Bloated Gourami - Went to the Big Fish Tank in the Sky :(

[aquanewbie72]

As you may have read in another thread, one of my red dwarf gourami's passed away on Sunday unexpectedly from what I assume were infected battle wounds.
Now suddenly this morning I wake up, and my OTHER gourami is all swollen/bloated!

I just tested the water last night -
ammonia was 0.25
nitrite was 0
nitrate was 20

I have the temp pushed up to 86 right now because my GBR and cardinal tetras have ICH.

YES my tank is a disaster!!!! Here is some pictures... What is wrong with my gourami???

 

[aquanewbie72]

oh NO - no replies? 8O what a bad day for everyone to actually WORK instead of look at this board all day. (just kidding!)

well, I'll add more questions.

* How do I tell if this is constipation or dropsy?

* Constipation - I know I feed frozen peas. Is their meds for dropsy?

* I want to move him into my brand new quarantine tank - but I just bought the tank last night. It doesn't even have water in it yet. I read that I could syphon in water from my 26 gallon to help speed along the cycle - but I've got fish in my 26 gal with ich - if I transfer the water, won't I transfer the ich? and add to this poor gourami's problems?

 

[aquanewbie72]

I just got home from work and it is WORSE. He seriously looks like he is going to BURST! Please help! Maybe I'll try the chat room......

 

[aquanewbie72]

OK well I chatted briefly with someone in the Chat Room and had to proceed as best I could.

Right now, the gourami is still alive and resting quietly in the QT tank with a dose of Maracyn-II on board. I guess all I can do now is wait....

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Could try a little Epsom Salt too.

 

[Zagz]

It looks like the beginning of dropsy to me. I would actually recommend something a bit stronger like Nala-gram or Jungle's fungus eliminator. Also epsom salts as suggested will reduce swelling. Take out any active carbon from your filter when treating.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I've never had to use Epsom salt before. How much would you put in a tank? Just so we can have an idea of how much to put in if we ever need to.

 

[aquanewbie72]

Yep, I pulled the carbon out of the filter. and Yes - how much epsom salt? I actually have some of that.
Shocking but the little guy made it through the night. And it could be wishful thinking, but I think he looks a little perkier today - the swelling hasn't gone down any but he was at least swimming around. He doesn't seem to have any problem swimming or steering.
I took some more pix this morning - I'll upload them in a little while.

Should I try giving him some food? Maybe peas in case this is a horrnedous case of constipation?

 

[aquanewbie72]

OK heres the pic from this morning - not nearly as clear as the ones I took yesterday. Could be because yesterday he was just laying still and today he was moving....

Thanks for all the responses - keep them coming!

 

[Zagz]

I used 1/8 tsp to 5 gal per water as most of the sites I researched recommended this rate. If attempting to feed definately only give the peas if he will eat them, although unfortunately I do not think it is constipation. :-(

 

[aquanewbie72]

Last night I switched to Jungle Fungus Clear and added the epsom salt.
I offered him some medicated food pellets but he didn't eat them. I thought maybe he was used to flakes so he didn't realize they were food. So in desparation this morning, I dropped 2 Tetra flakes in, but no effort to even go after them.

So I left for work with him swimming around in the blue/green water- he's hanging in there. But I'm starting to lose hope.

 

[aquanewbie72]

Well he is still alive but he is pretty much swimming vertically and keeps going to the top to gulp air.
I was just wondering.... how long should I let this go on before I decide to end his suffering?

UPDATE: I decided to test the water in there and my GOSH the water params were ALL messed up. GEEZ I forgot this is brand new tank I'm dealing with. So I did a 20% PWC and added a 4" bubble wand to give him more oxygen. Poor thing - thought he was succumbing to his disease and he was actually suffocating.

 

[aquanewbie72]

well the 20% PWC was not enough - the water still wasn't in a comfortable range... so I pulled the bucket out again and changed almost half the water. Better now!

This morning he is STILL alive and actually ate a flake of food. Its difficult for him to eat because he can only point himself upwards or slightly horizontally. So he has to get the food while its on the surface or on its way down. Once it falls to the substrate, he can't turn himself downwards to root around on the bottom. I almost feel like holding the flakes with tweezers or something and trying to hand feed him. I wonder if he would go for it?

 

[Zagz]

You could certainly try it, and keep doing water changes as necessary. Unfortunately the water changes will make the medications less concentrated. Good luck.

 

[aquanewbie72]

Thanks ZAGZ... I DID try it but he didn't go for it. It scared him something awful and I decided I didn't want to stress him any further.

Well, not many replies on this thread but lots of views so I'll keep it updated...
Its now Saturday night and he is still alive. The bloating hasn't gone down any but he is alive and sort of swmming and eats the best he can. I'm really not sure what to do- he doesn't seem to be getting better and I keep thinking I should get out the clove oil and end his suffering - but he keeps swimming and eating and I feel like as long as he is not giving up, then I shouldn't either...

 

[rich311k]

If he is eating there is hope. Try the peas again. Maybe soak them in garlic juice.

 

[Zagz]

I agree if he is eating there is hope. The most stressful thing in this hobby is trying to decide when it is humane to put our fish down. I had the same thing with one of my gourami's. Trust your instinct. When you feel as if there is no hope, then that is probably when there is no hope. After all you are with the fish and see him all the time.

 

[aquanewbie72]

Well my final post to this thread - after a week of treatments, my poor fish showed no improvement. and last night when I got home, he just looked awful. He was laying on his side in the bottom of the tank barely breathing. I kept thinking he was going to check out at any time, but the crazy fish just laid there and continued to struggle. When it got close to my bedtime, I finally took matters into my own hands and "assisted" him over to the other side. It was awful but I feel confident that I made the right choice - he was just bloated so huge and nothing was helping him at all and I was seriously questioning his quality of life and was certain that although he may be struggling to swim and eat once in a while, he wasn't going to get better. He sure was a trooper though. *sniff*

OK I'm going to stop now because now I'm crying and I'm at work and if I have to tell someone I'm crying over a fish, I will never hear the end of it. Thanks everyone for your help and advice and support.

 

[rich311k]

I am sorry for your loss. You did everything you could.