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HELP ASAP

8K views 50 replies 7 participants last post by  Lupin 
#1 ·
my blue dwarf guarami is sick!! laying at the bottom of the aquarium and won't move but is still breathing. hasent been eating and stomach looks a little swollen. also it's head is a darker blue than the rest of it's body and i don't know what that means!!! and my water wisteria also looks bad and the leaves keep coming off, don't know if it's related or not...HELP i want to save my fish!

20 gal
ph 7
nitrites 0
ammonia 0
temp 78
1 dwarf blue guarami
3 tiger barbs
 
#27 ·
tank size=20 gal
population=3 tigar barbs only
live plants (water wisteria who's leaves are coming off)
ammonia=0
nitrite=0
nitrate=10ppm
ph=7
temp=78 (constantly)

Their stomachs looked ok tonight so I fed them some frozen bloodworns and they gobbled them up...now they look bloated again!!!

Also one of them is quite a bit bigger than the rest and eats the food faster than the smaller two!!!
 
#28 ·
It's natural for the situation wherein bigger fish gets the biggest share to happen. They may also happen to be the most dominant of the growth. The disadvantage I've seen mostly in shoals is that the weakest ends up being a runt. Which is why in most fish farms, fry are separated as they grow to allow smaller ones to grow.:)
 
#29 ·
From your original post and recent one, the ammonia, nitrItes, pH, and temp hasn't changed which is good. I would have to assume that they are just gluttons. LOL

One thing to keep in mind is it's usually good to skip a day or 2 of feeding to help clean their system out. I normally like to make the frozen peas before I make them fast for a day or 2.
 
#30 ·
:eek:mg: I just peeked at them and they seem to look fine!!!!! :roll: Thanks y'all!!!!!! I think I'll wait about a week and get a couple new fish...what would be a good choice??? Another Gourami maybe??? I don't know much about fish but I sure love learning about them!!! They are facinating!!

:thankyou:
 
#31 ·
TexasTornado said:
:eek:mg: I just peeked at them and they seem to look fine!!!!! :roll: Thanks y'all!!!!!! I think I'll wait about a week and get a couple new fish...what would be a good choice??? Another Gourami maybe??? I don't know much about fish but I sure love learning about them!!! They are facinating!!

:thankyou:
Pentazona barbs or harlequin rasboras?:thumbsup: Otocinclus affinis is also a good option. Try buying about 4 as you have only 3 tiger barbs in the 20 gallons tank.:)
 
#32 ·
There are lots of kinds of fish you could get. Any specific features you are interested in? Or specific kinds?

And about feeding, what I said earlier was just a suggestion. It doesn't matter a whole lot about when you feed them, just the main idea is to not overfeed them, as this tends to pollute the tank. That's why some people tend to feed them every over day, or a few times a week, they don't want to pollute their tanks. I just tend to feed my fish often, once or twice everyday, very small amounts, and maybe 2 or 3 times a month I give them a day of fasting to keep their ability to search for food in check.

Glad to hear about your fish doing well, and it's glad to hear you got some new kinds of food for them to enjoy.
 
#33 ·
Seeing I don't know a lot about fish, I'm not exactilly sure what I'm looking for. Something that gets along with my barbs, of course it has to be pretty, maybe something that dosn't hide ALL the time, colorful...a good learning fish??? (if that makes any sense) The only fish i'v ever had are tetras, barbs, and a gourami (MY FAV FISH who died)...She was pretty tough so I think I might get another one of those...
 
#34 ·
For gouramis, there's a bunch of choices of colorful ones good for beginners. You're familiar with the Blue, but there's also Gold, Pearl, Platinum, Sunset...and few others. All very colorful and peaceful. All the gouramis do best with at least 2.

Same with barbs, there are bunch of different kinds that will go well with your Tigers. Gold and Rosy barbs would add color to your tank, but it would be best if you get at least 3 of one them, the like to swim in groups.

