3-Spot Gourami sick

[jeep454]

Typically use this community for my Reef tank but figured i would ask on here too. One of my two 3-Spot Gourami is not doing well. Has not been swimming level (nose up) and stays near the bottom of the tank. Still has an appetite. Tail seems very frail in proportion to the rest of the body. Also, very pale in color normally very vibrant blue and silver. Everyone else in the tank is perfectly fine.

Tank is 55 Gallon Freshwater
Ph - 7.0
Temp - 78
Nitrate - 25ppm
Alkalinity - 7 KH

 

[*GAREEF*]

Oh no poor little guy
#fishmedic

 

[Sharkbait19]

How often do you do water changes and how much do you change? In a freshwater system, a great many issues can be solved with cleaner water. Ideally, you want nitrates to be as close to zero as possible.
You mentioned you have 2, these guys can be pretty aggressive with each other. I wouldn’t be surprised if one is pressuring the other out of food, worsening the issue.

 

[*GAREEF*]

Typically use this community for my Reef tank but figured i would ask on here too. One of my two 3-Spot Gourami is not doing well. Has not been swimming level (nose up) and stays near the bottom of the tank. Still has an appetite. Tail seems very frail in proportion to the rest of the body. Also, very pale in color normally very vibrant blue and silver. Everyone else in the tank is perfectly fine.

Tank is 55 Gallon Freshwater
Ph - 7.0
Temp - 78
Nitrate - 25ppm
Alkalinity - 7 KH

Curious how long have you had the fish for?

 

[Eric R.]

@jeep454 Your nitrate levels are fine. Though I can’t tell if you have real or fake plants in your aquarium. With planted freshwater tanks, there shouldn’t be an issue with nitrate levels between 25 and 50ppm. If you don’t have live plants, there shouldn’t be an issue bringing the nitrate lower, but I really doubt that 25ppm nitrate would cause any issues for your fish.

 

[jeep454]

How often do you do water changes and how much do you change? In a freshwater system, a great many issues can be solved with cleaner water. Ideally, you want nitrates to be as close to zero as possible.
You mentioned you have 2, these guys can be pretty aggressive with each other. I wouldn’t be surprised if one is pressuring the other out of food, worsening the issue.

Water changes usually monthly and about 10% and clean out the canister filter every 3 water changes. They were a little aggressive when we first got them 2 years ago after a couple months they were fine with the exception of a few nips when one was in the others side of the tank. But they both got their share of the food.
If it matters the other tank mates are:
2 Yoyo loaches
3 Tetras
3 Angels

 

[jeep454]

Curious how long have you had the fish for?

They were the first ones in the tank 2 years ago.

 

[00W]

Typically use this community for my Reef tank but figured i would ask on here too. One of my two 3-Spot Gourami is not doing well. Has not been swimming level (nose up) and stays near the bottom of the tank. Still has an appetite. Tail seems very frail in proportion to the rest of the body. Also, very pale in color normally very vibrant blue and silver. Everyone else in the tank is perfectly fine.

Tank is 55 Gallon Freshwater
Ph - 7.0
Temp - 78
Nitrate - 25ppm
Alkalinity - 7 KH

Clamped fins and very pale definitely looks to be on the defensive.
I have a pair of pearls that literally beat the tar out of each other.
Angels can be nippy and aggressive too.
I have kept and have both.
Watch the aggression and move some landscape around, fool them a bit with territory.
Watch closely and you may need to rehome. Sometimes even a pair you've had forever can go rouge.
Try moving some territory first.
Just a thought and something I do every couple of months.
Good luck. :smiling-face:

 

[littlefoxx]

fish medics
@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081 know about fresh water too. @MnFish1 is also a medic, but cant remember if he does fresh too

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Typically use this community for my Reef tank but figured i would ask on here too. One of my two 3-Spot Gourami is not doing well. Has not been swimming level (nose up) and stays near the bottom of the tank. Still has an appetite. Tail seems very frail in proportion to the rest of the body. Also, very pale in color normally very vibrant blue and silver. Everyone else in the tank is perfectly fine.

Tank is 55 Gallon Freshwater
Ph - 7.0
Temp - 78
Nitrate - 25ppm
Alkalinity - 7 KH

To me, the fish looks very thin. In both images, I can see a shadow above its bottom fin that looks to me like it is very thin there. Also, the head looks larger than it should for the body, another sign of malnutrition.

There are a few diseases that will cause a fish to become thin, even though it is eating well: coccidia, worms and Mycobacterium. None of those are easily treatable though.

Jay

 

[Sharkbait19]

Water changes usually monthly and about 10% and clean out the canister filter every 3 water changes. They were a little aggressive when we first got them 2 years ago after a couple months they were fine with the exception of a few nips when one was in the others side of the tank. But they both got their share of the food.
If it matters the other tank mates are:
2 Yoyo loaches
3 Tetras
3 Angels

You should be doing much more than that. 10% monthly isn’t going to do anything to bring down nitrates (plus whatever toxins aren’t being tested for). I regularly do 80%+ every other week on my fw tanks.
There are definitely other issues at play, but increasing water change frequency will only help the fish.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Typically use this community for my Reef tank but figured i would ask on here too. One of my two 3-Spot Gourami is not doing well. Has not been swimming level (nose up) and stays near the bottom of the tank. Still has an appetite. Tail seems very frail in proportion to the rest of the body. Also, very pale in color normally very vibrant blue and silver. Everyone else in the tank is perfectly fine.

Tank is 55 Gallon Freshwater
Ph - 7.0
Temp - 78
Nitrate - 25ppm
Alkalinity - 7 KH

These fish live for 3-4 years and by far the skinniest gourami ive seen. While I suspect age, how are other fish looking?
You mentioned angelfish who like guorami's favor slightly acidic water . I see little warts on the body or is that dots on the glass?? Also the tail seems to be slightly bitten and fish seems to be in an incline health wise. You can try adding epsom salt at 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons but with other fish doing well, as Jay stated. . . nothing may work