# Just wanted to post about some sad, but predictable news (Dwarf Gourami)



## jennesque (May 11, 2011)

I got a dwarf gourami, and although I read about the virus in the profile, I didn't realize how common the disease was until after I bought the fish. I picked out a very healthy looking one, from a tank full of symptomless DGs but he still got the disease. He had been acting a little off the last week or two, and started developing the weird bulges
m I found him yesterday with even worse lumps and bulges, a couple small sores, and he wasn't very colorful and hanging out around the bottom of the tank. He looked like all the pictures of fish with the virus, so I euthanized him. It's sad... I feel bad. 

I also came home to find that one of my cories had swam down the output tube of my sponge filter and was stuck in there between the tube and the airline. I thought for sure he was a gonner and pulled the filter out.. he was even out the water for a minute or two while I went to grab a bucket, but when I started to disassemble the filter he started wriggling! He was alive! He looks like he might be injured to me.. and he's not as active as the others so I am worried he will not make it either.. this happened yesterday at like 5pm and he was still alive this morning. I did get him to eat last night so I'm hoping he does make it.

I don't know if I even want to bother with replacing my gourami with anything. I had Blue Rams before without much luck.. ugh. Yesterday was a sad day for my tank. I really hope my Cory makes it, cause I already lost my Betta too because of a lid malfunction.


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## rameshg (May 12, 2012)

I am really sorry for your loss  
Hope the cory feels better soon... Take care, my friend.


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## SeaHorse (Dec 27, 2010)

Hi jennesque! Sorry for your loss and aquarium troubles. It can be very discouraging when losing one fish after another. And the losses can be unrelated to each other. Different handling methods, different species requirements and diseases. 
Don't be discouraged. Was this the 28 gall bowfront? Who is still in the tank and how is that Cory doing?


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## jennesque (May 11, 2011)

Thanks guys.  yeah.. the Betta jumped out the night I tried out a different lid. He got out of the tiniest space.. I was going to secure it better in the morning. I felt terrible. And I feel bad about the gourami but I'm not sure there's anything I could've done about that. I just wanted to post another example of why not to get a dwarf gourami.

I am at work and can't check on the cory again until tonight.

The gourami was in the 28gal and I've still got the same rummys, rasboras, and cories as in my signature.
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## rameshg (May 12, 2012)

I have been thinking of getting a DG for my 25 gal community, but have hesitated as I have heard quite a bit about the iridovirus disease.... Is the disease contagious? Such a beautiful fish... it's really sad... What are the odds that DGs from chain pet stores will make it OK. I don't want to try, but it's temptiing.. I love these fish...


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## jennesque (May 11, 2011)

I know they did a test where 22% of the imports tested were positive for the virus. It is VERY contagious among DG so if even one fish looks unhealthy in the tank, they probably all have the virus. I got my DG from a local LFS who has the healthiest stock in the city, and it's one of the best run LFS in my state.. I would say, like many others do, unless you can get them from a local breeder, avoid them. If they come from Asia it's very risky, if they're bred in the USA or Canada the chances are still there, just not a great.

It is contagious.. I know other gourami can get it, and I think pretty much any fish housed with dwarf gourami are at risk of carrying it, but if they're kept in a healthy tank they don't usually become affected.

It sucks.. I've had the gourami for a couple months too.. maybe 3-4 so it's not like a QT tank can really prevent this. The healthier the tank, the longer their life may be.. but a lot of sources say they'll be killed by the virus at some point, no matter what you do. The best treatment is vet administered antibiotics which often do not even work.
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## jennesque (May 11, 2011)

Well, the cories were all alive... I still think the one is acting a bit weird. :/
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## cameronpalte (Apr 1, 2012)

Interesting. I guess I may of just been lucky with my dg. I got it from pet co (not renown for carrying healthy fish), put it in my tank and now around 3 weeks later it's still healthy and thriving.

Also if you can I would set up a 10g hospital tank which you constantly keep running (put the media in your 28g to make sure it has bacteria), and any time something like that happens, for the cory you can transfer it their to keep a closer eye on it.


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## jennesque (May 11, 2011)

I looked it up and I did have the DG for at least three months.. I hope yours does stay healthy though. It's no fun..

I do need to set up a hospital tank. I've even got a small, established sponge filter I could've used.. I just didn't think of it. He'd already been out of the water a few minutes, and stuck for who knows how long so I just panicked and wanted to get him back into water asap!
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## Noisy Kricket (Jul 6, 2012)

Sorry to hear about your Dwarf Gourami. Ive also list three to this disease. I just wanted to post about my experience with the DG. 

All of the regular and bronze I've ever purchased (online and local) have died from the disease. I've purchased one powder blue, also notorious for it. He is alive and well but the issue with him was that he was more aggressive than anything I've ever had. He's now with a friend of mine who had the same problem and ended up putting him into a 20g still cycling. Again, he's alive and flourishing so the powder blues in my experience are very hardy however I've only dealt with one.

