# Sick dwarf gourami!



## Merf (Feb 24, 2009)

At one point I had 3 powder blue dwarf gouramis, and sadly, now I am only down to one. The gourami just sits down at the bottom on his side heavily breathing. I don't really see him come up for food at all, but he may be getting some from the bottom. It looks like it's kind of hard for him to swim when he gets spooked and always settles back down on his side at the bottom. 
Any idea what might be wrong? 
My water parameters are fine, and none of my other fish seem to be affected by this. Just my gouramis. 

Thanks


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## Kurtfr0 (Nov 2, 2008)

Maybe Bloat? Is there anything else wrong with it? color.. spots.. anything?


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## Merf (Feb 24, 2009)

He doesn't look bloated at all, and I don't see any spots or any other physical abnormalities. He just lies there on his side, he's not active at all like he used to be.


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

:\

Last year, when I worked at a petco, I saw many, many dwarf gouramis die in the way you speak of. we thought it was maybe internal parasites, but no idea. It could be that?


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## StripesAndFins (Dec 31, 2008)

It sounds like it could be 1 of 2 diseases that i have read about in my book. 

BTW: i am no fish doctor so i dont know if these are the actual condition but these tend to appear mostly in gouramis and have some of the simptoms you described. 

1.
does it look like the skin has become a light grayish yellow color instead of its normal color and does it ever rub against any objects or decor? This also causes labored breathig and the fish tends to be lethargic. If so then it could be Velvet disease which is more common in anabatoids and danios.

2.
does it have a darker color than it use to? Is the abdomen visibly extended? This also has to do with loss of appetite and weakness. If any of these other symptoms appear then it could be Iridovirus which is more commonly found in gouramis, angels, and Rams.

Both of these diseases can be found in all species but appear most in the ones after the disease name.

Hope this helps if not, atleast i tried, eh? 

also, hope he makes a better recovery then his friends


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