Hurt Fish

Question
Hi,
  I have got a Red Dwarf Gourami and looks like it is pregnant but I am more concerned about its fin because the other Gourami has attacked it and has a wound at the top of its fin and looks like the fin has been ripped off a bit. Have you got any advice to cure it or a treatment?
Thank You In Advance.

Rhiannon Hughes
Aged 11

Answer
Hi Rhiannon,
Sorry to hear about that.

Sometimes gouramis can be pregnant or "full" of eggs. But sometimes big bellies can just mean the gourami has eaten a lot. Maybe the best way to know is to check if you really have a male or a female. With female Dwarf gouramis,they are a lot less colorful than the very vibrant colored males. Most all the dwarf gouramis in petstores are males so we can probably safely assume it is a male.


The injured fin will heal. It will heal much faster and better if you make sure to do a few extra water changes and protect the little fish from any more bullying. Injured fins don't need much more special treatment than good clean water. Two male gouramis are the most likely to fight and usually in the two, one will make the other quite miserable.

Best of luck and Happy fishkeeping!
Karen~