Flame dwarf gourami sick

[KayTeeGee]

I need help verifying that I am properly treating my flame dwarf gourami, about 3 weeks ago I bought 2 neon dwarf gourami 1 who I didnt know had fin rot which died a couple days later while the other was fine, about a week later I got a flame dwarf gourami as a new friend for the neon. The neon dwarf died about 5 days ago, he looked just like the one who died before him (became inactive fins-top and bottom- turned black started looking I guess I can use the term torn up) I had ordered medicine for them that claims to be all natural and safe for healthy fish API PIMAFIX and API MELAFIX. Unfortunately he died the day before it arrived my problem is I noticed my flame dwarf's fins started turning black as well the day my neon died, although he is still very active and eating just fine but this one seems to be missing some scaled on the top of his head, I began treatment the day the medicine showed up, so 4 days ago but it doesnt seem to be getting any better.

I have a 20 gallon (tall) tank with live plants and 1 fake plant.
3 platy
2 albino Cory cats
2 pleco-1 is albino
And about 5 ghost shrimp
All other fish are fine
I feed them twice a day with tetramin tropical flakes and a treat of omega one freeze dried blood worms mid day
Air bar hooked to a tetra whisper 20 gal air pump
Aqua-tech 10-20 gallon filter that came with the tank
Aqueon 50w heater for 20 gal tank
Temp reads 76F

The tank has been up for about 6 weeks

I ran out of test strips but at last 15% water change before I started medicating

Ammonia was next to nothing-I used test strip and it was the lowest color reading
Nitrate-below 20
Nittite- between 0 and 0.5
Gh- approx 75 (color read between 25 to 75 closer to 75)
Kh- between 120 to 180
Ph-between 6.8 and 7.2

I use the tetra test strips so I'm sorry the readings aren't more accurate
I have also removed the (I think carbon) from the filter as per the direction of the medicine

I would also like to add I did have a slight ammonia spike the day after I added him to the tank the test strip read the color of stress and immediately did an approximate 30% water change
After substrate and deco there's approximately 17.5 gallons of water

 

[KayTeeGee]

Sorry about the odd placement of the pics... I'm new to this and don't know what happened there...

 

[FreshyFresh]

I would cut the feeding WAY back. If I read that correctly, they are essentially being fed something 3x per day? Unless we're talking fry, I wouldn't feed more than once per day and skip a day or two at that. I typically don't feed my fish more than 5x week.

 

[KayTeeGee]

Essentially yes, good advice I will do that

 

[FreshyFresh]

They can get bloated and blocked up if fed poor quality foods or fed too much. That can happen with any fish.

I've had very poor luck keeping dwarf gourami. I've tried a few over the years, including flames and the only one I had live more than a year was a little colorless female DG. I eventually gave her away with some other stock when I was moving setups around.

 

[KayTeeGee]

I did recently read they are very susceptible to illness... His fins arent getting any worse, they aren't getting better either but I may have noticed too late for any significant healing to happen, however he still seems to swim just fine, and otherwise seems fine, he's still doing the occasional chasing the male platy around, just as much as he always has so I hope I'm doing something right, it would be incredibly sad to see him go

 

[KayTeeGee]

Also for feeding schedule, something like once in the morning skip feeding on Friday and Sunday? Also I do have 10 platy fry in a separate tank how often should I be feeding them, I'm currently feeding them incredibly finely crush(almost powder) flake food mixed with some crushed up freeze dried blood worms (also powder like) about the amount a ball point pen would make on a piece of paper for comparison sake(I poke my finger on the food and feed a portion of what sticks to it) and I've been feeding usually 3 times a day. Is this good or bad?

 

[FreshyFresh]

Sounds like a good plan. Just watch the ingredient lists of the foods you buy for your fish. Avoid the ones where the first 3 ingredients are grains and fillers.

 

[KayTeeGee]

Ok