The 3rd dwarf gourami is about die

[Ks198]

hey all,

I had my fish tank 180l for nearly a year now. I have
4 dwarf gouramis
2 pearl gouramis
3 zebra danio
Many platy
5 tetras

Nightmare started about 2 months ago when I bought a Betta. Betta didn’t get along with every other fish and he stayed for 3 weeks and died. I applied Api melfax for a week, Then after than slowly, another dwarf gourami died after few weeks, a few days ago, another dwarf gourami died, almost as soon as it die, but I noticed a very active dwarf gourami stopped eating and hiding all the time, there are 2 holes on the top fin. (1 hole a few weeks ago). The other died dwarf gourami didn’t have any damage on the fin. I change 30% water every week. What I am doing wrong? Plz help. Thanks a lot!

 

[Chubbs]

Buy aquarium salt, dose per instructions and keep the water temp stable and around 25-27c until they heal.

Same happened to me About a year ago with two breeding pairs of dwarf Gourami.

 

[BubblingUnder]

I think there has been a problem with Dwarf Gourami's as a species in the aquarium trade for many years. I remember more than 10 years ago seeing tanks of Dwarf Gourami's arrive at fish shops only to go into rapid decline. Only the Dwarf Gourami's seemed to be affected other type of Gourami were fine.

Had similar problems keeping a pair of Dwarf Gourami's myself & they did not last long however I kept Pearl Gourami's absolutely fine. The only thing I could but it down to was inbreeding but I have no proof.

 

[PARAGUAY]

There was a good article about this sometime ago in Practical Fishkeeping, it appears to be the source from some eastern suppliers, getting them from a really good aquarium retailer and that have been quarantined is the best you can do if can’t find a aquarist who has bred them

 

[castle]

I may be pulling this info out of the air, but I remember reading that gouramis (dwarf) if from commercial strains are very weak, prone to disease and have a lifespan of 1-2 years, compared to wild fish that could last 5+

I'll hunt out some sources.

 

[castle]

The Dwarf Gourami is one of the most ubiquitous freshwater species in the aquarium hobby, and is unarguably a beautiful fish. Several colour forms have been line-bred for the trade and have also proved popular. These include “Sunset” (also sold as “Red” or “Robin”) and “Neon” varieties, although it’s highly debatable whether these come close to matching the brilliance of the natural form.

Unfortunately the general quality of dwarf gouramis available to fishkeepers has diminished dramatically in recent years. Some shops have actually ceased to stock the species as they are unable to obtain disease-free stock from Far Eastern (primarily Singaporean) breeders and have experienced high losses. It’s thought that mass-breeding for the hobby may have resulted in a widespread epidemic of a disease known as Dwarf gourami iridovirus (DGIV). This Megalocytivirus species appears to be very infectious and thus far has proved untreatable. A study conducted in Australia in 2006 revealed that as many as 22% of dwarf gouramis coming out of Singapore were carrying the disease.

The apparent susceptibility of dwarf gouramis to illness was previously blamed on bacterial infections such as fish TB and Nocardia–type afflictions, but it now appears that DGIV may play a very significant role. Worryingly, it has recently been shown that DGIV can be transmitted to other species sharing the same water as an infected gourami. It goes without saying that these fish should be observed very carefully before buying. Avoid tanks that contains lethargic-looking or darkened specimens. Ask about the origins of them, and if there have been any losses in the shop. In our opinion, finding a local breeder is an option well worth considering.

Like others in the suborder Anabantoidei, the species possesses an accessory breathing organ known as the labyrinth organ. So-called due to its maze-like structure, this organ allows the fish to breathe atmospheric air to a certain extent. It is formed by a modification of the first gill arch, and consists of many highly vascularised, folded flaps of skin. The structure of the organ varies in complexity between species, tending to be more well-developed in those inhabiting particularly oxygen-deprived conditions.

from http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/trichogaster-lalius/

 

[Ks198]

Thanks all. I had them since May last year. They were all fine and very active at the beginning. I think there are some diseases only impacting the Dwarf gouramis. Interestingly it impact one by one. I just bought salt as chubbs suggested, will give it a go! It seems that once it get to the status of not eating, it’s hard to get it back.

 

[alto]

While the Betta introduction & loss may be unrelated, this article is worth reading

Mycobateriosis in Bettas

Both Mycobacterium & Iridovirus (there are others identified which impact the ornamental fish trade) can account for your observed fish deaths
Supportive care is really all that can be done in either instance, excellent water quality, good quality foods, minimal environmental & behavioural stressors ...

I'm not a fan of either Melafix (scientific studies indicate a slight reduction in waterborne "pathogens", but not in the pathogens that usually/actually impact fish health) or salt treatments (these are useful in some instances, but often not as frequently used) OTOH neither is likely to drastically affect healthy fish

Exception: Melafix/Pimafix use has been linked to adverse effects in some fish species

Sorry for your losses

 

[Kevin2016]

I've lost several gourami due (i think) this virus. Yesterday the male, now the female is alone. I'm not sure what to do next. Get another male and again with that virus. Or get a new sort of colourful fish. Though i'm not sure which one...any suggestions ?
It need to come along with neon tetra's, cory's and shrimps. (sorry for hijacking this topic )