Yellow Dwarf Gourami Sick

[LennyMansfield]

Good Evening,
I'm wondering if anyone could give me their opinion on a yellow dwarf gourami that I have which recently started acting a bit sick.

Tank size: 6g
pH: 7.8
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 20
kH & gH: don't have test kits
tank temp: 78

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):
One of my gouramis started acting sick yesterday. It is staying near the surface, typically hiding in some of my floating plants nearly motionless. It seems to be breathing rapidly and getting air from the surface more frequently than normal. The gills are looking a bit pink as well. I've been observing quite a bit, and it had a long stringy clear poop last night, but haven't seen any since. The fish is not being social as it previously had been. When the fish does swim about, it seems to be swimming normally...it just isn't swimming around much.

Volume and Frequency of water changes:
20-25% every 5-6 days

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank:
Added 1/2 tablet of Jungle Brand "Parasite Clear Tank Buddies" because I think it may be internal parasites. The main ingredient in this is praziquantel.

Tank inhabitants:

2 Yellow Dwarf Gourami
4 Zebra Danios

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):
None

Exposure to chemicals:
Just the medication mentioned above

From reading on the boards, some of the symptoms seemed that it could be constipation, but I'm thinking that it may be parasites. I tried feeding peas to help if it was constipation, but the sick gourami doesn't seem interested in eating. The other fish are all behaving normally.

Does anyone have suggestions? Am I right in thinking internal parasites? If so, what are the chances of survival with the medication I'm using?

I wish I could post a pic, but all I have is a cell-phone camera right now, and the pictures I managed aren't worth posting...I appreciate any help. Thanks.

 

[WILDER]

Gouramis are more prone to the bacterial side.
Long stringy white poo can be internal bacteria infection, constipation, to internal parasites.
What do you feed the fish?
Check the anus of the fish to see if its enlarged or red and inflamed.
Sadly once they heavy breath bad news they rarely make it.
He showing the signs of a dying fish, sorry.

 

[LennyMansfield]

Thanks Wilder. The poor guy didn't make it through the night...I'm just glad he didn't suffer long.

I plan on continuing to treat the tank for internal parasites incase this is what caused the problem. If it is bacterial, do I need to worry about the others in the tank?

I've been feeding them algae based flakes and standard tropical flakes, generally alternating between the two each feeding. Occasionally I'll give them some mashed up peas or frozen brine shrimp as a treat, but these two are less than once a week for one or the other.

Thanks again!

 

[WILDER]

More veg and frozen foods in there diet, fish need a good varied diet.
What internal parasite med are you using?
Internal parasites cause bacterial infections on top as they do alot of damage to the inside of the fish.

 

[LennyMansfield]

It's Jungle "Parasite Clear Tank Buddies." It does say that it prevents secondary infections...

http/www.petco.com/product/3348/Jungle-P...nk-Buddies.aspx

 

[WILDER]

Ok, good luck.

 

[vinylman]

It could have been the Iridovirus that affects Dwarf Gouramis; I'd steer clear of any more for a while.