Sick Gourami

[mightykong]

My tank was purchased on the 20th of May. I let it run for almost 3 days before adding fish. On the 23rd I added 4 Dwarf Gourami's. 2 Powder-blue, 2 Fire-red. They aren't very peaceful at all, that sales guy kinda led me the wrong way there.

Anyway, one of the fire-red's has not eaten at all since the 23rd. She sits in a corner of the tank for hours on end. I'm pretty sure that her head has gotten darker on the top. I thought she had new tank syndrome.. maybe she does. I've been changing about 15% of the water every other day for about 6 days now and I haven't noticed a change. I've been feeding flake food to them, the other 3 love it. I mix in freeze-dried blood worms with every other meal or so and most of them like those as well. She still won't eat a week later. I don't see how she is still alive if she hasn't eaten. I tried garlic additive with the food because I read that it is supposed to increase appetite and kill parasites, but she still didnt eat.

I had the water tested at the lfs, they said my tank was coming along normally for being a new tank.

I'm really worried here, it's my first tank in about 10 years and I don't want any of these little dudes to die. So basically.. here it is to sum it up:

• She is not eating
• She is not moving very much
• Her head and mouth seem to be getting darker, kind of a dark blue/grey color. (it may just be my imagination)

My tank is 25 gallons, Aquaclear 30 filter, 100 watt heater, and an air pump that blows cute bubbles. I have 3 fake plants, 2 little fake rock structures, and a nice big rock.

This is Raisin Turd, the sick fish.

ANY HELP you can give would be great, thanks a lot. Feel free to ask me any questions you have.[/img]

 

[Zagz]

I will say what I have heard here hundreds of times, the lfs will tell you your water is coming along fine but unless you test the levels yourself you won't know for sure. I learned the hard way about cycling and the lfs steered me wrong. You need to test the water, post your levels on here for advice, and depending on your numbers do a pwc. It is possible your fish isn't sick, just stressed from high levels of ammonia and nitrates. It happened to me and I did lose fish as a result of trusting the lfs water evaluation. This site can help you a lot. Best advice I can give you right now. Read through the forums or do a search on cycling for starters. Hope this helps for a starter.

 

[Andos99]

Buy your own test kit ASAP and post the results.

 

[mightykong]

In my aquariums for dummies book.. it looks like he's constipated. would magnesium sulfate be safe to treat the whole tank with or should I put him in a seperate tank before treating him? I'm going to get the kit and test first but it looks like this is what's going on. I never saw him eat but maybe they fed him too much at petsmart?

 

[Zagz]

I personally think it is always better to treat in a QT, rather than treat healthy fish. If the whole tank is infected, then treat the tank. Did you get any tests for your water parameters? The people here can really help if they have that information.

 

[purple]

Hi mighty kong

Firstly i am so sorry about your gourami situation They are a gorgeous fish and they are very placid and laid back.

From my experience with Gouramis there is a wasting disease that is incurable and does affect that particular kind of fish.

They stop eating and they just kind of waste away ... i cant explain it any other way... they get thinner and it looks as if they are changing colour but it is actually them wasting away. Your gourami will probably die if it is the same thing i have experienced. On a plus note though, it isnt contaigous and it doesnt mean your other fish will suffer the same thing.

Of course i could be way wrong here and the information i have given you is not very helpful... i am just telling you what i experienced with my own gouramis.

Good luck.

 

[purple]

btw... your tank looks lovely and i am sure you are going to get years of joy from the other gouramis you have in there

 

[dream_bc]

Wow... that was a sad note . I feel bad now. I hope it is not that. I love gouramis, especially the powder blue. My boyfriend likes the red ones. Good choice for fish!
Sorry, Im not being helpful at all.

I think we are all stuck on how to help with out water tests results. And that probably wont even help either... its just the first path we take...

 

[mightykong]

well I guess it's not constipation.. I saw a nice long one hanging off of her today. It was clear though.. I don't even see how she could go if she hasn't eaten in 9 days.. I'm getting the test kit in a few days, I wish I could sooner but I cant

 

[purple]

Your gourami is probably eating but you are just not seeing it... maybe.

How is your fish now??

 

[littletank]

I had a dwarf powder blue gourami that never ate, not even once. I tried everything--brine shrimp etc. He just stayed in his corner and yeah, literally "wasted away" until he couldn't even hold himself up anymore so he'd prop up against a plant. It was so sad that I had to do the "drop in a bucket of ice and water" thing. I cried. It was so awful having to kill old "Bahama" but there was nothing I could do for him. All of the other fish were perfectly fine and the water readings were perfect.

Anyhow, you really should get your own test kit. I know that it's expensive, but in the long run it will save you time and money and fishy lives. If the ammonia level is high they will usually sink to the bottom and sort of "rest" on their fins. I learned all of this the hard way, but my tanks doing great now. Good luck. In a way I hope it's just bad water and NOT a "wasting away" Gourami.
littletank

ps: beautiful tank