Hi Everyone, I have a sick Gourami “Biggie”. He is swollen and is struggling to stay up. He was big when I got him. He can get to the top of the tank but hasn’t eaten in a week and sinks to the bottom of the tank. He has been doing them for three weeks. The pet store told me to add aquarium salt and the blue Seachem treatment that I used when I first set-up my tank. I isolated him today and gave him an epsom salt bath but I don’t think that it helped. He has some fight in him because he swam fast when I tried to scooped him out for isolation. My second Gourami “Jonathan” tried you bite him and he swam away... I fear that he is dying. Any suggestions?
Dropsy or Something Else
- Thread starter Kmsst65
- Start date
Could you post pictures and a video of the fish? What are your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels? How long have you had the fish? Did it swell suddenly or over time? What size tank? How often do you do water changes and how much water do you change each time?
I had my water tested yesterday and it was stable. I have had the fish for 4 weeks. It was big on arrival hence the name “Biggie” but it got worse... it swelled more over time. The tank is 36 gallons. I’m coming up on 5 weeks and I will change the water this week. The picture is the only one that I have. It is now much more swollen...
(How much water do you recommend that I change?)
(How much water do you recommend that I change?)
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Do a 75% water change today, and every day for a few days. Then do 50-75% weekly 
It's either bloat, internal worms, or an internal infection.
It's either bloat, internal worms, or an internal infection.
If its bloat it should go away on it's own. You can feed a boiled, de-shelled pea and it may help
If its worms you can use a deworming medication
If it's an internal infection there is no cure
I'm thinking worms since it swelled slowly, so theres hope
If its worms you can use a deworming medication
If it's an internal infection there is no cure
I'm thinking worms since it swelled slowly, so theres hope
Do I have to treat the sick fish externally or can I add it to my tank with the other fish?
I found this:
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I found this:
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Melafix and pimafix will likely suffocate the gourami. They have a labyrinth organ, which makes them be able to breath air from the surface. Both of these medications have oil, which coats the surface of the water and when the fish goes to breath it coats the organ, often killing them. It should never be added to a tank with gourami or betta.
It also doesn't treat worms. Let me find the ones that do
It also doesn't treat worms. Let me find the ones that do
No problem here to help
here to help
I forgot to ask? What does his poop look like? Is it stringy or white? The following info is copy and paste from another member, @Colin_T
Stringy white poop can affect any fish. It can be from internal bacteria, internal protozoa or intestinal worms. Each problem requires a different treatment.
Fish do a stringy white poop for several reasons.
1) Internal Bacterial Infections causes the fish to stop eating, swell up like a balloon, breath heavily at the surface or near a filter outlet, do stringy white poop, and die within 24-48 hours of showing these symptoms. This cannot normally be cured because massive internal organ failure has already occurred.
-----
2) Internal Protozoan Infections cause the fish to lose weight rapidly (over a week or two), fish continues to eat and swim around but not as much as normal, does stringy white poop. If not treated the fish dies a week or so after these symptoms appear. Metronidazole normally works well for this.
There is a medication (API General Cure) that contains Praziquantel and Metronidazole.
It's interesting that API and the Californian government have listed Metronidazole as a carcinogen. That's a concern considering it was widely used to treat intestinal infections in people.
Anyway, if you use this or any medication, handle with care, don't inhale the medication, and wash hands with soapy water after treating the fish or working in the tank.
-----
3) Intestinal Worms like tapeworm and threadworms cause the fish to lose weight, continue eating and swimming normally, and do a stringy white poop. Fish can do this for months and not be too badly affected. In some cases, fish with a bad worm infestation will actually gain weight and get fat and look like a pregnant guppy. This is due to the huge number of worms inside the fish.
Livebearers like guppies, mollies, swordtails & platies are regularly infected with gill flukes and intestinal worms. If the fish are still eating well, then worms is the most likely cause.
You can use Praziquantel to treat tapeworm and gill flukes. And Levamisole to treat thread/ round worms. If you can't find these medications, look for Flubendazole, which treats both lots of worms.
Remove carbon from filters before treatment and increase aeration/ surface turbulence to maximise oxygen levels in the water.
You treat the fish once a week for 4 weeks. The first treatment will kill any worms in the fish. The second, third and forth treatments kill any baby worms that hatch from eggs inside the fish's digestive tract.
Treat every fish tank in the house at the same time to prevent cross contamination.
You do a 75% water change and complete gravel clean 24-48 hours after treatment. Clean the filter 24 hours after treatment too.
