My gourami acts dead but isn't.

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!

JimmyJBBPJMT

AC Members
Sep 3, 2013
9
0
0
Yesterday I performed a water change on my 75 gallon tank. I noticed my neon blue dwarf gourami hiding in the anacharis didn't flee when I came close with the gravel vacuum. He turned out to be dead :( I tested my water and took the fish back to my LFS and they tested as well and said the water was fine. I purchased a new neon blue dwarf gourami and acclimated him last night over a 40 minute period. This morning he was floating at the top of the tank with his mouth pointed at the ceiling and tail at the bottom of the tank. I watched him for a while and he just bobbed around until the filter flow pushed him under and he slowly floated back to the top. I reached in and touched him to see if he was just being goofy or something and there was no response. I assumed he was dead so I went to pull him out but when I touched both of his sides he darted about a foot away and started floating around again. I was happy to find that he was alive but am concerned he's not going to make it. Anyone every see this before or have any ideas? I used Prime to increase the slime coat and reduce harmful/stressful chemicals but there has been no improvement.


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 

jasonfishaddict

AC Members
Jun 18, 2010
537
1
0
54
I live in King William county Virginia, USA
Real Name
Jason
Couple of things; either it's something before purchase or after purchase. Of course you want to make sure you did everything right in order to place blame in the before purchase category. That being said, how was it acting in the store, (how picky were you?) Were there any dead fish in the tank? What was the timeframe between purchase and adding the fish to your tank? How did you acclimate? What are your water parameters? (Fine isn't an accurate measure.) The retailer has the responsibility of providing health stock but many don't take proper care so if you're good on your end then the problem is the retailer. I've emptied a retailer's tank looking for healthy fish before and it was bad stock. So keep trying.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 

JimmyJBBPJMT

AC Members
Sep 3, 2013
9
0
0
I didn't notice any dead fish when I bought him, there was about 20 minutes between purchase and the bag into the tank for acclimation, I left the bag alone for 10 minutes then began adding 1tbsp every two minutes until the bag was nearly full, I have Tetra 6-in-1 test strips so I don't have very accurate numbers but nitrates were zero, nitrites were minimal, I'll buy a master test kit this evening and try to get more accurate numbers.


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 

jpappy789

Plants need meat too
Feb 18, 2007
26,364
5
89
33
Gainesville, FL
Real Name
Josh
Definitely buy a master kit...FYI, showing no nitrate and even trace nitrite is not a very good sign.

Generally it is also advised to quarantine new fish so you can observe their behavior more closely and reduce the risk of anything being transmitted to other fish. Dwarf gourami stock has a tendency to be poor quality the last several years mostly due to an iridovirus.
 

huapala

AC Members
Jul 25, 2013
415
1
0
Ke Aupuni Hawaii, Hawaiian Kingdom
Real Name
Huapala
I am sorry to hear about your gouarmi. Is your current one having trouble staying at the bottom (i.e. floating to the top without consent and trying to wedge himself between hardscape)? Also, perhaps you flipped nitrate and nirite around because - as jpappy suggested - if your tank is cycled properly it shold be showing the reverse (trace nitrate 0 nitrite).

Sent from my VS920 4G using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

authmal

Pseudonovice
Aug 4, 2011
2,621
62
51
Phoenix, AZ
Results from the master test kit are still ideal. If, as I suspect, your tank isn't cycled, that's the cause, and can (and must) be addressed before acquiring more fish. What other flora and fauna are in the tank?
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store