First off, I would like to say to PLEASE NOT lecture me about "tank size" or "stocking" or anything...I consulted with my dad (who has owned several freshwater & saltwater tanks for over 20 years) and he assured me it was fine! I have more than adequate filtration and I am very diligent about keeping the tank and gravel clean! Thank you.
*I only got my Dwarf Gourami last night*
(I took this from the betta section thinking it would help)
Housing
What size is your tank?
10 gallons
What temperature is your tank?
78*-79*
Does your tank have a filter?
yes!
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration?
yes
Is your tank heated?
yes
What tank mates does your fish live with?
4 cories (2 adults, 2 juveniles)- they have lived in the tank for 2 months
Food
What type of food do you feed your fish?
Wardley tropical flakes & Tetra sun dried baby shrimp (as a snack)
How often do you feed your fish?
twice a day, so far he's only had two shrimp
Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change?
I usually do two 25% changes a week w/ gravel vacuuming, every other week I replace a 25% change with a 50% change
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change?
twice a week (usually Sunday and Wednesday, although I did one tonight)
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change?
API Water Conditioner, first time putting in Prime to neutralize the ammonia thinking it would help & added in a little stress coat (usually only add in water conditioner)
Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?
Ammonia:
0.5 (that's straight from the tap, got some Prime to help neutralize it)
Nitrite:
0
Nitrate:
0
pH:
8.5...a little high but the water around here is terrible
Hardness:
very soft
Alkalinity:
very alkiline (can't remember the number)
Symptoms and Treatment
How has your fish's appearance changed?
His appearance is the same, color is very bright.
How has your fish's behavior changed?
Yesterday he was acting perfectly fine when I brought him home, acclimated him and he ate like a champ. Didn't bother the cories and was exploring the tank. This morning he seemed fine (I was late to class and didn't really have time to watch him closely, just sprinkled in some food and left). This afternoon when I got home I noticed he was darting around the tank and would pause to curl his whole body into a "c-shape". He is still eating well, when I fed him tonight his appetite was still good. Now he is "glass-surfing" non-stop, he is breathing heavily (like his gills are moving very rapidly) and he is still curling. I checked him over and I cannot see any evidence of external parasites or anything, so it may be something inside him or in the tank. The curline is very disturbing because it looks painful as he kind of wiggles his tail and like he is cringing.
When did you start noticing the symptoms?
This afternoon, around noon when I got back from class.
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how?
added some Prime to the water as I learned that DGs are very sensitive to ammonia levels. I also have a small Umbrella plant that I planted today to help soak up the neutralized ammonia. Also, while I was changing the water, I put him in a container with some dissolved AQ salt hoping it would allow him to de-stress a bit.
Does your fish have any history of being ill?
not sure, when I watched him in the store he seemed perfectly fine (I watched him for about 10 minutes and he was fine)
How old is your fish (approximately)?
not sure but he is at least 2" - 2.5" long so he is I think an adult.
I would very much appreciate help with my new fishy! I am currently working on bringing the ammonia down but if anyone also has suggestions about it they are welcome. Thank you in advance!!
Check out the eBook Betta Fish Care Made Easy
