Gourami sick

[shelbidavis]

I have no idea what's going on with my gourami. I have two of them and the blue one is great but the red one is not so great. My red one eats sometimes, and acts alright some days, but most the time he doesn't respond to me anymore he sits at the bottom of the tank by the heater. Swims slow. His belly is bloated. I looked at his scales and only the back end of his is sticking out slightly, so it doesn't look too much like dropsy so far. I can't figure out what's wrong. He used to be the dominate gourami but now the blue one is and chases him sometimes. Hopefully the pics help. What should I treat him with?


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[shelbidavis]

His fins are clamped as well I just noticed


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[shelbidavis]

Oh and here are the specs for my tank:

46 gal: 2 month old tank. 0 ammonia 0 nitrite 20 ish nitrate. Bubbler, filter (national geographic) canister(?). 2 live plants, lots of fake plants. Two dwarf Gouramis, two angel fish, one red tail shark, 6 black/neon tetras (don't need you to tell me my fish don't work well together, they're great). Thanks!


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[Fishanatic]

It might be a parasite? What do you feed them?

55 Gallon- Empty
125 Gallon- CKF and Tiger Oscar
220 Gallon- To come...

 

[shelbidavis]

I feed them blood worms and flakes


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[Fishanatic]

I feed them blood worms and flakes


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The bloat might be from the gulping of air when he takes in flakes(not uncommon). You might wanna consider putting him in a qt tank and giving him an epsom salt bath.

55 Gallon- Empty
125 Gallon- CKF and Tiger Oscar
220 Gallon- To come...

 

[shelbidavis]

Ok thanks, do you think there is still a parasite, or just bloat from gulping air? And would bathing 15-30 mins a day in Epsom salt in my 1.5 gallon bowl be ok?


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[Fishanatic]

Ok thanks, do you think there is still a parasite, or just bloat from gulping air? And would bathing 15-30 mins a day in Epsom salt in my 1.5 gallon bowl be ok?


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Yes this might still be a parasite, anything could be possible. But the epsom bath will surely help him and if this is just a simple constipation, it will definitely help him in that case too. I wouldnt do anything more than 15.

55 Gallon- Empty
125 Gallon- CKF and Tiger Oscar
220 Gallon- To come...

 

[ppo8820]

Fun fact, freeze dried blood worms cause bloating in many fish and arent suggested for use on a regular basis if at all. Also, do a water change and get those nitrates down and that will help with the stress level in the tank.

 

[shelbidavis]

Fun fact, freeze dried blood worms cause bloating in many fish and arent suggested for use on a regular basis if at all. Also, do a water change and get those nitrates down and that will help with the stress level in the tank.

They aren't the freeze dried blood worms. They are frozen bloodworms. And I've heard that's the best to give you're fish?


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[shelbidavis]

Any suggestions on medications to treat my tank for internal parasites?


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[ppo8820]

One more thing, 2 dwarf males will NOT get along. chances are the blue one is the alpha and is picking on the red one, keeping him stressed and hiding.........which opens him up to illness. They do better solo.

 

[shelbidavis]

He's getting so small compared to my blue gourami. What about wasting disease guys?


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[ppo8820]

In all honesty he doesnt appear sick at all. His fins are healthy and he isnt clamping. Are you sure the other one just isnt growing and making the dwarf appear smaller? They are called dwarf for a reason.

 

[ppo8820]

I am guessing he is stressed out from the other one chasing him, you removing him those few times, the higher nitrates, and all of that has culminated into him being stressed and not doing well.

I would take him back to the LFS and stick with the one blue you have who can be in charge of the tank (since he likes to be). For some reason, those dwarf G's are finicky and often succumb to any stresses in their environments. For future reference, I would not keep two males of that species (blue or red) together as bullying usually occurs causing one to deteriorate. Keep us posted.

 

[shelbidavis]

Does his stomach not look bloated to you at all? His sides are sunk in, and he doesn't eat. He spits everything out now. And he was the one that chased every fish around in the tank. Blue one is the scared one. I've had him over a month, I didn't know they changed roles of who's the dominant one in the tank?


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[shelbidavis]

Also, the couple of males in the pet store are ok to put them together? Or is that just cuz there are more than two.


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[ppo8820]

I love the blue one. Made me want one for my tank now.


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[shelbidavis]

Ok guys I'm going to give him away I think, but he's not moving very much, or eating; and I don't think anyone is going to take a fish that looks sick and doesn't move. Heres what I am trying to decide. What do you guys think. And then I'll stop buggin. So I only have a small fish bowl to separate the red gourami. Should I keep the red gourami in the fish bowl with a heater until he starts eating and moving again? Because then he will be healthy and someone will take him. Or would that stress him more being in a small bowl? Because he's just getting worse in the big tank with the blue gourami stressin him out.


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[shelbidavis]

RIP? he died minutes ago?


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