# Sick Gourami



## DRayx77 (Feb 5, 2010)

I've had my gourami for about seven months now, and she has acted normal since I got her. A few days ago I noticed her lying on her side as if see were dead. When I looked closer, I could see that she was still breathing. I immediately took her out of my aquarium and put her in a bowl by herself. Occasionally she would drift to the bottom of the bowl, and sometimes lay upside down, but when I checked on her she was still breathing. I then noticed that when she swam up or down she swam in spirals, but when swimming left or right she leaned to one side. Her fins look a bit jagged, and she appears to be a bit bloated (but she has been this size for a few months). I cleaned the aquarium, added aquarium salt and quick cure, and put her back into the aquarium alone. She seems to be feeling better and she seems to be swimming more but in the same fashion, although she hasn't floated to the bottom acting like she's dead since she was moved to the aquarium. Also since she has exhibited these symptoms she has not eaten. I've even tried giving her a bit of lettuce thinking she may be constipated, but she won't eat that either. Please help I don’t want to lose my gourami.


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## n1zjd (Jan 25, 2010)

Ive just had my first run-in with Ich, and thats exactly what my beta has been doing. I should have realized something was wrong earlier but didnt catch it until I saw the white spots on my fish. Im not saying this is the case with your fish, just pointing out the similarity so you can be on the lookout for white spots. Mine swims like he is kinda trying to 'shake' something off. And also rubbing up against things to either scratch or get rid of the 'itch'. Good luck, and I hope some one can properly diagnose the problem for you.


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## Austin (Feb 1, 2010)

Hi there. I'm sorry about your gourami.  If her fins are jagged maybe she has been picked on by other fish in the tank? What kind of fish are in there? If she always looks bloated I don't see how it would suddenly be an issue. Maybe you are over feeding her? Also, moving her around to a BOWL (you should move her to a hospital tank if anything! and not a bowl) will cause stress on her which will make her worse. Test you water and see if there is anything else wrong. Make sure the temperature is right. Isn't QuICK cure for ich? If she isn't showing any signs on ich I doubt she is at the stage where ich would be fatal (how shes acting right now). Make sure the temperature is right, the water conditions are ok- if you have an ammonia spike or something move her to another fish tank if you have one! If not buy something to lower the ammonia and change the water. Don't add too much salt by the way... 

In my experience when fish start acting like this there's nothing much you can do... it usually means they are going to die very shortly. :/ But that is just my experience. I do hope she gets better!  If you've done everything you're supposed to all you can do is wait and hope she lives... =[ goodluck.

I'm not sure what causes this or what caused it for you. Fish do die though... maybe it had some problem you cannot control.


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## DRayx77 (Feb 5, 2010)

Austin said:


> Hi there. I'm sorry about your gourami.  If her fins are jagged maybe she has been picked on by other fish in the tank? What kind of fish are in there? If she always looks bloated I don't see how it would suddenly be an issue. Maybe you are over feeding her? Also, moving her around to a BOWL (you should move her to a hospital tank if anything! and not a bowl) will cause stress on her which will make her worse. Test you water and see if there is anything else wrong. Make sure the temperature is right. Isn't QuICK cure for ich? If she isn't showing any signs on ich I doubt she is at the stage where ich would be fatal (how shes acting right now). Make sure the temperature is right, the water conditions are ok- if you have an ammonia spike or something move her to another fish tank if you have one! If not buy something to lower the ammonia and change the water. Don't add too much salt by the way...
> 
> In my experience when fish start acting like this there's nothing much you can do... it usually means they are going to die very shortly. :/ But that is just my experience. I do hope she gets better!  If you've done everything you're supposed to all you can do is wait and hope she lives... =[ goodluck.
> 
> I'm not sure what causes this or what caused it for you. Fish do die though... maybe it had some problem you cannot control.


I have two glowfish in the aquarium with her. I've been monitoring the water temperature, and it's been staying in the mid to high 70s. I was planning on getting something to test the water tomorrow, although I don't think it's the water since the other two are fine. I don't know though, this is just my opinion. Thank you for replying


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