help..sick dwarf coral gourami

[sharkbait]

water has zero nitrites, zero ammonia and PH about 7.6
everyone else in the tank seems fine, though I treated for ich about a week and a half ago. no sign of it now.
Over the last week or so Ralph the gourami has been off his food. not like him he's generally first to the surface.

He looks great no sign of disease or parasites, gills OK but his respiration is high. The rest of the occupants look fine.
he sat on the bottom of the tank today with the odd visit to the surface for a gulp of air. despite water parameters being good I've just done a 20% change and a gravel vacuum despite having done one less than a week ago.
I'm running out of ideas.
any offers?

 

[mrV]

What kind of food have you give them? Tried worms (frozen ones)?

though I treated for ich about a week and a half ago. no sign of it now

Was there ich? If was, then there can be some left (especially in fishs gills). It takes even over 3 weeks when ich developes from spore into parasite (it depends on water temperature). When medicate ich, you should medicate at least 1 week after you haven't seen any parasite in your fishes.

pH seems to be quite high for Colisa lalia. I have kept them and when pH was under seven and put some turf (natural turf, without any fertilizers) into filter, they seems to be quite "happy". If there was something wrong in water, you saw it from those fishes..

So, what about temperature? GH? And nitrates (NO3-)?

 

[sharkbait]

Alas Ralph went to fishy heaven a few hours after I posted. I think you're probably right about ich in the gills having affected him. The behaviour was as if he had trouble with respiration. Maybe something else on top of that. I haven't used my frozen blood worm for a few weeks as I was worried about raising the nitites, temp has been 80C during treatment but now is 77C
Nitrates are fine. GH, I actually know nothing about and don't have a test for. I shall post a message up under beginners Q's for the benefit of other newbies as well.

Thanks anyway:

Stuart