twisted gourami

[Loren]

I'm having a problem with a powder blue gourami. I've had if for two years, and other than a slight case of fin rot, it's been healthy. A couple days ago, I noticed it wasn't quite 'right', then last night at feeding I had a good look down on it, and it's body has twisted to resemble a loose 's' shape. It's activity is depressed, although it still feeds. What is this, and how can I fix it? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Allivymar]

Hiya Loren and welcome to AquariumAdvice

Oi, your poor gourami. I have some ideas, but the first place to check is water parameters. Can you get us your specific ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels?

 

[William]

After you do what alli said..

Theres no chance the Gourami may have gotten stuck to the filter intake is there?

 

[Loren]

Hi, and thanks for responding. Alli, I checked my ph last night and it was 7.5...that's what it always is. I will have to have my amonia/nitrates tested at a store (can do that either this evening or tomorrow morning)...and I'll post the results. William, good idea, but I doubt it...I've just got a mini system and a guppy could unstick itself! Seems to me I read about something like this somewhere, but darned if I can remember where it was.

 

[William]

Any fish can unstick itself, unless its sick and/or weak.

 

[Allivymar]

Fish tuberculosis is one of the things that comes to mind; one of the symptoms can be that twisting you described. Best to get the water parameters first (the pH looks fine) to be sure its not related to high levels of nitrogenous waste.

 

[Loren]

Hi - Tests were okay. Picked the fish guys brains (he didn't have alot of info), but we looked in a book, and tuberculosis was the only thing we found that deforms the spines...but the photos showed side views. From the side, my fish looks relatively fine, it's the over view that's scary. He did say, however, that gouramis tend to be fragile in that they can get just about everything and usually do...and mine's doomed. Suggested I flush...don't know if I can just do that. I'm still wanting to know what's wrong, if that's possible. Thank you so much for your help so far.

 

[Loren]

Hey, wait a sec...is tuberculosis in fish as contagious as in humans? Is my gourami going to infect everyone else? Should I set up an isolation tank; I've never done that before...will it need all the same filtration as my regular tank? Is it worth the effort if TB is a death-sentence? (Never rains...it pours!)

 

[cindywindy]

Loren, I have done a disease profile on fish TB, feel free to use it as an added resource to the already awesome information you have recieved here !

http://www.tropicalresources.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=819

 

[ferret]

I don't know anything about TB, but I would never just flush a fish before it died and give up.. I'd try whatever I could to try to save it. Bad lfs man, bad.

 

[Terry]

Hiya Loren
I don't know if this will help, but have you looked at vitamin deficientcy. One of the symptems is Skeletal deformity. Skeletal deformity is lack of vitamin C.

HTH

 

[Loren]

Hi everyone...thanks for all your help.

Cindy, I read your article...good one, thankyou (I've bookmarked your site for future reference) I'm going to read up on TB, and will probably work at getting an isolation tank ready. Probably a good idea to have one on hand. (Might this be the universe encouraging me to go ahead and get the 33gal tank I've been ogling for the past 4 months...then I can use my 10gal for the hospital?!! )

Terry...never thought about a vitamin deficiency...food for thought (bad pun unintentional). I've just been feeding a multi-purpose flake once a day. Might not be the right food? This had such a sudden onset. Hmmm.... the more I learn the less I know :?

Ferret...I'm with you...no flushing unless it's a corpse (or absolutely-no doubt-about-it the kindest way to go)