# Sick gourami



## starcollector (Sep 26, 2006)

I bought 3 blue (three-spot) gouramis yesterday at Pet Supermarket. The clerk offered to "throw in" a fourth for free, as there were only 4 in the tank and she didn't want to leave him behind. She also said he didn't look so good, and she didn't think "he was going to make it." I said sure! Thanks! I didn't really look too closely at the fish in the bag; they were all pretty stressed so I kept them in the brown paperbag for darkness. 

After I put them in the tank, I realized that one of them indeed doesn't look so good. 3 of them are acting normally, but this one seems odd. His body shape is slightly irregular, he's very skinny and almost "bent" looking. His pupils are much larger than his other blue gourami counterparts. So far, he has been spending all his time hovering at the surface, not really moving unless picked on by another fish. This morning, I thought he had died; he was sort of floating around, until some other fish checked him out; then he got back up again (he still kinda swims on his side sometimes, like he can't quite control his rudder). When I fed them last night and this morning, I put hte food right by him, but he ignored it completely (the other 3 gouramis ate well). He just moved out of the way of the other fish. 

I'm thinking this probably isn't contagious, but who knows?! Should I allow him to live out his days (which may not last long), or should I try to humanely put him to sleep?

Next time someone offers me a free fish, I'm going to look much more carefully at it!!!


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## Amphitrite (Sep 8, 2006)

Hi starcollector. Sorry to hear about your fish. From what I've heard about Petsmart (we don't have them over here) they are not a good place to be getting fish from in the first place, as fish are often unhealthy or dying.

From the description you have given, I would say that there is little chance for the sick gourami and it would be more humane to put him out of his misery.

Do you have the gouramis in a quarantine tank?


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

I agree with Katherine, it would be better to put the sick fish down at this point, chances of recovery are slim. After doing this, I suggest keeping a close eye on any other fish that are in the tank with him, as fish disease tends to be easily transmitted to other fish. With not knowing exactly the cause of illness, it could be one of many things. If any other fish begin to show symptoms, meaning anything out of the ordinary, let us know so we can help advise for the best treatment to follow. In the mean time, I would also check the water quality to be sure there is no ammonia or nitrite levels in the tank, and that nitrates are under 40. This will help to prepare you for quick medicating if it is needed and help to keep the other fish healthy.
Good Luck and let us know what happens.


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## Tracy (Aug 4, 2006)

I work part-time at a PetSmart. I would NEVER offer someone a fish that I thought was "not going to make it".  Euthanize the fish if it is sick and suffering, and don't accept 'free' fish anymore. The employee that offered him to you had no business doing that. 

I have seen disease in the tanks where I work, and I am always honest with someone when they are choosing, for instance, a goldfish with ich. I always advise the people not to buy if the fish are diseased.

Most of my fish came from Petsmart. Aside from an ich outbreak (which I treated with no fish loss) all my fish are alive and fine. I do have a little blue gourami from PetSmart, and it only has one eye. He seems stunted (the others have grown considerably and yet this little blue gourami is still small), but other than being stunted it is active and fine.

Sorry about your's.


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## butterbean 3 (Oct 20, 2006)

I also think you should put your little fish down, poor little thing. But I would suggest that you also look him over very carefully. I have had gourami every sense I started keeping fish and there are somethingÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s that they seem very prone to that will be passed on slowly, and it would be a big help to have some Idea what you might be in for so it can be treated quickly. Look for any lumps etc. on his body just check him out head to toe so to speak.


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## Christina and Simon (Mar 9, 2008)

hi just new to the site. We just bought 6 gouramis (all female), 3 opaline and 3 golden and they were fine when we got them. It's been a few weeks and one golden is beginning to behave like your fish did. It doesn't eat, hangs out at the back, haven't seen any excrament and is just thin. It isn't being bothered bu any of the others at all. It swims at a slight angle that made us wonder if it was a problem with its swim bladder. 
What did you eventually do with your fish? Did it recover?


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