Do not use the 2 medications together. If you want to treat both medications in a short space of time, use Praziquantel on day one. Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate on day 2 & 3. Treat the tank with Levamisole on day 4 and do a 75% water change and gravel clean on day 5, 6 & 7 and then start with Praziquantel again on day 8.
The water changes will remove most of the medication so you don't overdose the fish the next time you treat them. The gravel cleaning will suck out any worms and eggs that have been expelled by the fish. Repeating the treatment for 3-4 doses at weekly intervals will kill any worms that hatch from eggs. At the end of the treatment you will have healthier fish.
Stringy white poop can affect any fish. It can be from internal bacteria, internal protozoa or intestinal worms. Each problem requires a different treatment.
Fish do a stringy white poop for several reasons.
1) Internal Bacterial Infections causes the fish to stop eating, swell up like a balloon, breath heavily at the surface or near a filter outlet, do stringy white poop, and die within 24-48 hours of showing these symptoms. This cannot normally be cured because massive internal organ failure has already occurred.
-----
2) Internal Protozoan Infections cause the fish to lose weight rapidly (over a week or two), fish continues to eat and swim around but not as much as normal, does stringy white poop. If not treated the fish dies a week or so after these symptoms appear. Metronidazole normally works well for this.
There is a medication (API General Cure) that contains Praziquantel and Metronidazole.
It's interesting that API and the Californian government have listed Metronidazole as a carcinogen. That's a concern considering it was widely used to treat intestinal infections in people.
Anyway, if you use this or any medication, handle with care, don't inhale the medication, and wash hands with soapy water after treating the fish or working in the tank.
-----
3) Intestinal Worms like tapeworm and threadworms cause the fish to lose weight, continue eating and swimming normally, and do a stringy white poop. Fish can do this for months and not be too badly affected. In some cases, fish with a bad worm infestation will actually gain weight and get fat and look like a pregnant guppy. This is due to the huge number of worms inside the fish.
Livebearers like guppies, mollies, swordtails & platies are regularly infected with gill flukes and intestinal worms. If the fish are still eating well, then worms is the most likely cause.
You can use Praziquantel to treat tapeworm and gill flukes. And Levamisole to treat thread/ round worms. If you can't find these medications, look for Flubendazole, which treats both lots of worms.
Remove carbon from filters before treatment and increase aeration/ surface turbulence to maximise oxygen levels in the water.
You treat the fish once a week for 4 weeks. The first treatment will kill any worms in the fish. The second, third and forth treatments kill any baby worms that hatch from eggs inside the fish's digestive tract.
Treat every fish tank in the house at the same time to prevent cross contamination.
You do a 75% water change and complete gravel clean 24-48 hours after treatment. Clean the filter 24 hours after treatment too.
Do not use the 2 medications together. If you want to treat both medications in a short space of time, use Praziquantel on day one. Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate on day 2 & 3. Treat the tank with Levamisole on day 4 and do a 75% water change and gravel clean on day 5, 6 & 7 and then start with Praziquantel again on day 8.
The water changes will remove most of the medication so you don't overdose the fish the next time you treat them. The gravel cleaning will suck out any worms and eggs that have been expelled by the fish. Repeating the treatment for 3-4 doses at weekly intervals will kill any worms that hatch from eggs. At the end of the treatment you will have healthier fish.
Please don't throw loads of chemicals into your tank. It's a bad practice which has knock on effects so make sure water is good n feed good quality food to boost them. Live food is best. A water tub will generate lots of Mossi larva n bloodworms if you put in some gravel.
What is the fish's poop like?
It's possible the fish is female and full of eggs.
If it is eating normally and has normal poop, then it is probably stressed or being picked on.
If it has stringy white poop and stopped eating, then it has an internal problem.
It's possible the fish is female and full of eggs.
If it is eating normally and has normal poop, then it is probably stressed or being picked on.
If it has stringy white poop and stopped eating, then it has an internal problem.
Biggie was dead this morning 
Up until today, the fish hadn’t pooped and wouldn’t eat. I thought that maybe it was a pregnant female full of eggs and we don’t have a male. It was just hiding in the castle day after day. I got it to go to the top of tank for a good portion of the day yesterday. Today I found Biggie laying sideways and lifeless...
Up until today, the fish hadn’t pooped and wouldn’t eat. I thought that maybe it was a pregnant female full of eggs and we don’t have a male. It was just hiding in the castle day after day. I got it to go to the top of tank for a good portion of the day yesterday. Today I found Biggie laying sideways and lifeless...
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