The best news I can give you is on the flame red or fire red dwarf gourami. I have 4 males from petco and 8 females from aquariumfish.net and they are amazing. No problems at all with those and one pair has even made a bubble nest in a large clump of floating water sprite so they are in fact breeding with out lowering the water levels. They are in a 55g with blue rams tetras cories and rainbows at 81F

I hope this helps and encourages you to keep trying.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Honey gourami for small to medium size tank's,or Pearl gourami for larger tank's would be my choice.
They are fairly hardy, and said not to be affected by iridovirus that all species/variant's of Colisa Ialia are.
I actually have read that some suggest ,as many as 40 percent of the imported Colisa Ialia are prone to the virus and would not waste my money on them.
Honey gourami is hardier and good choice, and Pearl Gourami I have kept have lived for up to eight /ten year's with good care.


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## rameshg (May 12, 2012)

That's encouraging indeed, NK. How long have you had your powder-blue and flame-red? Also, what kind are the females? What is the experience when buying online. Will they be OK with temperature changes during transporting long distance? Thants


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## rameshg (May 12, 2012)

@1077: 8-10 yrs! That must be a record! Way to go! I have 25 gal, low - moderately planted (will add more & plants are doing well..). Is this too small for a Pearl Gourami. preferably a pair (if I could find a female)? Currently, I have rasboras (7) and cardinals (12).....


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

rameshg said:


> @1077: 8-10 yrs! That must be a record! Way to go! I have 25 gal, low - moderately planted (will add more & plants are doing well..). Is this too small for a Pearl Gourami. preferably a pair (if I could find a female)? Currently, I have rasboras (7) and cardinals (12).....


25 gallon's would in my view be too small for the Pearl Gourami.
Most literature on the Pearl Gourami does suggest, that they can live up to ten year's with good care.
My sister actually had a pair of pearl's for about four year's before she moved goldfish into their tank (50 gal).
When I suggested that the fish don't share same temp requirement's,,she gave them to me and I kept them for close to four year's .


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## rameshg (May 12, 2012)

Thanks. That's what I reckoned too. I would really like a gourami (or pair) for our tank. Been thinking of powder-blue, but have been hesitant, in view of disease prone nature...


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## jennesque (May 11, 2011)

I still wouldn't risk getting another DG. I'm converted..lol. I think everyone who cares about fish keeping should stop buying them to low the demand so that the breeders may take another look at their practices. 

I'm assuming I'd have to wait at least a good while before getting another DG anyways because the virus is probably still in my water column.

So, a honey gourami would be an OK option to add to my tank? I'm thinking of getting a honey gourami or a Bolivian ram. Can't really think of anything else that I could get that would be OK being alone in the tank. I am worried about these fish possibly eating my amano shrimp.. though my DG left them alone (and he ate my ghost shrimp).
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## Noisy Kricket (Jul 6, 2012)

rameshg said:


> That's encouraging indeed, NK. How long have you had your powder-blue and flame-red? Also, what kind are the females? What is the experience when buying online. Will they be OK with temperature changes during transporting long distance? Thants


I had the grumpy "Big Blue" Powder Blue DG for almost a year before moving him to a friends house. I forgot to mention that he was housed in a 20g with a flame / fire red and he literally ate him completely. Hes been at a friends house for close to six months now and doing great.

As for purchasing online, I believe its the way to go. Ive received better quality every time versus buying at petco. Every site ive ordered from ships over night and you usually get them by noon the next day. Ive probably bought 60+ fish and shrimp online and ive only had 1 peppered cory and 1 blue eye gertrudes rainbow DOA (5$ maybe?). Shipping is usually $30 minimum but its well worth it as they're packed in coolers and double / tripled bagged.

Female DG's are very drab in color and usually smaller. You CAN see the difference on the females with the color varieties so you'll know if its a female neon, powder, red...etc. I attached a pic of one of my males with two females. Dont mind the algae, my otos are on the way! :-D


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

jennesque said:


> I still wouldn't risk getting another DG. I'm converted..lol. I think everyone who cares about fish keeping should stop buying them to low the demand so that the breeders may take another look at their practices.
> 
> I'm assuming I'd have to wait at least a good while before getting another DG anyways because the virus is probably still in my water column.
> 
> ...


I would give the Honey gourami a go. Am doubtful it would bother the Amano's but could not say the same for the Bolivian ram's.


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## Noisy Kricket (Jul 6, 2012)

Im sorry I didnt see you post about the shrimp until now. Just wanted to say my gouramis have never touched my cherry red or ghost shrimp. They actual swim very close to each other and coexist peacefully. However, I have no experience with the regular full size gouramis. Only the DG.


