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I thought you guys might be able to help me... I lost one of my gourami's (or rather, I put him out of his misery) this weekend. I noticed on Friday when I was feeding them that my one gourami had injured his eye. It's a bit hard to explain, and seeing as he's already flushed, I can't show you a picture of him. His eye looked pretty normal, except that at the bottom of it, it seemed like there was a small sack that seemed blood filled (it was red, anyway). I hope that makes a bit of sense! He seemed fine otherwise, and I decided to see what happened. He ate just fine that night and the next morning, but after that I noticed he was just laying at the bottom of the tank all day in one spot (and he was a huge 'fraidy-cat' and he didn't move when I put my face right up to the glass [think he was blind in that eye]). Well, by Sunday he wasn't moving at all. He was stuck in the plant for part of the day, and I went to fish him out, thinking he was dead, but he wasn't, so I left him alone. Then later that night he was sucked right up to the filter intake thingy (figured for sure he was dead then), but nope, he wasn't. But I figured instead of making him suffer anymore, since he wasn't eating at all, I just did the ice cold water trick.

I've had him since October, and he'd survived me setting up my tank and a few rookie mistakes (he was a tough boy!). There didn't seem to be anything wrong with him other than that eye. Do you think he just got chased and accidently jabbed/scratched it on something?

My other fish seem fine. I have one more dwarf gourami, a creamsicle molly, and a blue paradise (who is a bully). I do weekly water changes, and my tank is 10 gallons.

Thanks!
-Christine

10 Gallon: Gold Danios 5 Gallon:Flik the Betta
33 Gallon: Platies, Guppies, Bolivian Rams, Honey Gourami's, and Spot the Spotted Climbing Perch

A paradise gourami in a smaller tank with non-compatible fish (sectioned off to make things even worse) is fish loss waiting to happen. Been there, done that. Sorry for your loss.

Get a nice 2 to 5 gal tank for your paradise and all your probs will be solved





The Amazon Nut...

I thought paradise fish were community fish? Stupid fish store... Oh well. I don't know for sure if he's why my dwarf gourami hurt himself - those two gourami's would smash themselves into the ends of the tank if you happened to startle them (sorry, but not the brightest fish). I also unfortunately don't have time/money/energy to get another tank just for one fish. (Plus, I thought 10 g was the smallest tank size that would be appropriate for them...)

10 Gallon: Gold Danios 5 Gallon:Flik the Betta
33 Gallon: Platies, Guppies, Bolivian Rams, Honey Gourami's, and Spot the Spotted Climbing Perch

Paradise fish don't get along well with other, more peaceful fish. They are considered semi-aggressive. They can go in larger tanks with other semi-aggressive fish. In a ten gallon, it would have been better to have had only one male gourami, since they don't always get along together. I would suggest seeing if the fish store will take the paradise fish back. Mollys get rather large and really need to be in groups (the ten gallon is most likely too small anyway). Keep the remaining gourami and add some small tetras (cardinal, neons, glowlights) or harlies). I have a dwarf gourami with three cherry barbs - works out fine.
Good luck with your fish.

Yup, that summed it up nicely.

Unless you want to do a 2 gal low maintenance plant tank

The Amazon Nut...

(Plus, I thought 10 g was the smallest tank size that would be appropriate for them...)

You're dead right about that IMO putting him in anything smaller wouldn't work at all. These guys need a bit of room to move, so good call on that one

With the gourami/paradise issue, i have to agree with what's been said. If you wanna keep a happy tank then one of them really needs to go.