A bunch of Zebra Danios, maybe 5 or 6 could work too. They are extremely hardy and good for beginners.

There are still lots of other fish that would go well with your tank. Do a little research and choose wisely. And make sure you don't overstock the 20 gallon, I wouldn't put more than 3 or 4 medium sized fish, or a school of around 6 or 7 small fish for the next additions.
 
#35 ·
JouteiMike said:
If you were looking for something a little unique, Silver Dollars would be a nice addition.
Not in the 20 gallons tank.:blink: A shoal of 4 would need 75 gallons minimum.

Best to stick with smaller plecs, otos, cherry barbs, pentazonas, rasboras or small tetras.:)
 
#39 ·
TexasTornado said:
I'll get 2 DWARF blue gouramis, and then choose something different next time in a couple months or so.
Make sure you get a pair and provide thickets of plants. We had one member whose male gouramis started to squabble and even harassed females. I wouldn't get more than just one male.:)
Male dwarf gouramis(Colisa lalia) are often brightly-colored while females are rather silvery or drab in color.:)

JouteiMike said:
Yeah I didn't mean to add that, I'm gonna edit it out with another suggestion.
That's ok, Mike. Didn't mean to make you edit it out.:mrgreen:
 
#40 ·
GOOD...So i'll "fix" my plants then when they start growing again I'll get my gouramis...I only had one b4 she, Ella, was really bright blue so I guess it was actually a male... :lol:

OMG I love cichlids, but somebody said DON"T get one of those they are aggressive!!!!!!!!! I didn't know there were "nice" ones!!! :D
 
#41 ·
TexasTornado said:
GOOD...So i'll "fix" my plants then when they start growing again I'll get my gouramis...I only had one b4 she, Ella, was really bright blue so I guess it was actually a male... :lol:
It's a male.:)
OMG I love cichlids, but somebody said DON"T get one of those they are aggressive!!!!!!!!! I didn't know there were "nice" ones!!! :D
If your water conditions are stable, Microgeophagus ramirezi would be a good choice. Buy only one pair. Other options are Apistogramma agassizi, Apistogramma borelli and Apistogramma cacatuiodes. Not sure with Kribensis(Pelvicachromis pulcher) though. They get too aggressive(much more aggressive than apistos) during spawning season and may eventually kill your other fish as they try to secure their fry and territory. The apistos do get aggressive but not as aggressive as other cichlids.
 
#46 ·
I would say borderline in overstocking. As long as you can keep up with water changes, then it isn't a problem. With live plants, the nitrates would almost be maintained under 40. Just remember not to overfeed the fish. I'd change feeding schedule to once a day to be on the safe side.

I'd change the danios to harlequin rasboras. Danios prefer a lot of swimming space and they occupy the same level as the gouramis. Gouramis dwell mostly on the surface and their violent nature during spawning season may harm the danios.
 
#47 ·
Blue had a good suggestion. I'd say that is a suitable amount for a 20 gallon, but I would stop after you slowly add the Bristle nose, rasboras, and gourami/cichlid pair.

Are you planning on adding these all at once? I would space them out by at least a couple weeks, a month would be ideal, that way your biological filtration can catch on the new load slowly and not be suddenly unable to handle it all. Which would ultimately lead to many deaths in the aquarium.

Be sure to pick out healthy looking fish, and if you have a quarentine tank (I think you said you didn't...but if you plan on getting one), stick them in there as a precaution, but this isn't required.

Best of luck and happy holidays!
 
#50 ·
On the tanks at the petstore I work at, they say which 'swimming level' each type of fish will frequent the most. The blue, gold or opaline gouramis are supposed to be surface swimmers, but the dwarf blue gouramis, are supposed to stay near the bottom?? :?
 
#51 ·
Tracy said:
but the dwarf blue gouramis, are supposed to stay near the bottom?? :?
Wrong info. All species of gouramis are basically the same and will dwell mostly on the surface but not all do the spawning method of making bubblenest. Some use mouthbrooding.:)
 
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