Sick paradise gourami

Question
QUESTION: I have a 37 gallon eclipse tank with hang on filter and live plants. Also I have
a powerhead in there going lightly. My tank has been going since November
with its levels fine- ammonia= 0, nitrites= 0, and nitrates at 5. Ph is at 7.6.

In the tank I have 5 guppies, 2 mollies, 1 paradise gourami and 2 rainbows.
All of the fish are fine but the gourami. He has been sick for 2-3 days. He
lays on a smooth rock or on the sand, sometimes breathing heavily, and
every so often swimming to the top to gulp air. He still swims to the top at
feeding time and eats.

A little more than a month ago a female gourami bit him but she has since
been moved and the bite has been healing. He also has a tiny red mark on
his side that honestly looks like a bruise.I have added aquarium salt to the
tank. I really am not sure what to do for him and hate to see him hurting. Any
advice on what I can do or what the problem could be? Please let me know!




ANSWER: Hi Niki,

When you treated him for the bite wound did you happen to use Melafix?  This is a routinely used, all natural remedy popular for wounds and sores and is often recommended by pet shops but can be very dangerous for labyrinth fish and can permanently damage their breathing organs.  The only reason that comes to mind is because your water quality sounds spot on so it has to be something else that is affecting his breathing.  If you did use Melafix make sure that you have it all out of the water now.  If it was Melafix that did this unfortunately there is no way to repair it.

If you did NOT use Melafix, breathing difficulties are most commonly caused from ammonia poisoning (not the case here), velvet (will cause rapid breathing and is characterized by yellow/grayish baby powder coating on fish), or flukes (will cause inflamed or opaque skin, rapid breathing and rubbing on objects).  The most odd part is that these diseases are usually always caused by poor water quality.  They can both be easily treated with Mardel's Coppersafe.  You should isolate the gourami into his own tank for this.  Even a 10 gallon rubbermaid with a hang on filter will suffice.  Just make sure to use some water, gravel and plants from the main tank temporarily to avoid the harsh cycling process.

Now, if your tank cycled with the fish in it it's possible that he is stressed out from the lengthy and horrible cycling process and past ammonia and nitrite exposure that he endured has caused one of these issues.  This too would be permanent damage.  It could also be from stress from the female gourami attack as well.  In these cases there really wouldn't be much you could do except hope that he gets better on his own, and keep up with the tank maintenance to make sure your water quality is always perfect.  You should also have a densely planted tank with plenty of hiding caves or spaces as gouramis sometimes like places to retreat and this eases stress.

Good luck : ) April M.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I have not used melafix ever but today I did start a treatment of maracyn
based on advice. Is this ok for labryinth fish?
I know it can't be ammonia poisoning and the fish wasn't put in the tank till it
was cycled. Also there is no powder coating, inflammation or rubbing against
objects present.
I moved him to the tank where I had moved the female aggressive gourami
that had bit him last night with plans to take her out. But he started swimming
with her and they rub against each other so I left them together. Could his
problem and lethargic attitude  be due to separation anxiety?  

Answer
Hi Niki,

The Maracyn is fine for paradise fish and hopefully you have seen an improvement in him.  It wasn't from separation anxiety, he was definitely stressed about something but it's hard to tell at this point.  It could have been stress from the fight with the female, could have been past ammonia exposure (who knows what he was subjected to before purchase).

Right now, I would continue treatment and make sure the water is pristine and the environment stress free.  

Good luck : ) April M.