Sick Pearl Gouramis

[darylv]

We recently bought five new pearl gouramis three days ago which share a 29 gallon tank with clown loaches, rasboras and a pleco. The tank has been running for over a year with no problems.

Today, all lost their appetites and one started spinning crazily and swimming in small circles. There are no external signs. We removed him into the hospital tank where he died within a half hour.

Any idea what this is? I have a bad feeling that the same will soon happen to the rest of them. The water seems to be okay at 6.8 ph. In addition, none of the other fish were affected. Thanks for any help!

 

[Holly9937]

what is your amonia, nitrite and nitrate? How did you acclimate the fish? It sounds like a swim bladder issue, do a search on that and see if it explains what happened. Also, I hate to be the first to say it , but you are really overstocked, do you have plans for a bigger tank?

 

[darylv]

I'm going to check ammonia, etc. and post back in a hour but there is one moe detail. One more of the fish has died and he had dark splotches mostly on his head and sides (one more of the dead fish had them too). They don't seem to be an external infection and he didn't have them a few hours ago. Also, the fish seem to die very quickly within half hour with the first sympthoms other than the loss of appetite.


Yeah, we are planning on a bigger tank but the way its going we won't need one by tonight (they are dying fast).

 

[Holly9937]

is there anyway that something got into the tank? chemicals, kids? I'm not sure what the dark spots are, but if you can post a pic. someone might be able to identify them. also, is it just the new fish that are dying?

 

[darylv]

Thanks!

check: ammonia and nitrites are 0; nitrates *maybe* slightly above 40. Not enough for a shock I think.

no chemicals (very little dosage of Ick Guard to protect loaches)

the fish which was there before is totally fine (but they are not gouramis)

and to make it really mysterious, LFS fish seems to be fine, so it is something on our end.