New Gourami, Extremely bloated

[friendorfoe]

I don't know what i should do my new male gourami looks huge. I'm not sure what is wrong with him, but he is swollen in the stomach area to about an inch across. He looks like he is going to burst. What should i do.

 

[aquariumhobyist]

what type of gourami?

 

[friendorfoe]

dwarf fire gourami, or something like that, it is blue and red.

 

[friendorfoe]

anyone.....please?

 

[ksimmo1]

Is it just his stomach or over the entire body?

If it's just his stomach area it may be an internal parasite which can be cured with a medicated food.

If it's over the entire body he most likely has dropsy, which doesn't really have a cure.

The third option would be he is not a he but a she and is pregnant.

 

[NJ Devils Fan]

How new? Maybe it was just fed when you bought it? Figured it was worth suggesting since no one said it yetl.

 

[friendorfoe]

the fish is abut a week old and it is only the stomach that is swollen my fish won't eat anything i don't know if that adds to the conclusion

 

[PumaWard]

Does it look like a pinecone when you look at it from above (the scales stick out)?

 

[friendorfoe]

it does kinda look like a pinecone, but i can't be sure because his colors make it hard to tell

 

[ozziegt]

He probably has dropsy...it's a common problem with gouramis and bettas. You can try to get some medication but it didn't help mine...I had to euthanize him.