Fish die for no reason?

B

bobandfiona

AC Members
Dec 13, 2005
114
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Dallas, TX
My dwarf gourami started becoming very lethargic and floating at the top. I quarantined him in hospital tank with 50% water from existing tank. (I keep temp and water parameters the same as community tank for easy acclimation). Color was great, no spots, no apparent disease or parasites, and everyone else in community tank is fine.

He died last night...could it just be old age?

I've lost a few other fish out of this same tank the same way (no apparent problems) over the past year.
 
We need more info:

all your maintenence routines?

water params, amonia, nitrite, nitrate and PH, as well as the PH of your tap water?

What were the other fish that died like his?
 
Could be internal bacterial infection. But we do need those tank specs.
 
If you put him in an uncycled tank, no media of anykind form the original tank, that may hav done it. Especially since he was already stressed from whatever the original problem was. Adding water from the original tank wont do much, you need gravel or maybe some filter media.
Seems to be a LOT of D. Gourami problems....anyone know of any research on D gouramis diseases? Or studies on their problems from being inbred?
 
Sorry it took so long for reply - was out of the house.

This is the same tank I've always posted here about. I do weekly water changes and gravel vacs, water is the same that it has been for the past year - 0-.25 ammonia (depends on the day I test...but even my tap has .10 ammonia); 0 nitrites, 0 nitrates (sometimes it goes up to an orange color, but the water change puts it right back down); ph is 7.2-7.5 here in Dallas...tank stays the same as the water I put in.

I use Amquel to detox tap water for changes and because its been so hot here, the tap water is actually the same 80 degrees as my tank. (can't be healthy for humans!)
Like I said, all the others are fine. This particular fish has been in my tank for 6 months or so and been the alpha fish (see others below). I just added a pearl gourami that is full grown (same size as my dwarf was approx 1.5") three weeks ago. The pearl hid for 2 weeks and recently started swimming and being part of the community. I have never seen the two of them fight, but it did cross my mind that happened since now the pearl is the alpha fish and rules the tank. I did not see any fins nipped on the dwarf that died or any spots or scars. He did have a small curl to his back end like if we were to hunch over while sitting down, only side ways for a fish.

The other fish that died like this was my last gourami addition. I added a flame and the dwarf that just died the same day. The flame did the same thing only more severe (like hers was a swim bladder type illness laying on the bottom of the tank) a month after I got them.

Just a sad loss, and I want to be sure I don't lose anymore!

I also lost a black phantom tetra much the same way (floated on the top of the tank for a few days then died with no apparent disease) 9 months ago. :help:

thanks
 
oh - my hospital tank is fully cycled - it is the one with a betta, snail, and 2 shrimp in it. It's parameters always match my community tank almost exactly. (tends to get alittle ammonia here and there) fully up and running for 8 months. and when I hospital a fish, I put them in a separator so they are by themselves and my betta can't get to them.
 
I have had the same luck with gouramis lately. My own personal opinion is that they are harbouring a bacterial infection, which eventually kills them. I Have not been able to keep one for more than 4 months, while the rest of my healthy, established, well-taken care of tanks thrive. They seem to get lethargic after a while, hang at the top of the tank, and just die. I have had no other problems with any of my fish, so I do not think it is neccesarily transferred between fish. I have read on this site that there is a problem with gouramis related to some sort of bacterial infection.
 
I recently lost 2 of 3 dwarf blue gouramis, to either bacterial or parasitical causes. Did meds for each, but no response. I talked with someone on another website who said he'd stopped buying the dwarfs because of breeding problems causing just such problems and deaths. They seem to be much more susceptible or prone to any kind of thing that comes along like this . . . one of mine swelled up tremendously without any pineconing, had normal behavior for 2 weeks or so, then got very lethargic and finally died.

Maybe looking into who's doing the breeding, and what their practices are? I know I won't add any more--and just pray that this last one lives out a normal life. :huh:
 
sorry to hear about both of your losses...its a shame to hear that because they are such beautiful fish. I've used them as my main tank focal points. Now I don't know what to get that is as pretty - any ideas for a main fish?
 
bobandfiona said:
and when I hospital a fish, I put them in a separator so they are by themselves and my betta can't get to them.
Click to expand...

So you put a potentially sick fish in the same tank as your betta and co.?
 
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