What have my sunset gourami?

[serbanmm]

Hi all! I have a problem with my sunset gourami. I bought him1 month – 1.5 months ago and then he has not shown any sign of illness. After three or four days it appear on his skin and fins brownish-blackish patches. Since then (with 1 month ago) he doesn’t shown any changes even he’s slightly worse. However, he’s eating and swimming normally but he is a little more agitated than the other fish. I attached a picture with my fish and I hope someone to know what he has! Sorry for my English but as you noticed I’m not a native English speaker! Thanks!

PS: My aquarium: -60 litters
-heater, white light bulb, water filter
-fishes: 1 pearl gourami, 2 sunset gourami and a betta male
-5 plants
-water temperature around 82 Fahrenheit(28 Celsius)
-water parameters: 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 0 nitrates, PH:7.8

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[VoidParadigm]

Stress colors, maybe? Don't know for sure. Could always go to the 'Diseases' forum to ask for help. In the meantime you could quarantine the fish if you have the resorces to until you know for sure what's happening.

[serbanmm]

Stress colors, maybe? Don't know for sure. Could always go to the 'Diseases' forum to ask for help. In the meantime you could quarantine the fish if you have the resorces to until you know for sure what's happening.
No..it's no stressed..i'm sure of that!

[Z Fish Man]

It looks like he definitely has something but nothing I've seen before and nothing I can find that's similar on the internet. Are the fins deteriorating or looking ragged or are they just brown like the body?

[Northernguy]

I think its stress!
Gouramis and male betas do not belong in the same tank. They will fight over the same territory.It looks like the beta is winning. It could also be another gourami.

[serbanmm]

The fins are not deteriorating ...are just brown like the body, so it's not fin rot!

[serbanmm]

He's not fighting with any other fish....i stayed hours to watch him if has problems with other fishes!

[cer]

You have to many gouramis in that tank. What sex are the other gouramis?

[Lady Hobbs]

Could be velvet disease? Look it up and see what you think.

[serbanmm]

My sunset gourami it's darken than ever...so, now he have the caudal fin almost black...and his other fins are also black....and of course that on the skin the patches are darker...so...someone have an ideea what it is???

[Little Embers]

You stated that you were sure he isn't stressed, isn't fighting and it isn't fin rot.....

I agree with the others and think it is stress colours, a fish may change colour to blend in with the environment in an effort to go unnoticed...because you haven't seen the other fish bothering him, I wouldn't rule out the possibility of him still being stressed by their presence. I do feel that a 15 gall. tank (60 litres is 15 galls.) is small for those fish, even though you may think you don't have many fish, they are incompatible with each other IMO. A pearl gourami also needs at least a 20-30gall. tank.

Another possibility is diet...what do you feed them?

I personally would turn the temperature down to 78 degrees.

[serbanmm]

I gave them in the morning flakes( the best one on the market) and blood worms on evening....

[serbanmm]

Here are some new pictures( are not so great but you can see where is the problem)!

[Little Embers]

Thanks for the pics. serbanmm...

Have a look at this pic. and compare...Male gouramis will naturally have black colouring when they mature and are in breeding mode...it is a signal to any females that he is ready.

In relation to the bloodworms, I would only feed them as a treat once a week, they can cause internal digestion problems, bloat and they are also high in protein which isn't good for tropical fish if they have too much.

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