My cobalt blue Gourami seems under the weather, scales sticking out like a pinecone, he's also seems to have developed 2 sores on his side and in front of the gill, maybe from lost scales.

Is the scales protruding a sign of dropsy?, he doesen't seen to be bloating up? Seems to be swimming fine and feeding ok. I have him quarintined for now any ideas? And any possible remedies?

Unfortunately dwarf gourami are prone to diseases, good that you have separated him as it sounds like dropsy if his scales are sticking out.

and I'm sorry to say that there is no known cure for dropsy. having him separated means you have the choice of wait and see or sending him to fishy heaven.

Once fish are swollen they can not be saved. The tank should also get dosed in anti-biotics, just in case.

How long have you had the fish in your tank & what other fish are in the tank?

Usually you have to be wary of the cause, to prevent further problems.

Frenchy

Sorry about your fish Lonewolf

The tank should also get dosed in anti-biotics, just in case.

The other day I went looking at fishies in the department store. One of the tanks had a dead fish on the bottom and it looked like dropsy (swollen, pine cone). If indeed it was, does this mean the disease will stay in the tank???

Caper

Thanks for the replies guys, even if the news is rather grim.

He hasn't got any worse, no change whatsoever, since he hasn't bloated up, i'm gonna wait and see what happens. If the bloating starts i'll say goodbye, and alleviate his pain.

Herefishiefishie - i've had him for around 3 months, he's in there with some neon tetras, guppies, danios and 2 BN. Tank was established about 6 months ago. He was the last fish added. Is it possible for tanks to become contaimated from plants bought at LFS? as i did add some plants a couple of weeks ago.

Finally what antibiotics do you suggest and in what quanity per litre?

thanks in advance for any help.

Lonewolf

LW.

The disease is not curable.

Kill it now, and don't risk whatever you have in the aquarium from being contaminated in the future or worse still, killing them.

I would say that the next ones to look out for would be the neons, the will start to show a lack of discolouration, to the point of being almost white.

This is from the scale facing you(and all over the body) are sticking out, and you are looking straight towards the skin.

Put him out of his misery last night. I'll keep an eye on the neons, any idea of what kind of time frame i'm looking at before the disease would show itself if it is present in the main tank?

Gorami RIP

I have only ever had a problem with Dwarf gourami and dropsy, it has never affected any other fish I have had in the tank.

as I said in an earlier post the Dwarf's easily pick up diseases. so this may be a one of case.

but as Alan said if any of your other fish would pick anything up from this it would be the neons, they are also prone to a disease of their own called neon Tetra disease, so I would be keeping an eye on them all the time.

but this shouldn't be a problem as sitting and watching fish is part of our hobby.

Thats why I asked the questions peanuts. Thinking if there were more gouramis in the tank, good chance there will be more problems.

I don't know what anti bacteria meds are available to kiwis. Something out of the oxy family should do it.

As Alan said, watch the neons, they are a good indicator of problems.

Frenchy