# What the heck is up with my Gouramis?!



## LancsRick (30 Jul 2012)

Ok, I'm at a loss to explain this so I'm seeking help or reassurance, whichever is required.

I've just had to euthanise another of my red honey gouramis due to dropsy, and I think this can only be down to getting a "sickly" batch since I got them all from the same place at the same time, but I want to check.

- All other fish in the aquarium are absolutely fine (cardinal tetras, white tailed mountain minnows, botia striata, amano shrimp, even otocinclus!!)
- I've tested pH, NO2, ammonia, and they're 7-7.5, <0.1 and 0 respectively
- Temperature of the tank is stable at 28, and always stays that way
- Filters are regularly maintained
- Only chemicals being added are James' all in one recipe 3

- Feeding on "normal" flake foods, King British catfish pellets, algae wafers, and frozen/fresh bloodworm once a week or so.


So, any suggestions as to what might be amiss, or just reassurance that sometimes this happens?

Cheers!


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## spill50 (30 Jul 2012)

Are they dwarf honey gouramis? If the are you may want to look into Dwarf Gourami Iridovirus (DGIV). Abdominal swelling is one of the symptoms and is very common in dwarf gourami and always fatal and if one has it chances are they all do. I lost 2 dwarf honeys last year to it.


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## spill50 (30 Jul 2012)

Some good info here http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-health/disease-prevention/fish-viral-disease.aspx


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## Antipofish (30 Jul 2012)

Rick go back to where you got them from and see whats left in their tanks... it can be very telling !  Sorry to hear you are losing them though.  You do get sickly batches in sometimes... a local LFS had a whole load of panda corys cark it (including the 4 i got, but they replaced them next time round)


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## dw1305 (31 Jul 2012)

Hi all,


> I've just had to euthanise another of my red honey gouramis due to dropsy, and I think this can only be down to getting a "sickly" batch since I got them all from the same place at the same time, but I want to check.


I agree with "Spill50", a lot of shops won't stock them, because they are always terrible quality, and almost inevitably die. It is a shame, but I'd just try and find something else for the upper reaches of the tank.

If you can find the wild type _Colisa sota_ from a breeder etc. they should be fine.

cheers Darrel


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## spill50 (31 Jul 2012)

Yeah it is a real shame, the 2 I had were real characters when they were healthy. Always getting stuck in when I had my arm in the tank doing maintenance almost like they were trying to help out, just not doing a very good job at it and getting in the way more than anything. I felt terrible when I had to euthanise them.

I'll never buy dwarf gourami again. Too much risk. Unless it's the wild type as you say.


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## LancsRick (31 Jul 2012)

Yea, it's a real shame as they were "friendly" fish. I'll keep a careful eye on the others, at least I can take solace that it wasn't my doing!

I'm finding white tail mountain minnows to be excellent fish for the top of the tank, always out and about and in the higher levels.


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## Antipofish (31 Jul 2012)

My honey gourami are healthy and no problems, and the shop i got them from also does the red variety and they don't seem to have problems either.  There are several other places that I frequent who sell them too, and again, I have not noticed any problems. Is it a case of some consolidators getting better stock than others perhaps ? Or some shops not having great filter systems ? It seems a shame to condemn every single fish just because of some peoples bad experiences.


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## roadmaster (31 Jul 2012)

Of the dwarf gourami, it is Colisa Ialia that are more prone to iridovirus .
Colisa Chuna, (honey gourami) are less prone to disease, but inbreeding, or cross breeding,, may influence these fish as well  in the near future.
Just look at neon tetra's for example. These fish used to be very hardy fish, but over the last twenty year's they too have become more problematic from health standpoint than they used to be.I believe their decline is more due to those who's interest is in turning out number's, rather than trying to improve the quality or strain.
Cross breeding with guppies has in my view produced weaker and weaker fish as well.
Livebearer's I have kept, do much better when a few of the best looking males/females are kept, and then introduced to new stock, as opposed to letting them breed back with parent fish or sibling's.
when the latter is allowed,,the number's of fry are reduced over as little as two generation's and their health is questionable as well (deformities are common).
Is sad to me.


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## Gary Nelson (31 Jul 2012)

Are we talking dwarf gouramis or honey & red robin gouramis?

Dwarfs are prone to health problems and have been for many years! However honey and red robins are allot stronger, my 4 honeys are very healthy and I've had them quite a while  
You might find them a stronger fish....


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## Matt Warner (31 Jul 2012)

I agree on with what the majority here are saying, Dwarf Gouramies are a pain in the ass! They are such a weak fish because they are so popular and because of inbreeding. I had two about a year ago and they both died within a few months from bloating which I put down to the dwarf gourami iridovirus. I will never buy another dwarf gourami after this! They say that most of the dwarf Gouramies which come from Asia already have the virus.


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