Gourami problem

[fiorile833]

I have 3 Gourami's and noticed that one seemed a little listless and wasn't swimming around, so I decided to take him out of the tank incase he was sick. I gave it a little food, and it ate it, but then started laying on its side on the btm of the tank. I called its death about 20X but then it'd somehow come back to life!

It's been 3days now and the little guy is still alive and swimming. He's not very active but def still alive, isn't eating much, and this afternoon when i looked, there was a pile of white cotteny stuff at the btm of the bowl. I don't see anything on the fish at all though.

Its all very strange, any ideas what could be wrong, or what to do?

 

[sylvia]

By pale cottony stuff do you mean something actualy stuck onb the substrate like it's growing there or what?

Is the tank he's currently in cycled (post water params.)? What about the tank he was in? How long have you had him? What other fish were in with him and in what size tank?

Do a water change and gravel vacuum in the tank he's in.

The fact that he's been like this 3 days may suggest it's something as simple as a swim bladder problem. Since he's still eating, try feeding him a de-shelled green pea. If necessary, crush it. This should help if the problem is constipation or bloat. Provided he takes it, don't feed anything else for a few days. If he doesn't go for the pea, try frozen daphnia.

Is there any obvious sign of bloating, pineconing of scales or red streaks/marks on his body or fins?

The white stuff you saw could be a number of things but it sounds like you have some fungus growing in the tank. With healthy fih, this is rarely a problem as the fungus will grow on anything rotting and then dissapear on its own. However, your fish doesn't sound like its in the best of health so the fungus may manage to cause a secondary infection on it. Having said that, fungus growing on the substrate suggests you have rotting debris or uneaten food lying around. This is terrible for water quality so vacuum it up ASAP.

 

[fiorile833]

I have a 35gallon tank, but the sick fish is in 3 gallon bowl. The tank is cycled and the water levels are all good. I've had him about 25days.

I do think now that the stuff on the btm is just food that went bad, so i'll vacuam asap. As far as anything actually on him, he looks totally fine, no bloating/streaks/marks or anything.


And i'll def try the food suggestions.


Thanx for your help, I'll keep you updated

 

[fiorile833]

Fishie seems to be doing a little worse now, i think i may have scared him a little bit too.

The only way i could clean out the hospital tank was to move the fish to a different bowl for a min or two. He fought around in the net the v breif time he was in it. When I put him back in the hospital tank, i noticed on his side fins (sorry i don't know what they are called) on the left one were 2 red (almost vein) lines i hadn't noticed before.

He also was swimming around a little before, and now appears to just be swimming in place, all fins moving but not going anywhere, its the strangest thing.

 

[WILDER]

He's not sounding good at all, once they lay on there sides it means they are dying, is he bloated or heavy breathing the stringy stuff on the bottom could it be poo.

 

[fiorile833]

Some how the fish is still alive! Its like a miracle fish, 4days I've been thinking it'll die.
It's still lying on its side, but isn't bloated or anything else strange. However, now he's not eating either, I even tried a pea. So I guess the poor little guy is still on a downward slope

 

[WILDER]

Sorry, once they stop eating not good.

 

[fiorile833]

Yeah figured its not, poor little thing I just hope he's not suffering. Wish I could do something.