Female Dwarf Gourami Appears To Be Dying - Help Needed

[FlyingFish78]

Hi folks. For the past 24 hours I've noticed that one of my female Dwarf Gouramis appears to be isolating herself from the other fish and has clearly been stressed: Breathing quickly and staying near the surface as though gasping for air. We also noticed that her tops fins appeared to be mostly missing; as though they've been chewed off by another fish but we can't remember is she was like this straight out the LFS.
 
Today I started a 40% water change and before refilling the tank I've been adding some new plants and doing a little rearranging. She now appears to be dying. More below.

Tank size: 240 litre.
pH: 7.8
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 40 (Tap water is 30 straight out the tap. Part of the water change today I will be adding some RO water.
kH: Very high
gH: Very high
tank temp: 24c

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): Swims to the surface. Stays there for a while and then collapses to the bottom. She's laying on her side gasping.

Volume and Frequency of water changes: 1 per week. 30%.

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: Liquid carbon. Plant food. AquaPlus.

Tank inhabitants: In my sig.

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): Several new plants. The Gouramis were the latest additions in terms of fish. 1 male and 2 females.

Exposure to chemicals: None.
 
I'm just wondering if it's time to euthanize the fish in clove oil and alcohol or whether she'll potentially make a full recovery.
 
Thanks for any help and advice!

 

[looking-glass]

It could be the dwarf gourami disease, it has come about through intensive breeding causing very weak strains ive given up on keeping them now

 

[FlyingFish78]

I just noticed that she's made a few powerful efforts to jump out the tank before sinking to the bottom again.

 

[looking-glass]

there are numerous symptoms but depending on where they have been bred they are very weak strains of the fish and unfortunately there is no cure it may not be this though its just something to bear in mind when it comes to dwarf gouramis  

 

[FlyingFish78]

Thanks for suggesting what might have caused it. Unfortunately she's now died. I found the fish laying motionless on the bottom of the tank a minute ago. I fished it out and gave it the clove oil and vodka treatment just to make sure.
 
To be honest I bought the females from the only place out of several fish shops which had females. They didn't look healthy at all but I had no choice but to buy them from there. I reasoned that with a bit of TLC they should improve to full health. Well the male and other female seem fine.
 
... For now.

 

[l_l_l]

Might be dwarf gourami disease like FlyingFish said.. This is the main reason I chose a pearl over the dwarf gourami.

 

[FlyingFish78]

Pearl Gouramis looks very nice but we decided to get dwarfs because of the contrast between the blue and red stripes. Hopefully there won't be anymore deaths and the tank will settle down now. I'm just very slowly adding the RO water to the aquarium. I have to say, it looks much nicer with all the new plants

 

[fishncan]

As everyone stated, DG disease affects many commercially bred fish. You will also find DGs are susceptible to a form of dropsy where they swell up and eventually die.

 

[FlyingFish78]

And to think the guy in the LFS made it all sound so easy when first decided to enquire about buying an aquarium...

 

[DiddleBug]

I know, I had 3 DG and they all died not long after i got them.  Not to be negative, but it might be better to try another type of gourami if these don't work.  My pearls were just great-I'd highly recommend them (if you have a suitable sized tank).  

 

[l_l_l]

And to think the guy in the LFS made it all sound so easy when first decided to enquire about buying an aquarium...

They all make it look like this.
Next time you go there, if you really don't care about leaving frustrated, ask them what they think about having those Bettas in tiny cups.
And then, ask them about having them in a 5-10 Gallon aquarium, with heater and filter.
Most LFS are stupid.

 

[DoubleDutch]

Agree with looking glass. Have a google at Dward Gourami Disease and Iridovirus. Terrible viral disease that "destroyed" this beautifull fish.
If you like them get them from a local breeder and not from a LFS (99% asia bred)

 

[FlyingFish78]

Update.
 
The male DG and other female are still alive and showing no symptoms of DGD. Today I took the step of introducing another female to replace the one which died. Every male needs at least two female so it was about time to source a replacement.
 
This time I went to a different LFS and spent time observing the stock before making a decision to buy.
 
She's been in 10 hours now. Apart from being chased around now and again by the male DG and occasionally by the female, she seems to be settling in nicely.