Dwarf Gourami BIG TROUBLES

Could it be a swim bladder disorder? I've never had a fish with that, so I could very well be wrong, but that's kind of what it sounds like to me.

Lately there has been alot of problems with dwarf gouramis. They seem to have short lifespans and have lots of problems. If you search thru the forums, you will find several posts like yours. I think it is defective gene's passed from generation to generation. Click on the search and type in dwarf gourami and bloat or somthing similar and you will get several threads on the subject. Sadly, as far as I know, these cases, with the dwarf gouramis at least, do not seem to be cureable. I could be wrong however, so just do the search and see what you can come up with. Good Luck!

I lost a dwarf gourami (the one in my avatar) a couple of weeks ago, the 3rd one Ive lost, all to similar symptoms.

Is he swollen at all? Scales sticking off? All of mine have swollen up, got popeye, had a stringy trail coming from the vent. The last one also lost control of it's swimming like your seems to have....I treated for swimbladder problems, internal parasites, gave him some epsom salt treatment but he was dead within 3 days from the first symptoms.

I'm not saying this is what's wrong with yours, but you should probably try similar treatments. Is there any string stuff coming from his vent?

It's a shame that dwarf gouramis are so messed up because they're very cool fish. :dance2:

Did you stop his diet for a few days? Trust me he won't starve.

If this didn't work, also try providing him with a high fiber diet (i.e. vegetables such as peas which were suggested). In conjunction I would stop his protien diet as stated above, and through your fiber-diet.

Keep the water crystal clean. Has there been any sudden changes in the water conditions such as the pH? I trust the Q-tank is the same water conditions, or you ensured that he was slowly acclimated???

Lastly, if it is swimblader disease, which I would doubt b/c this is a fish you have had for quite seom time and assuming your water has been stable, or somethign else, the prognosis is not good. You can try a salt bath to try and assit in his recovery, but seriously I would just stop feeding him for 2 days adn the place him (and the otehr fish) on a vegetable diet (i.e. veggy flakes work too) only for another 3 days and see what happens.

EDIT: His antenae is probably just dmaged b/c of his swimming issues. Clean water and nature will cure this.