What Killed My Gourami? (Pictures)

[h-bot]

I was gone for the weekend and when I got back I noticed my dwarf gourami acting odd. He was face first in a plant and not moving much. His head looked blacker than normal and his lips looked puffy and grey...it seems like there is a film on them. His fins and sides are fine. I caught him with a net and he was really lethargic; he didn't fight it at all. I put him in a plastic container with water from his tank to get a better look at him. He was swimming weird, staying vertical at the surface, swimming sideways, laying on the bottom. He died less than an hour later. I took some pictures to see if anyone knew what might have happened. I want to know if I should be worried about the other fish in the tank.
One of my new corys was dead when I got home, is there a chance he could have gotten something bacterial from nibbling on him? I was only gone from Friday night to Sunday afternoon so the dead fish wasn't in there for too long.

Here is what he looks like:

 

[WILDER]

Size of tank in gallons or litres.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

it could of been mouth fungus flexibactor columnaris. Its bacterial.
Were the grey area's fluffy like cotton wool on the fish.

http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/hdcolumn.htm

 

[h-bot]

The tank is a 20L. It is cycled so I don't check the water as often anymore. Usually at 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 0-8 nitrate depending on when the last water change was. Ph is neutral, last I checked it was right at 7.0. The temp stays around 74-76 if I'm remembering right. It is stocked with:
3 zebra danios
6 neon tetra
3 glo lite tetra
3 green hump corydoras (very new.. I got them on Thursday and one of the 4 died this weekend)
It is not planted.

I have not been in the fish keeping hobby for very long. I thought it was odd his face was the only thing affected. Thanks for your input, Wilder. I see that flex can root from poor water conditions. I have not checked the stats since he died, the tubes I use are soaking after my boyfriend forgot to empty them and stained them. Its his test kit so I guess I can't complain. I'll be checking the water this afternoon and doing a water change/gravel vac.

 

[WILDER]

The tank is a 20 litre and not 20 gallon. If so its severely overstocked.
Not one fish you keep should be kept in that tank size.

Immediate water change.
Check water stats.

R.I.P.

 

[h-bot]

It is a 20 gallon long tank. The L was for long, sorry didn't specify.

 

[WILDER]

That's fine then.

Water changes and just keep a close eye on the fish.
Also get your water tested.
Good Luck.

 

[the duck]

It is generally a good idea to have your water testes when ever a fish dies. The fact that two of your fish died in such a short period of time would lead me to believe it is either a water quality problem or some sort of infection. The latter seeming more likely after looking at your pictures.

I would suggest going and getting your water checked, then doing a water change. After that, assuming the water qaulity is fine, just keep a close eye on your fish to make sure none of them appear ill. If any of them DO appear ill, isolate the ill fish immediately in a hospital tank and either talk to the LFS or us online for treatment info.

Best Regards, The Duck.