# honey gouramis fins are going black?



## wendex (May 24, 2008)

Hi I've got 2 honey gouramis, their bottom fins have got black patch just under belly? What does this mean?
Tank has been cycled, had a slight increase in nitrates for a few days but back to 0 now.
I noticed that they were facing eachother and swimming at eachother a lot a few days ago. Could try to get a pic not sure how to put pics on messages yet have to look into it. guessing i use add attachment 
Appreciate it if anyone can tell me what's happening.


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## Little-Fizz (Aug 19, 2007)

Your nitrates are zero? 

Post a picture please so we can better help you.

And please post your water parameters.


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## wendex (May 24, 2008)

Oh dear readings not good. Nitrites back up 0.25, nitrates up to 20 from 10-15, amm. still 0, ph 7.4. 
Due a weekly water change tonight. 
All I can think is I'm still over feeding the fish? I really don't know what else I can be doing wrong. 
Hope the picture's is good enough to see what's happening.


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## Little-Fizz (Aug 19, 2007)

Hmm.. Are you sure you tank is cycled? How long has it been set up for?

Lol my god, either you gourami is tiny or your cory is HUGE :shock: 

Did they always have the black spots or have these just appeared and are they growing in size? I've just google searched some pictures of honey gouramis and quite a few of them had black spots on their bottom fins. I would post them but I'm on my dads lap top and he wouldn't be very impressed if he found pictures of fish on it :lol: Lol but if you like you can google honey gourami yourself and see the ones with the black spots.


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## wendex (May 24, 2008)

Right I'll do a search. 
The tank's is coming up for 3 months old, it was cycled but I've been told I added fish 2 quickly - I left over a week between getting each type of fish. Plus I think I'm still over feeding - i don't know if that causes an increase in nitrites - but I was told that a nitrite reading of 0.25 shouldn't make fish ill but obviously it's not nice for them.

This is my first tank and everything I've learnt so far I've got from people on this site. 

The fish are very young still and I don't know if they're growing cos I haven't had them long enough. (the cory in pic I think is close to full size  ) They didn't have black on their fins when I got them and i have seen bigger gouramis in shop so I'm guessing it's not a marking they get when they get older. It's awful not knowing much when you first start.

Thanks for taking time out to look.


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## wendex (May 24, 2008)

It confusing looking up on net. I've read so far male honey dwarf gouramis develop black under bellies when spawning????? and males are aggressive towards eachother ( which might explain the head butting? I don't know, hard to tell if it's playful or aggressive) and it looks like I've got 2 males and I asked the shop for one of each  

How can they be spawning if there are no females? HELP!

I need some expert to tell me about Honey gouramis


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## wendex (May 24, 2008)

Ok 

I think I've def. got a male because he seems to have developed a dark underbelly and female cos she's got a faint brown stripe. (however the females fin under her belly has gone a little dark as well) can I deduce from this they're not sick just getting it together. they are swimming together lots :? and seem happy enough. As long as they're not getting sick that's the most important thing.

If anyone can tell me if similar thing has happened to honeys they've got it would really help.


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## Little-Fizz (Aug 19, 2007)

I've never owned honey gouramis, but TONS of fish change colours when spawning!! 

How much are you feeding? Do you see excessive amounts of fish food falling to the bottom when you feed? What is in your tank? and how big is it?


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## okiemavis (Nov 10, 2007)

Honey gourami are supposed to be pretty small. He looks perfectly healthy to me!

That black you see is actually blue. Male honey gourami develop blue throats as they reach sexual maturity. Both of my gourami did it once they got older and were also in a good environment. You'll see that black/blue spread up towards his mouth and become deeper. No worries, it's perfectly natural and an indication that he's a *he* and also healthy and feels safe!

I'm not sure that you do have a female- they are generally not sold anywhere in the US. However, the brown line does sound like an indication. Generally the most reliable way to sex them in by their dorsal fin, however, this can be very tricky. A male's dorsal fin comes to more of a point, whereas a female's will be more rounded. If you do turn out to have a female, please, breed them and send me some females!


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## wendex (May 24, 2008)

I live in UK - England  I hope they're happy, I went and got some large plants to float and provide hiding places and shelter for them (only fake but I don't think they mind) they seem to like it. 
I've read they like blood worms lots and can over feed easily. I give a mix of food. frozen live food (which contains blood worm) and I think that's where I'm over feeding cos i defrost a cube and put it all in - but only feed once a day when I do this. 
Or two dry flake food feeds a day. I've also got some bottom feeder food and i put a tiny amount in for the corys every now and then. I think I'll not put all the frozen food in maybe. 
A bit does fall to bottom - but as well as weekly water change I get the excess food off bottom filtering it and putting water back in.
Anyway I'm rambling, sooooo pleased the chances are they're ok. Keep you posted and thanks for your help.


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## wendex (May 24, 2008)

Sorry - you asked tank size not that big:

63l

60cm long, 35 high, 30 wide 

Fish in tank blurb

Next tank much bigger :wink:


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## aquakid (Jun 22, 2008)

it may be fin rot


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## wendex (May 24, 2008)

What causes fin rot? Do you know? Are there any other symptoms cos fish appear to be happy, active and eating.

I've done research on net and found out that some types of dwarf honey gourami's anal fin goes a dark colour as they get older and it's just part of their colouring. Plus there are varieties that develop black fin and head/belly. All very confusing :crazy: 

But I've also read a post where someone had a honey whose anal fin went charcoal colour and it died. 

So it's hard to know what's happening?

All the suggestions help though so thankyou.


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## okiemavis (Nov 10, 2007)

Fin rot is caused by a whole bunch of things such as poor water quality.

However, your photo looks absolutely *identical* to how my honey gourami looked when they first started to get their coloration. I wouldn't worry


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## wendex (May 24, 2008)

That's very reassuring thanks okiemavis.

I've really cut down on the amount I'm feeding them now (which is hard cos they have a way of looking hungry searching for food) that's the only thing I can think is causing the nitrites to go up. Cos I don't think I'm over stocked, I change water weekly, clean bottom of tank.

And I was concerned about getting the cardinals (as a beginner) and they're the only fish I've not had any concerns about  

I'll let u know what happens


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## wendex (May 24, 2008)

Pictures taken today showing the changing colours of the dwarf honey gourami, his tail and fins are going more orange but the dark patch isn't getting any bigger. Reall pretty fish ) Picture doesn't show colours very well but you can just see.


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## wendex (May 24, 2008)

and this is one of my corys


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