Why can't I keep dwarf gouramis alive?

[JamesTasker]

I think I have seen a similar post here recently but I couldn't find it - sorry guys . My dwarf gouramis just keep dying. The first one dyed of overfeeding - beginner mistake . I found the next one dead with its fins shredded. The next one ate two fish and popped . The next one died 48 hours after i bought it (maybe it was beaten up in the tank) and my latest one has just died. Most have skin defects. TB? If so how can I get rid of it. Other tank occupants: 1 ancistrus, 8 neons, 2 platys, 9 platy fry, 2 kuhlis. Water parameters are fine. I'm starting to get annoyed as they are so @&*%*$"~ expensive.

 

[rykitten]

I've found some good links on Fish TB as I think my dwarf has it too.
Fish TB
You should clean out the entire tank, fish TB is highly contagious not only to your other fish, but it can cause skin infections. Here is a link on how to clean your tank. Cleaning Your Tank

 

[JamesTasker]

OK, UPDATE.

It is defiinitely TB - largish skin defect on side of head of infected fish.

Questions
1. What shall I do? I can hardly strip the tank as I don't have a hospital tank.
2. Do only gouramis catch it?
3. I have a scratch on my hand, how easy is it to catch - that article has got me worried rykitten eww .
4. Is it the same as human TB - will the BCG inoculation protect me against it? I'm probably just being paranoid right?
5. Is my other DG sure to die?
6. Maybe this should be moved to emergencies?

 

[CFC]

It has been a well known fact amongst experienced fish keepers that the strains of dwarf gouramis now being sold are of very poor quality and are often riddled with un treateble diseases, personally i never recomend that anyone should buy dwarf gouramis.
Fish TB is mainly caught by air breathing fish (anabantids) but can infect any fish once it is present in the aquarium, it has no cure and once present the advised course of action is a complete cull of all current inhabitants and the sterilisation of the tank and equipment. Of course no one wants to destroy their pet fish so the only thing you can do is destroy any infected fish and do not add any other new fish to the tank until there have been no signs of disease for at least 6 months, you will also never be able to add air breathing fish or remove any of your current fish to a tank containing air breathing fish.

 

[rykitten]

LoL maybe I shouldn't have linked that article . . .

See this link for the full story and pics of my fish. Does yours look anything like this?

Also, here another really informative link on human infection.

When I read it I kind of freaked out too. But I really don't think you have a reason to. Read the above link. The incident of infection is super low.

Some articles I've read say it's best to euthanize your infected fish. I won't tell you to do that, that's strictly up to you. But I would definetely remove the dwarf. It can spread to others. I've had mine seperated in the hospital for quite a few weeks and don't plan on putting him back with the others.

It's not the same as human TB. Read the link above.

Kanacyn is supposed to be the most effective medicine to use on you fish for TB though it's rarely curable.

I wear gloves now whenever I go near my dwarf.

 

[Synastic]

OK, UPDATE.

It is defiinitely TB - largish skin defect on side of head of infected fish.

Questions
1. What shall I do? I can hardly strip the tank as I don't have a hospital tank.
2. Do only gouramis catch it?
3. I have a scratch on my hand, how easy is it to catch - that article has got me worried rykitten eww .
4. Is it the same as human TB - will the BCG inoculation protect me against it? I'm probably just being paranoid right?
5. Is my other DG sure to die?
6. Maybe this should be moved to emergencies?

Lol Ry, Why you gotta scare the crap out of people???
JamesTasker, you'll be allright (j.k.) ~just relax~

 

[rykitten]

)

 

[JamesTasker]

lol - thought so. It was a pretty nasty link tho . My fish looks quite similar but the ulcer thingys are more pinkish.

 

[rykitten]

Yea, my dwarfs were bright red at the very start. You could treat him and see what happens . . . It may be something else . . .

 

[JamesTasker]

Doubt it. It explains quite a few 'mysterious' deaths recently. I'm pretty sure someone in another thread mentioning an antibiotic tablet for the tank. Any ideas about this. Your help is much appreciatated!

 

[rykitten]

As I've read, Kanacyn is supposed to be the drug of choice. That isn't avaliable to me here, so INCHWORM suggested Maracyn and Maracyn 2. I see that you're in England, so maybe someone familiar with your area can suggest something.

By the way, my other dwarf is fine. I removed him for a few weeks as well, just to observe. He never developed any sores so I returned him to the community .

 

[JamesTasker]

Had you stripped down your community before you replaced him? If you haven't, CFCs post on this thread says you shouldn't do that... I'm glad he's OK tho. . Its quite annoying that I don't have a hospital tank so I could strip down my community but I can't spend more money on fishy stuff really

 

[rykitten]

Nope, I didn't bleach out my tank. None of the other fish looked ill at the time and I had no clue what was wrong with the dwarf for weeks.
I simply removed him and treated him. Everyone else is fine. I guess cleaning the entire tank is recommended, but I didn't do it. )

Now you've got me thinking . . . Spring cleaning?

 

[JamesTasker]

How long has he been in there? If there have been no problems then surely no action (spring cleaning ) should be taken.

 

[rykitten]

I feel your pain with the extra cash for fishy stuff. I don't have a hospital tank big enough to hold all my lil guys.