My Dwarf Gourami is sick

[angielynn]

If you know what is happening to my dwarf gourami, please let me know. He looks a lot worse then the picture lets on. He is hanging around the top - breathing is heavier now and he is angled toward the top as in the photo. his colour is rubbish.

Tank is cycled and tested nitrate (less then 5) and nitrite 0. Do not believe it is water parameters, all the other fish are fine.

He has not been himself for days now. Tried peas and garlic but he can't get to it before the other fish devour all the food. I have seen him eat flakes. Do not see any bullying.

Can I put some salt in there, if so how much?

tank is 190 liter
tank mates - small bristlenose pleco, 5 rainbow boesmani. 5 rosey tetra and another dwarf gourami (i know I should not have two, lost one months ago during the cycle and the other two have been fine for months too). I do not have another tank set up but I do have a 30L lying about, I have an air stone and a heater. no spare filter.

I don't think he will make the night if something is not done now.

 

[KevinKY]

Could be wrong, and for his sake I hope I am but his belly looks a lot like mine did a couple weeks back. In my case it ended up being cancer. Check my thread: Help, maybe intestinal parasites?

Sent from my N861 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[happygirl65]

First thing I would do is put him in a seperate tank, that way you don't have to do anything to the rest of the tank and possibly mess up your cycle etc.

Once you have him in a new tank (make sure to put rocks or decor from your cycled tank to establish the good bacteria.) Be prepared to do lots of water changes. Add a little salt to the QT tank (one teaspoon per gallon of actual water in the tank) and check on him in a couple of hours. If no change, do another water change, slightly warmer water and look for anything that will tell you what his sickness is. Do you have hard water? Soft water?
Multiple water changes and the addition of salt for a few days will likely help a lot. Salt can help with parasites, help with stress etc. Regular table salt is fine as long as it is not iodized. If you don't have non-iodized salt use a strong dose of the stress coat product you use when you do water changes.

Remember when you first put him in the QT tank to fill the QT tank with water from the existing tank to reduce the shock of moving him...add the salt...watch...then water change. You might have to do water changes a few times a day just keep trying. You don't want to throw misc medications at it until you have a better idea of what the problem is...all fish can benefit from a little salt and loads of water changes no matter what the ailment is. I wish you all the best and hope your little friend feels better soon.

 

[happygirl65]

Keep in mind the QT is really the best way to go but if you can't then water change the existing tank but DON'T add salt to a planted tank...if you have live plants...

I used to put the QT tank on my kitchen counter next to the sink...a little 10 gallon tank that made it super easy to do a quick water change multiple times a day...think of a water change for fish...like getting a bag of IV fluids at the hospital

 

[angielynn]

I have filtered rain water (RO water). his front bit is swollen and white and there is a black line from his gill to his mouth (like it is full of poo), he is not eating now.

 

[foxyhasswag]

Not enough flow oxegan

Sent from my HTC One using Aquarium Advice mobile app