Save my gouramis!

[phreeky]

36gal tank, a mix of neon and head+tail tetras etc, a male and female swordtail, two small clown loaches, and two gouramis (one 9cm, one 10cm long).

I previously had three smaller gouramis, but they slowly died off, one by one, and I have no idea why. I've experience neon tetras enough to know that any slight water problems kill them quickly, and I've had no deaths there, plus all my water figures read perfect.

Now my 10cm long gourami doesn't look too happy, is hanging around one particular corner (one towards the middle of the room), and is barely eating. Very rarely the swordtails have gotten a little more aggressive, but only when feeding, and the tetras seem to stick to themselves mostly.

What could be doing it?!?! Why would only gouramis be dying? I'm thinking of going down the shop tomorrow and grabbing the biggest breeding/quarantine type (hang in the big tank thing) I can find, and if none seem big enough maybe just a separate dedicated tank - he would last an hour in our other tank (has angle fish etc).

 

[BrianNY]

Is your tank well covered? Gouramis breath air and don't do well if the air temp is much cooler than the water temp.

 

[phreeky]

They breath from the surface?

The air temp wont be significantly cooler though, there is no heater (certainly not needed at the moment at least, not in this climate). Tank is well covered though, but lots of bubbles etc.

I've removed the cover however, I'll try anything.

 

[Michael]

Has the size of the Gourami changed, very blouted or very skinny?
What kind of Gourami is this?

 

[phreeky]

Nah he looks much the same size in every way, just not very active at all.

Pet store labels him as a "Blue Gourami" I believe - looks mostly white/silver (maybe a tinge of blue), with two black dots on him.

 

[corster]

I have the same problem with my gold gouriami right now no one responded to my post.

 

[phreeky]

I did a water change (two actually, 30% changes) and he was looking better for a while there. Now he is not moving much at all again, not eating, he is resting his body either on the rocks at the bottom or a log which sticks up near the surface - maybe it's not a he but a she? and has mated?

 

[rich311k]

Did all these gouramis come from the same place? It does sound like some kind of disease but I have no idea what. How are the rest of the fish in the tank? Did you run tests on your water?

 

[corster]

The rest of my fish are happy. No the fish didn't come from the same place.

 

[corster]

I'm suspecting it may be a space issue with my tank it is overstocked.

 

[rich311k]

Do you have your water numbers? Ammonia, nitrites etc? How long have you had this guy?