RIP dwarf neon gourami

[Tenko]

Fed the fish 1/2 hour ago and noticed my female neon gourami had died. Absolutely no sign of disease, infection, injury nothing, not even a suicide note.

Checked the water yesterday, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate all 0. Ph at the local 8.2 level and the fish are all used to it (the lfs keeps the same level). The tank has an airstone and is planted.

I got this gourami and a male on Thursday, both have been fine and eating. I had to medicate the tank yesterday with Tetra Mecica because 2 of my guppies are recovering from a mauling by black widow tetras.

Has anyone had any mysterious gourami deaths? Are there any terminal conditions which leave no signs of illness?

I have considered stress as a cause. She was put in the tank Thursday with 6 black widow tetras .Friday and Saturday the black widows had killed 6 cardinals and maimed 2 guppies. 1/2 hour was spent trying to catch the little buggers to take back to the lfs, removing decorations and generally waving the net around like a uncoordinated child. The black widows took over the tank, everything else (apart from the guppies) hid, especially the gouramis.

Can't even get her replaced, the lfs I got her from don't offer refunds or replacements at all.

 

[AmberC]

I'm sorry for your loss!

 

[Origami Gourami]

This is why I prefer getting my fish from my local Petsmart, the guarantee lasts for a week, unless you get a bucket load of fish from different tanks, then it goes to 48hrs. having said that, I have yet to walk up, slap a tiny corpse on the counter and demand a refund.

Only problem I find is that there are only a few people per store who really know their fish, the others just net, bag and sell.

Sorry for your gourami loss, good luck with the recovery mission. My most recent gourami fatality occurred behind the uplift pipe in the only corner I can't get too. Counselling has been offered to fish affected by the sight of their friends' corpse bouncing around whilst I tried to net it.

 

[Tenko]

Just as I thought, even though my water quality was fine they wouldn't replace her. Their guarantee lasts 48 hours.

My mistake for switching lfs. They may save a couple of quid by not replacing my fish but they've lost my business for good now. The first lfs I bought from guarantee for up to 7 days. I'm going back to them.

Is it best to keep dwarf gouramis in male, female pairs?

 

[crimsontsavo]

We always kept our dwarfs in pairs. They had a huge tank though.
So sorry `bout your loss.