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I have an opaline gourami who has developed a very swollen stomach, within 24 hours, a few days ago. She looks like she has swallowed a ball 1 inch in diameter. She has also developed a slight hump on the top of her back where her dorsal fin is.

She is still eating normally; her scales are not sticking out. She tends to hang out at the top but she doesn't have trouble getting to the bottom of the tank (the other 2 gouramis hang out up there too and they are fine). Other than her new size making her wobble, she doesn't have trouble swimming (sort of like a pregnant woman doesn't really get used to her new big belly cos it happens so fast).

I'm pretty sure it's not dropsy.

Thinking it could be constipation I have given her Epsom salts baths with no effect and tried giving her peas which she was totally uninterested in.

Could she be full of eggs? I have no male gouramis to help her through this, and I don't know anyone else who has any.

The only other thing I have found mention of that sounds like what she has is stomach bloat.

I would be really grateful for any suggestions. Thanks

*edit* in case it helps, she is approx. 7-8 years old

Last edited by betta4it at 20-Apr-2005 08:20

Sorry but we are going to need some more info to help you out, because it is really impossible to determine what could be causing that without some further info from you. Please answer as much as you can, and if you can link us to a picture that would be especially helpful.

Please read this (quoted from the sticky in the hospital forum) and answer the questions so we can be of more help.


When making a post to the hospital forum, you will save valuable time by providing the following to us. Post what you can now then bring the rest back later if you are missing something. Copy and paste the info into your post as a guideline, then edit out what is not needed. based on symptoms, we may ask for more info later.

It is also important for us to know what country you are in so we can recommend medications that are actually available to you.

ENVIRONMENTAL DATA

Water Parameters
There are many things in a fish tank that can cause a fish to appear sick, when natural toxins or water chemistry are not just right.

Ammonia:
Nitrite (note the “I&#8221:
Nitrate (note the “A):
pH:
Temp:

If you do not have one or more of these, please take a bag of water to the fish store and ask them to test it for you. Most will do this for free. If not, try another store. Make sure you write them down so we can review the numbers with you.

Tank Information

Tank Size (gallons and dimensions if known (20 gal long versus regular 20 or 20 gal high):
Stock List (Quantity/Species):
Fish size for larger fish (a 5 inch angel or a 9 inch oscar has a different effect on water parameters than a half-dollar size angle or a 3 inch oscar).
Filtration (ex: Penguin 330, Whisper 40, Fluval 204, etc).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Additives
Tell us what you add to your tank or replacement water like conditioners to remove chlorine/chloramine, fertilizers for plants, aquarium salt, pH adjusters, etc. Describe for us how often you use and how much.

INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR SICK FISH

Be as descriptive as you can and provide pics, if possible (see the post about how to add pictures at the top of the hospital forum).

We not only need detailed information about what you see ON the fish, we need to know about it’s behavior. This does not attempt to capture everything, but gives you some ideas on how to present what you are seeing. Don’t limit yourself to what is here.

Examples of some physical attributes
Pale, darker, grey fuzz/white fuzz/off-white fuzz, grey slimey film, blue haze, gold dusting, salt grains/spots, blood bordered white area, ulcer, pustule/boil, cloudy eyes, protruding eye, eroding fin, etc.

Examples of some behaviors
Lethargic, rapid breathing, sits on the bottom, hangs out at the top with head down (or head up), darting in a spiral fashion, swimming slowly without orientation, choking, flicking against objects in the tank or gravel

http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/The%20Hospital/42701.html?200407091248

Read Cory_Di's response in this thread. I have had several gourami's that first began to be swollen then could not keep their balance. Especially dwarf gourami's. She also has some info about kindney disease... Its hard to tell. If the fish at some point floats and cant keep balance it is probably swim bladder disease.

FreeBlaze

I am in Queensland, Australia. You can see my fish herehttp://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jorj_69/detail?.dir=/9f94&.dnm=ebc2.jpg
or here
http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jorj_69/detail?.dir=/9f94&.dnm=8e6e.jpg&.src=ph

As of 16 Apr '05 the water parameters are
Ammonia: 0.1
Nitrite: 0.1
Nitrate: n/a (i will get this tested for today, I don't own this test.
pH: 6.5 (on 2 Apr this was 7)
Temp: 27.5
Hardness: also no idea. will get this tested as well.
last water change was on 16 Apr, approx. 25gal

Tank Information

Tank Size: 6'l x 18"w x 24"h. 134 gal
decorated with plastic plants, bog wood, 2 bamboo pipes, artificial log, cave made from river stones
tank has been running since 23 Mar '05, tank bacteria seeded with water from established 3ft tank and Aquaclear 500 filter

Stock List:
3 bala sharks (1x 9", 2x 4"
3 silver dollars (2x 4", 1x 2"
5 angels (2x 3", 3x 2"
3 small clown loaches
1 f pearl gourami (3"
1 f 3spot gourami (4"
1 f opaline gourami (4" this is the sick one who is now in quarantine
11 rainbowfish (2-3"
10 tiger barbs (1.5-2"
4 small cory julii
2 bristlenose catfish (2-3"

Filtration: Aquaclear 500, Otto PF-2000N (with 4 filter cups)

Additives
I don't use additives, our water is rainwater held in a concrete tank.
I have plastic plants in this tank, no aquarium salt, haven't needed pH adjusters, etc.

Symptoms of sick fish:
fat belly
hangs around near the top of tank, but so do the other healthy fish. she easily goes down to the bottom or wherever. she goes to the bottom or top of the water by choice i.e. not involuntary sinking or floating
she looks a bit paler than normal (understandable)
she sometimes has rapid breathing, more often than not she breathes normally
she does not have pineconing scales

is this what you needed to know?