FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Hi

I have this Opaline Gourami that has been acting weird for about a month now.

It kind of "floats" rather than swimming. It will swim like it is drunk and then float in the current from an internal filter. It floats right at the top with it's dorsal fin out of the water a lot. It's been doing this for about a month now.

All the other Gouramis in the tank swim in a graceful manner, but this one - as I say - swims like it is drunk or paralised. It was okay when it was smaller, but it suddenly started this strange behaviour. It's now about 8 - 10 cm long.

The tank has been established for two and a half years now, so the water's good and none of the other fish have a problem. I have 4 clown loaches, so if the water was crap, I would know about it. The tank has a truckload of Ambulia and a couple of swords in it.

It isn't off it's food - when chow time comes, it is in there as eagerly as the others. Just that it swims in a really unco fashion and the current sometimes just carries it away until it "gets the strength" to overcome the current again. It's not gasping at the surface, its body seems fine etc, it just started this really strange swimming.

It does on occasions venture deeper into the tank, but again in that unco, drunken manner. Oh and it seems to swim most of the time just using it's pectoral fins - not using it's tail.

I don't know what else to tell you, but any assistance would be appreciated.

Maybe he's having problems with his swim bladder. I don't know how to treat that though...

batman

I agree it could be a swim bladder problem.

I also have no idea about treatment, Contact your local LFS
on that one.

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW