Pearl Gourami discolored Help!-repost from unhealthy fish forum

[Here Fishy Fishy]

Pearl Gourami discolored Help!

Hi, So I got 2 Pearl Gourami about a week or so ago. Really pretty fish. I have a few questions. They are spending most of their time at the bottom of the tank. They do go up for air as the should but go strait back to the very bottom.... Is that a problem? I thought they were top dwellers....

Second issue. About 2 days ago I got a small school of Neon tetra from a "big" name pet store....I usually try to avoid them as they have so many dead fish floating in the tanks.....really I should know better. Anyways I got them from there and a day later I noticed a white cotton like patch on one of the Neons side. I know this to be a type of fungus. So yesterday I started treating my tank with pimafix and melafix... Today when I got home I noticed that Darren, the larger of the two Pearl G's looks discolored(yes I am one of Those people that name their fish).

He looks darker and much less iridescent than he did a day or two ago. He looks very brown. Could this be due to the pimafix/melafix treatment or is there something wrong with him... I don't know that the fungus treatment and the discoloration have anything to do with one another, it is just a thought...

So to recap.. Is there a problem with the Pearls hanging out at the bottom of the tank?

Any ideas on why one of the Pearls is so dark/ dingy brown today?

Could it be the Pimafix or Melafix?


Thanks

 

[ejaramillo01]

Sorry to hear about these issues, in order to get the proper advice, will be good if you provide some details like:
size of your tank?
How long the tank has been running?
Is the tank fully cycled?
Do you measure the quality of the water of your tank? Such as ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and ph levels? If yes what are your readings?

Once you answer these questions, I'm sure that some experience people here will help you......

 

[Amicus]

I had two neon dwarfs, one died today. I thought the same thing about their dwelling space but mine hung at the bottom too. I created a lot of cave space for them and they liked it, only coming up occasionally shooting up for air. They like to chase each other too. The discoloration may be from the medication, I am by no means an expert but it sounds like there is a lot of medicine in the tank. If or when you are done medicating then you can use activated carbon to remove the meds. I hope this helped.

 

[Here Fishy Fishy]

The tank is 45G tall. It is done cycling. I did test water conditions and they are all normal. Other than the fungus issue the other fish in the tank look fine. Have two neon sword tails great color and activity as well as the molly.

 

[dkpate]

He could be stressed from the meds, he could be sick and stressed.
Is your tank cycled? What are your water parameters?
When using Melafix/Pimafix, you should add an airstone.

 

[Shadowraven]

That is not normal behavior for Pearl Gouramis. You said that they stay near the bottom and 1 is losing his color, but how are they eating? Are they staying in one place all the time? Any details that you could give us about their behavior and your water parameters would be a big help.

 

[Here Fishy Fishy]

So Darren died and his friend Samantha isn't looking good. I did some research and found that it could be the Melafix. Others have reported similar problems with labyrinth fish and Melafix.. I am no expert and I am currently using Melafix in a different tank (with no labyrinth fish) successfully. Both of the Pearl Gourami looked very happy and healthy prior to using the Melafix. I started w/the Melafix on Monday, on Tuesday I noticed he didn't look good, and on Wednesday morning he was dead. Samantha also appears to be having a hard time today so I put the carbon filter back in. I have my fingers crossed. ****Use caution when using melafix with any Labyrinth fish*****, The research I did didn't have the same concerns with Pimafix

 

[Here Fishy Fishy]

So I checked the water every day this week (before he got sick and after) and they were fine. I posted this yesterday....
Darren died and his friend Samantha isn't looking good. I did some research and found that it could be the Melafix. Others have reported similar problems with labyrinth fish and Melafix.. I am no expert and I am currently using Melafix in a different tank (with no labyrinth fish) successfully. Both of the Pearl Gourami looked very happy and healthy prior to using the Melafix. I started w/the Melafix on Monday, on Tuesday I noticed he didn't look good, and on Wednesday morning he was dead. Samantha also appears to be having a hard time today so I put the carbon filter back in. I have my fingers crossed. ****Use caution when using melafix with any Labyrinth fish*****, The research I did didn't have the same concerns with Pimafix......

Last night I put the carbon filter back in the tank and today Samantha looks much better... I really do think it was the Melafix.

 

[Here Fishy Fishy]

So after putting the carbon filter back in last night to remove the Melafix. Samantha looks much better today..... I really do think it was the Melafix that killed my healthy Gourami Darren....

 

[VOZIE]

I am new to this site so not sure what I am doing. I seem to have the same sort of problem with my blue gourami she is at the top of the tank and refuses to eat. It's amazing that fish have there own personalities. Don't mean to be soft but I would be devastated if she dies. She is normally very greedy and will sit in my hand to eat. She has even let me take her out the water a few times. Hope it sorts it's self out.

 

[dkpate]

It might have been. I have used Mela and Pima in my tanks more than once with bettas and d. gouramis with no problems, but all fish are different.
Sorry about Darren.

 

[Shadowraven]

I am new to this site so not sure what I am doing. I seem to have the same sort of problem with my blue gourami she is at the top of the tank and refuses to eat. It's amazing that fish have there own personalities. Don't mean to be soft but I would be devastated if she dies. She is normally very greedy and will sit in my hand to eat. She has even let me take her out the water a few times. Hope it sorts it's self out.

Well for one thing, you should never touch your fish with your hands. You can rub off the protective slime coating on their skin and make them more susceptible to infections.

As for the problem, can you be more specific as to her behavior and appearance?

Has there been a change in color or any unusual marks appear on her body. Does she do anything else unusual besides hang the top and not eating?

Pictures of her may be helpful as well.

 

[melosu58]

Merged both post together.

 

[VOZIE]

Sorry about late reply. I thought she was being tame by sitting in my hand but she was probably being greedy. She died last night which was a shame. I believe that this was down to constipation and despite my best efforts she passed on. I did read that they are very prone to this although my fish have a very varied diet which should help. You live and learn tho.