HELP!! Gourami has Dropsy? but how long until enough is enough?

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bestbet98133

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I've moved my (Colisa lalia)dwarf red gourami to a cycled 5 gallon hospital tank 18 days ago.

I've had him approx. 1 1/2 years. I know his curious-lively behavior and out of the blue he wasn't well:

Started salt bath and Maracyn-Two (in case gill disease) as directed. Completed water change and started over again. He had been a real fighter with no change (better or worse) until yesterday; his symtoms are: sinking to bottom, slight swelling of scales, bloated stomach area, decrease in activity, no appetite, coming up to surface only for breath of air. Today he is so weak he can barely make it to surface of water.

I am in pain watching him suffer, yet, how long do I continue to treat him? Do I just let him dye on his own? Is he hurting?
If I must euthansize him, any idea's on Clove Oil Mixture being fastest/humane way?

His home was: (no other fish are sick)

Size: 55 gallon Long community tank
Temp: 77 degrees F.
PH: 7.4
nh3/nh4 ppm: 0
no2 ppm: 0
Nitrate ppm: 5
GH: 13
KH 8
Equipment: (1) AC 440 Powerhead in UGF
(2) 330b Penguin filters w/4 bio-wheels
Weekly 25% water change w/ 3/4tsp. per gallon aquarium salt
Salt will be reduced thanks to new home recently for 3 Mono's.

Any suggestions and/or feedback; greatly appreciated.


. 18 days ago
 
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fisherman

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Bestbet, no one wants to be the bearer of bad news but IMO, you should euthanize him. Dropsy is very difficult to cure and your gourami is displaying advanced symptoms. Clove oil is usually available at health stores but if you can't find it, the American Veterinary Society recommends using alka seltzer in a small container.

Never a pleasant subject but sometimes the only responsible thing to do. I am sorry about your loss.
 
OrionGirl

OrionGirl

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What is the normal diet of the fish? It sounds very much like constipation to me, which can result when herbivores don't get enough vegetation/fiber in their diet. If the diet is heavy on meats and proteins (blood worms, shrimp, etc.), try soaking flake food in castor oil before feeding, and see if that helps. Fresh peas, squished from their shell, will also help. Gouramies should be fed mostly vegetable matter--spirulina enriched flakes and tabs, as well as fresh vegetables like leafy lettuce, spinach, zucchini, and cucumbers.
 
travelinman1969

travelinman1969

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STOP!!! Don't give up yet. Just cured 2 goldfish of dropsey 2 weeks ago, and let me tell ya, they were sick. Think they had fin and tail rot too. I used Mardel's Maracyn-two. It's made especially for dropsey, fin and tail rot, etc. I got it at Petsmart and it worked great. Use as dirrected and you'll see a difference in about 48 hours. If after that there is no improvement, then you'll have to do what no one wants to do. Good Luck
 
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