Dwarf Gourami quarantine question

KillerKadugan

I currently have a 70 Gallon tank (US). I have 10 black phantom tetras and 6 Panda corys. I would like to add 2 dwarf gourami but I have heard that they can have health issues so I was thinking of putting them in a 10 gallon tank for a while to make sure they are all good to go. I have a few questions and concerns.

1. How long should I quarantine them before adding them to the community tank?
2. Is it ok to have the temp tank barren with just gravel or should I get some plants so they have less stress?

Thanks in advance.

GwenInNM

2 weeks is recommended for quarantine
I suspect a "bare" tank will suffice, but some hiding places and plants (even fake) would be better.

Gwen

Byron

I would agree with Gwen that 2 weeks is minimum in most cases for quarantining new fish--though many would advocate no less than 4 weeks--but in the case of this Dwarf Gourami iridovirus, it can be latent in the fish for 6 months before showing up, and possibly longer. Obviously a 2 or even 4 week QT will not provide safety here.

A better, though still risky, method is to find out where the fish were raised (bred). This virus is widespread in Asia where most of the gourami fish supplied to stores are commercially raised and have been for decades. Many reputable fish stores will no longer carry Asian-bred gourami. Breeders that are local, or at least reputable and from NA or Europe, are safer. The store should be able to tell you where their fish came from.

I can't say this will guarantee problem-free gourami, but it is the recommended method advocated by many. It would be less of an issue if only this gourami species was infected but this disease can and has spread to other fish species in the same aquarium.

Byron.

1077

I agree with Byron, and were it my 70 gallon tank,, I would look at Pearl gourami who aren't as prone to Iridovirus mentioned and is said to live perhap's ten year's with proper care.