Sick gourami

[lilcavy2]

Backround: OK, so I am trying to get a gourami tank going :thumbsup: (20 gallon hex). This is not a new tank, it's cycled. The only aquarium stores around here that are still in business are Petco or Petsmart, maybe a Walmart or two (ie. not ideal).

The 2 gold gourami I purchased only lasted 5 days. Brought them home, they were fine, good energy and appetites, then 3 days later they started gasping at the surface, sulking on the bottom, then died. :tombstone:

Currently there are 2 blue gourami, but soon to be one I think. Yesterday (7 days after purchase) they were both fine, eating flakes and freeze dried bloodworms. Today one is gasping at the surface, sulking on the bottom and won't eat.

Is there anything I can do to keep them healthy after purchase? :1zhelp: They have no external evidence of anything wrong and no flashing. Personally I think they all spent a little too much time at the surface before getting really sick, but then again I've never owned gourami before. I can get my money back but I don't want that, I want the fish. :nilly:

All water parameters are great (no ammonia, etc.) Tank temp. is about 76-77. Tank has a bubble wand in it. Thanks for any help.

 

[lilcavy2]

:feedback:

So the sick gourami is well on his way out now as he barely has the strength to swim and keeps 'sticking' to the filter inlet. Is there anything I can do to prevent the 4th gourami from going the way of the first 3? Should I move this topic to a different forum for a better chance of getting responses?

 

[fabiobruno]

Hi lil,

I suggest you read my post:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=210031

In the first bit of the post things don't go very well and the female gourami die, but in the last couple of pages we save the male

During my limited experience I've noticed that gourami (at the least dwarf) are quite delicate.
Maybe it is all the stress they go through when shipped from Singapore in bags full of antibiotics, and then when they end up in a normal (water only) fish thank all viruses and bacteria explode and may kill them.

In my case I've successfully used an anti-bacterial from Interpet (anti internal bacterial) and some salt (to reduce the stress) and, following the suggestions from senior members in this forum, I've kept the water pristine (i.e. 30% water change every second day).

Best of luck with your gourami!

 

[lilcavy2]

Thank you fabiobruno for replying!!! I did try to read through your thread, however, there were SO many medicines mentioned that I have no idea what actually worked, if anything. :huh: Perhaps you can list the one(s) that worked? I will start large water changes tonight.

I took pictures of the most recent dead gourami (I can't tell much from a fast moving fish). I have Maracyn-Two on hand and it looks like it is for sluggish fish that are not eating and may have protruding eyes. Therefore, I will dose the surviving fish tonight in an effort to prevent it's death. (So far it shows no symptoms but I am convinced it will in a matter of time.) Still any comments would be well appreciated.

 

[fabiobruno]

Sorry I was away for a couple of days, hopefully the maracyn-two helped.

As I said in my previous post what worked for my gourami was the Interpet anti internal bacterial plus a bit of salgt (less than 0.1%).

 

[lime_smash]

Sounds like it may be bacterial. If you can get your hands on that Interpet I would definately try it. If it worked for fabiobruno it may work for you.

 

[lilcavy2]

I believe it was/is bacterial but the Maracyn 2 is working. Interpet is a UK company.

 

[mel_20_20]

lilcavy, I'm sorry that you are having difficulties. Maracyn 2 is really a good antibiotic, and it is not supposed to harm the beneficial bacteria in your tank.

If you don't mind, I'd like to ask a few questions about your tank that may help.

How long ago did you set up the tank?

What are the tank occupants? species and numbers of each.

How did you cycle the tank?

Did you have filter squeezings, or piece of filter media; sponge, floss, bioball, etc., from the bio-filter media of another healthy tank that you used to seed your tank? A good colony of the beneficial bacteria needed to maintain good water quality will keep your parameters at these readings: ammonia 0 ppm, nitrite 0 ppm, and nitrate at 20 ppm or thereabouts.

What kind of filtration are you using?

