# Honey gourami has gone dark grey on top



## Richanor (Feb 14, 2015)

I have two honey gourami's in a community tank, but one of them has turned quite dark on top. I have been looking in the forums and I know that it can be quite normal to turn dark when breeding - but this is normal underneath (sorry, I don't know all the technical terms - but when I say "top" and "bottom", I mean as I am looking at them swim).

The tank is only a couple of months old and we have had no problems so far. All levels have been fine, although the nitrites have been quite high (5ppm) recently, which I resolved with regular water changes. The one which is turning black hides all of the time, and doesn't even come out to feed. If the healthy Gourami sees it, it chases it away. I know it's not normal but don't really know what it could be. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

I can't get a photo as it is constantly hidden.

Rich


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

hello and welcome.
for people to be able to give you the best advise would you be
able to say a bit more about the tank that they are in please.
and did you buy them as a pair
plants ? 
other fish
..if yes what are they ?
what filter....
how did you cycle the tank.?

thanks.


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## Richanor (Feb 14, 2015)

Thanks for your reply, sorry about the lack of info (I'm quite new to keeping fish and not sure what info you need).

The tank is a 130 litre aquarium, it has rocks and plants in it (not sure what the plants are - they were recommended at the fish shop). The gourami's were bought as a pair and the other one is fine. The one who is health never used to chase the other one - this is a recent thing. The tank mates are Neon Tetra's, Molly's and a couple of bottom feeders (catfish of some sort?). 

I cycled the tank a few months ago, by setting up the tank, rocks plants etc, adding the water with tap safe and cycle enhancer (followed the dosing instructions). I left it running for a couple of weeks and then started monitoring the water levels until they were stable (pH, ammonia, nitrites & nitrates). Then I added the fish. I hope this is what you were asking - but if I'm being stupid please ask for more info.

Thanks

Rich


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

hi
no not silly at all,never be worried about asking questions :-D
what test kit have you got ? have you got exact numbers for
amonia,nitRate, nitrite, Amonia
you'll probably think me crazy(well i am ) but the top fins
of each of the gourami would you be able to tell me if one top fin is rounded
and if the other is pointed at the tip ?
i think you have a dominance problem here,or even perhaps it's a male
picking on a female in which case he won't stop as he has no one else
to centre on,unless you get a couple more females.


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## Richanor (Feb 14, 2015)

The test kit is made by API, and the exact figures are pH 7.4, Ammonia 0 ppm, Nitrites 0.5 ppm, Nitrates 0 ppm. The nitrites were quit high last week 5ppm, and I had to do daily water changes to get them down - all other levels have been constant.

I'm not sure about the fins, but have managed to get a photo if it helps.

Unfortunately, the unhealthy one started looking very unwell last night, and I have moved it to a tank of its own. So far this morning, it has just sat at the surface, occasionally swimming sown a couple of inches. I suspect it's too late to do anything to help this one now, but if you think there's anything I can do, please let me know.

Thanks

Rich


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## Richanor (Feb 14, 2015)

I only seem to be able to upload one photo at a time, but here is the unhealthy fish.


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## Richanor (Feb 14, 2015)

Update: I did a bit more reading around the forums, and I think the most likely explanation is nitrite poisoning, given that the nitrites were very high last week. Having transferred this fish into a separate aquarium of its own, I added general aquarium tonic and aquarium salts to the water. The dark grey has now turned pale, leaving the fish looking almost white, but it has started swimming about a lot more today (prior to this, it was just hanging about at the surface as in the picture).

As the fish looks to be picking up a bit, how long would you recommend that I keep it in the separate tank on its own?


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

hi
glad things are looking a little better.
i'm not experienced with these gourami,i only keep pearls.
leave him in there as long as you can,and keep the water as clean
as you can,until you're 100% he's ok.


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## Richanor (Feb 14, 2015)

For the benefit of anyone that has found this thread because you're having the same problem, I'll just post the outcome. After a lot of reading, I am confident that it was nitrite poisoning I was dealing with; initially the fish seemed to go dark grey around the top of its head, and extending down the top of its body. It was just floating at the top of the tank showing virtually no movement - it didn't even look like it was breathing.

I transferred it into a separate tank and treated the tank with aquarium salts and general tonic, and literally within hours, it was moving a bit - it's fins and gills. A couple more hours later it was swimming, but now it had lost all of its colour and turned completely white except for its bottom fin. Within 24 hours, it's orange colour had returned and it started eating again about 48 hours later. At this point I moved another (male) gourami into the tank for company, and left them for one week. They are now back in the main aquarium and look fine. The only slight concern I have is that the female spends a lot of her time hiding in the plants - but I believe that this can be normal for gourami's. Thanks for your advice on here when I was panicking!


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

i'm so pleased you have a positive outcome for this. :-D


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