sick gourami mystery

[Denise]

My powder blue gourami just died (I'd had it for 2 months - then tank has
been running for a year)and I can't figure out why. I've got a heavily
planted 30g tank, the gourami, 1 platy, 12 neon tetras, 1 cory cat, 4 zebra
loaches. Water temp=80 degF, no ammonia, no nitrates, safe range nitrites,
pH 7.2-7.5, KH & Gh in moderate range. All other inhabitants are fine, i.e.
they appear healthy.

3 days ago the gourami's stomach was swollen & it was panting, listless, and
wouldn't eat, but the color and skin looked ok otherwise. I aerated the tank
round the clock and treated for parasites. 2 days ago the gourami appeared
perkier but still swollen. An area just behind and above the stomach also
appeared swollen. Yesterday the swelling was down in the new area and there
was a tiny black spot on the dorsal fin. I again treated for parasites. This
morning the gourami was clearly dying so I removed it to a hospital tank and
it died shortly thereafter.

I checked the gills and they were red and not swollen. The skin was slimy
and came off in my hands. The stomach was quite soft and slightly swollen
but I didn't see anything but bloody fluid when I cut it open. I don't have
a microscope so I can't do a smear. I've read all my fish & fish disease
books and searched the web but just can't put my finger on what happened.
Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance for any help you can give.
Denise

[[email protected]]

Was he swimming erraticly? if so,it might hvave been swim-bladder
disease. If not, my second thought is dropsy. Did you take any pics you
could possibly post on a website?

Evan Davis

[Margolis]

"Denise" > wrote in message
news:WE%Ad.16198$2X6.14349@trnddc07...
> My powder blue gourami just died (I'd had it for 2 months - then tank has
> been running for a year)and I can't figure out why. I've got a heavily
> planted 30g tank, the gourami, 1 platy, 12 neon tetras, 1 cory cat, 4
zebra
> loaches. Water temp=80 degF, no ammonia, no nitrates, safe range nitrites,
> pH 7.2-7.5, KH & Gh in moderate range. All other inhabitants are fine,
i.e.
> they appear healthy.
>
> 3 days ago the gourami's stomach was swollen & it was panting, listless,
and
> wouldn't eat, but the color and skin looked ok otherwise. I aerated the
tank
> round the clock and treated for parasites. 2 days ago the gourami appeared
> perkier but still swollen. An area just behind and above the stomach also
> appeared swollen. Yesterday the swelling was down in the new area and
there
> was a tiny black spot on the dorsal fin. I again treated for parasites.
This
> morning the gourami was clearly dying so I removed it to a hospital tank
and
> it died shortly thereafter.
>
> I checked the gills and they were red and not swollen. The skin was slimy
> and came off in my hands. The stomach was quite soft and slightly swollen
> but I didn't see anything but bloody fluid when I cut it open. I don't
have
> a microscope so I can't do a smear. I've read all my fish & fish disease
> books and searched the web but just can't put my finger on what happened.
> Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance for any help you can give.
> Denise
>
>


probably was an internal bacterial infection. Also, are you certain it was
a male? I have had female gourami's get eggbound and die before because
they had no male that was willing to spawn with them.


--

Margolis
http://web.archive.org/web/20030215212142/http://www.agqx.org/faqs/AGQ2FAQ.htm
http://www.unrealtower.org/faq

[Denise]

Yes, my gourami was a male. Swimming behavior was ok till just before he
died when he swam head up or on his side. I thought of dropsy but there were
no bulging scales. I didn't think to take a photo because he looked fine
except for the bulging stomach.
Denise
"Margolis" > wrote in message
...
> "Denise" > wrote in message
> news:WE%Ad.16198$2X6.14349@trnddc07...
> > My powder blue gourami just died (I'd had it for 2 months - then tank
has
> > been running for a year)and I can't figure out why. I've got a heavily
> > planted 30g tank, the gourami, 1 platy, 12 neon tetras, 1 cory cat, 4
> zebra
> > loaches. Water temp=80 degF, no ammonia, no nitrates, safe range
nitrites,
> > pH 7.2-7.5, KH & Gh in moderate range. All other inhabitants are fine,
> i.e.
> > they appear healthy.
> >
> > 3 days ago the gourami's stomach was swollen & it was panting, listless,
> and
> > wouldn't eat, but the color and skin looked ok otherwise. I aerated the
> tank
> > round the clock and treated for parasites. 2 days ago the gourami
appeared
> > perkier but still swollen. An area just behind and above the stomach
also
> > appeared swollen. Yesterday the swelling was down in the new area and
> there
> > was a tiny black spot on the dorsal fin. I again treated for parasites.
> This
> > morning the gourami was clearly dying so I removed it to a hospital tank
> and
> > it died shortly thereafter.
> >
> > I checked the gills and they were red and not swollen. The skin was
slimy
> > and came off in my hands. The stomach was quite soft and slightly
swollen
> > but I didn't see anything but bloody fluid when I cut it open. I don't
> have
> > a microscope so I can't do a smear. I've read all my fish & fish disease
> > books and searched the web but just can't put my finger on what
happened.
> > Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance for any help you can give.
> > Denise
> >
> >
>
>
> probably was an internal bacterial infection. Also, are you certain it
was
> a male? I have had female gourami's get eggbound and die before because
> they had no male that was willing to spawn with them.
>
>
> --
>
> Margolis
>
http://web.archive.org/web/20030215212142/http://www.agqx.org/faqs/AGQ2FAQ.htm
> http://www.unrealtower.org/faq
>
>
>
>