What kind of water condtioner do you use to remove chlorine and chloramine?

Do you have a heater?

What is the substrate?

What are your parameters, exactly? Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph, temperature, and gh and kh if possible.

Could you please take a reading of the ph coming out of the tap, also. Get some water from the tap and let it sit for 24 hours, then test. This will be helpful as well.

What kind of testing equipment do you use? Strips, or liquid testing kit.

What do you feed them, how much and how often?

What is your water change schedule? Volume and frequency.

How often do you vacuum your substrate?

Do you have plants or plastic?

How do you clean and maintain your filter?

I hope these questions aren't too tedious, but the answers can really help us figure out what is going on, and, if the Maracyn 2 doesn't do the trick, what other meds we might recommend.

As Fabiobruno stated, pristine water is of utmost importance in helping them fight this. When you dose the tank the Maracyn 2 will be available for the fish for a time, but after several hours the med becomes unavailable, so you can do big water changes every twenty-four hours.

You dose the tank again after the big water change, wait twenty-four hours and dose again. Keep this up, really you need to do it longer than the five days the packaging recommends. I'd go at least ten days.

The water changes will help remove traces of ammonia, nitrites, and dissolved organic compounds. This will be instrumental in helping your fish fight this illness.

I hope your little guys continue to improve. We're all pulling for you.

As

 

[fabiobruno]

Just a quick note since I see you are now in good hands

Surely Maracyn-2 must be better than the Interpet product, in UK is very difficult to get prescribed antibiotics (even for humans...) this is why I had to find a substitute (but during the Christmas holidays I'm in Italy for a couple of weeks and there I'm going to fetch a few proper meds )

Good luck with your gourami, I'll keep checking your post.

 

[lilcavy2]

Tank set up 2 years ago (I moved those fish into another tank).
Tank occupant: 1 blue gourami, MT snails (I have no idea how many but I love those things 'cause they keep the gravel so nice and they're virtually indestructible.)

"How did you cycle the tank? ....keep your parameters at these readings: ammonia 0 ppm, nitrite 0 ppm, and nitrate at 20 ppm or thereabouts" Tank has been running for 2 years with no issues to the occupants and all water parameters as you stated (nitrate at less than 20ppm).

kind of filtration: 20 gallon tank with filter rated for 30 gallon.
water conditioner: Amquel Plus and I also use some Nitraban (it's easier than scrubbing off algae)
Right now I do have a water heater. When room temp is 74F or below I use one.
Substrate is aquarium gravel.
There is a bubble wand in the tank always active.

Ammonia, nitrite = 0, gh 150, kh 120, pH 7.2, temp 79.
I use strips.
Dunno about the tap; all I know is that our tap water contains ammonia.

I feed the gourami flakes and the occasional bloodworms twice a day, he's got a good appetite. I feed what he can eat in 1 minute. (Since he's fighting something, I am turning off the filter during feeding so the flakes don't fall and watching him eat them all, maybe one falls.)

Vacuum gravel weekly, change out 20% minimum during weekly vacuum.
Plastic plants for right now (but I've ordered some and am growing others.)
For the filter, I reuse the filter itself but replace the charcoal once a month (in pantyhose, hard to explain, got the idea off this site a while ago). Clean out the actual filter device thoroughly once every 6 months or so (ie. detach, disassemble, clean)

I read your post in Fabiobruno's thread about how you can change out the water 24 hours after adding antibiotic so I have been changing out some and adding extra Amquel Plus to keep the water pristine. Are you sure about the 10 days instead of 5 days if the fish is doing really well? (I'm going to assume yes and use up what I have.) I've had him 2 weeks now. His color is now really good as opposed to when I first brought him home and he spends most of his time swimming as opposed to a lot of hanging on the surface 'breathing'. When I brought the deceased gold ones back to the petstore I was informed that they had been "sent a bad batch". :headshake2: I returned the other blue one today *sigh*.