Sick Dwarf Gourami

T

th4nn10R

Freshwater Newbie
Dec 9, 2008
19
0
0
Hey guys,

ever since I can remember my little gourami (sensai) has allways had a slightly grayish area on the top left side of his head - It never looked threatening, just looked like different coloration. He was allways healthy, allways eating - looked great. Untill today. I came home from work and noticed that the gray patch had oped up and it was a little white. I instantly moved him into quarantine. As I don't have any meds for my fish (broke) I just treated his QT water with some Salts. After moving him to QT ( been roughly an hour now) the white has gone and he is left with what looks to be like a slightly darker wound. Both water chemistry in my community tank and my QT tank are great.

Currnetly he is swimming at a 45 degree angle - generally almost vertical though.

He has a string of poop (dark and different colors, but his flakes are a variety of colors) - he seems constipated.

He is easily affected by the current coming out of my filter (which isn't much)

He is also looking very bloated.

His eyes seem sunkin in a little.
Doesn't want anything to eat.

I left him in the care of my girl friend this morning (she may have overfed).

He is generally up the top corner of the tank.


This is my first real problem with a fish so I'd love any constructive advice. You guys are allways very quick to post - so im hoping you guys can help me.

I love this little gourami - please help.

Thanks heaps
 
Really desperate here guys. He seems to be getting worse and its been only 2 hours since I posted last.

He's now just sort of bobbing in the water in the bottom corner!
 
Wish I had some better advice for you. A picture of the spot would help, columnarus is a bacteria that can cause grey/white patches, maybe a google on that would help you either determine or eliminate that as a disease option. As for constipation, I feed my betta the inside of a pea every so often, the extra fiber and vegetable matter really helps clear them out. I hope your guy makes it!
 
Do you have any Melafix? Or other antibiotic meds for fish?
It sounds like a bacterial infection.
You said he looks bloated... is it just a little bit, or are his scales standing out from his body making him look a little like a pine cone?
 
Hey there!
Thank you so much for replying. I havn't really had much luck on these forums so far. I don't own a camera unfortunately and my phone camera is of poor quality. I just googled columnarus and it definatley looks fairly similair - however not as stringy or "mossy" as the images seem to show. More like just a indented spot. Can gourami's get HITH? Thank you for your reply!

He's not looking well...
 
Definatley a "pine conish" look around the wound but not on the whole body. No meds at all - only have salts and everywheres shut around here. Thanks for your reply.
 
I'm so sorry. I'm not sure about hole in the head for gouramis, but I think probably they can. It is very good that he doesn't have the pine cone look on the rest of his body. He may not have a serious systemic bacterial infection, yet.

Stay here on this forum. I can tell you that this is the best forum on the web!! I have had so much help it is amazing.

There are people here that have incredible tanks, and years of experience, and they are so generous with their time and so willing to help.

The level of expertise is unbelievable, and people respond quickly to help.

One lady, a snail and invertebrate guru, even sent me 2 baggies of snail food, and catfish pellets, because she knew I was having problems with a snail that is not eating well. She sent them to me at her own expense. She doesn't sell them, they were from her own supply for her snails.

Regarding your sick gourami, I hope he'll be OK. Most everyone is asleep now, but they get on here fairly early. If you need to get an antibiotic, and I'm sure someone on this forum will know if that is what it sounds like your fish needs and can make a recommendation.

You might also check out the information at this link on this website we call the AC

I 'm copying and pasting a link for a post on this website regarding indications for antibiotics, that may be helpful.

I hope this helps. Here it is:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135493&highlight=fish+medicines
 
Last edited:
How is your Zebra Danio? I just notice you posted an inquiry on 12/09. I don't know why you didn't get a response, unless it was because it was late in the evening, and then if there are lots of other posts that come in after yours then yours can get moved down to the bottom.

If that ever happens again, just type in the word "bump" and it gets moved back to the top of the posts.

Hope everything will be ok for you.:)
And, welcome to the AC
:welcome:
 
See ya tomorrow... I mean later today. Yikes... it's 3am already.
 
Hey thanks for the reply again.

Thats really great about the generosity of the people here on the forum. I was just a little discouraged when no one tried helping with my danio - because I was truely worried. Thanks for the advice with the "bump" trick.

I'll duck out after work tomorow and get some melafix (hopefully he'll still be fit by morning). Thanks again for all your help!
 
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