhill]

How recently did you get this tank & what size & how many fish?
It sounds like the tank isn't cycled & you are seeing the effects of ammonia &/or nitrite poisoning.

You need to do a 30% water change right away. add dechlorinator & temperature match the new water.

Then come back & search cycling.

 

[DarkEntity]

What fish exactly would help also, it could be bullying causing problems aswell as the already mentioned stuff.

"catfish" could be one of hundreds of species

 

[dwarfgourami]

dark red spots sounds like bacterial infection to me; this could be related to water problems but doesn't have to be

 

[sylvia]

I would bet on it being to do with bad water quality. read the links in my signature on cycling and fishless cycling. Also, dwarf gouramies often carry disease and are highly prone to internal bacterial infections (with one common symptom being red ulcers) which is usualy triggered by stress (eg: due to bad water quality). Don't add any more fish to your tank and focus on doing large water changes. Remove sick fish and treat with an antibiotic in a hospital tank. if you don't have a hospital tank, consider using a bucket (don't forget a heater, de-chlorinator and daily water changes in teh bucket - and cover it - they can jump!). Any med. that says it'll treat internal bacterial ifnections is worth a shot - follow the instructions closely. It's unlikely the fish will survive but at least the rest of the fish won't, in this way, catch the disease.

Dom please post your ammonia, ntirite and nitrate levels - I probably won't see because I don't have regular access to the internet at the moment but it would be useful information for everyone else. Ammonia and nitrite should be zero. Nitrate should be below 20ppm. Good luck! Do water changes to correct any water quality issues but remember the dechlorinator.

 

[Annchapman]

Right thanks for the help.

It has been sorted now and no other fish seemed to be affected, The two turquoise gouramies dies sadly and the two red ones survived and the tank is now thriving, the swod tails even had babys
We check the water and it was fine so i may be some kind of infection they had when they were purchased,
Anyway thanks nice and healthy now

Thanks