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## jennesque (May 11, 2011)

I will have to see what the LFS has in stock. They've got electric blue rams for sale now that are so pretty, but I don't want to keep my tank that warm again. :/ 

I had originally been debating on a honey vs dwarf, so I let my little cousin pick. The (sort of) funny part it that he named the DG Bob cause he said he'd Bob when he dies... it's like he already knew. Ugh. 

My LFS has kept Bolivian Rams in the tank with Amano shrimp.. but they're large amano shrimp, and they seem to be young rams since they're like the same size of the GBRs usually.

I was leaning towards the ram to try to avoid giving another fish the virus, but if they honey should be OK I may go that route if they've got them in stock.
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## fishaddict52 (Jul 10, 2012)

*Fin rot or what.*

Ok went to the LFS got 6 feedre micky mouse platys to cycle mt new 5 gal(to be hospital tank)This is where i did a real stupid thing. platys were fighting and chaseing each outher so I took the 3 f/ out and put them in 30gal tank.Got to looking at the ones in the 5gal one looks like it had a chunk taken out of his tail fin on the bottem and a little white spot on the top of the tail fin one has white on his anal finns one I put in main tank has some white on anal finns.If it is fin rot is it contageos.Moving this week end have no choice but put all in 5 gal tank so I can move 30 gal.30 gal has 3 zebra angles,5 guppys 3 prago ready to pop.1 swortzs cat,3 red wag platys,3 micky mouseplatys(the ones with the white on finns)all water prem are good.All advice is allways vary welcome And apreacited:-D.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

fishaddict52 said:


> Ok went to the LFS got 6 feedre micky mouse platys to cycle mt new 5 gal(to be hospital tank)This is where i did a real stupid thing. platys were fighting and chaseing each outher so I took the 3 f/ out and put them in 30gal tank.Got to looking at the ones in the 5gal one looks like it had a chunk taken out of his tail fin on the bottem and a little white spot on the top of the tail fin one has white on his anal finns one I put in main tank has some white on anal finns.If it is fin rot is it contageos.Moving this week end have no choice but put all in 5 gal tank so I can move 30 gal.30 gal has 3 zebra angles,5 guppys 3 prago ready to pop.1 swortzs cat,3 red wag platys,3 micky mouseplatys(the ones with the white on finns)all water prem are good.All advice is allways vary welcome And apreacited:-D.


Well,what's done ,is done.
Not wise to buy fish if you are moving,and six fish in uncycled 5 gal tank is too much by four.
Not necessary to use fish to cycle if you already have a cycled tank such as the thirty gal?
If thirty gal isn't cycled either,,then youv'e got troubles.
Could borrow half of filter material from thirty gal if it is cycled, and place it in five gal and this would allow bacteria to establish itself in five gal, and allow you to place one or two small fish and then add a couple more at ten to fourteen day interval's.
Would move the fish in two or three bucket's of aquarium water from thirty gal with an airstone or two when you move, and use same water to partially fill the thirty gal once you get it set up at new place.(quickly)
Five gal tank is too small for much in the way of fish with exception of maybe one betta. And with numerous fish in five gal,,, ammonia which is deadly toxic to fish, will climb rapidly.
Rubber maid tubs,or bucket's,of part tank water,part dechlorinated tapwater would MAYBE keep the fish from dying from ammonia and or nitrite poisoning.
Would be sure to keep all filter material wet in aquarium water during the move.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

My apologies to all, It appear's this thread has been hyjacked to the point that I became confused.
Had/have, no inclination of going through other's numerous post's to try and sort out who or what tank(s).
Will be more careful in future I promise.


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## fishaddict52 (Jul 10, 2012)

Thank you 1077.Yes the 30 was cycled and yes I uased some of the filter and some of the gravel from the 30. Got a batt powred airater for the move only moving less than a mile.


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## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

I'm sorry, Jenn. . .


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## jennesque (May 11, 2011)

Thank you.  I still feel bad about the losses. Poor fishies.

So, my normal LFS was closed the day I went..I went to another one I had never been to. Other than it's giant live rock tank, I wasn't really impressed so I don't think I will probably go back.. although they had great deals on their tanks. I'm not allowed to have another tank. 

The had only one DG and one Honey Gourami and their tank looked terrible.. everyone else looked fine in every other tank so I decided not to go that route. Their Bolivian Rams were very large and she said they'd been there a pretty long while and I didn't really like the way they looked. I'll probably regret it, but I decided to go with another GBR, but a Gold one this time. The coloring is so pretty I couldn't help but take another shot at keeping a ram. I've always tried keeping a pair which caused stress at spawning time for everyone else. I just got one.. I thought it was a female at first, I could've sworn I saw a pink tummy, but it could be a male... it's been getting along with my other fish fine but hasn't eaten. I'm going to try feeding bloodworms today though and see if that works! I hope it does, cause I will be out of town Thursday-Sunday so they won't be eating in the meantime!!




Chesherca said:


> I'm sorry, Jenn. . .


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