Dwarf Gourami Disease

**AAG** · 04-27-2012, 03:47 PM

Hi Everyone.

I'm sad to say I believe my powder blue DG has come down with this horrible disease after having him almost 3 years now. At first I thought he might have hole-in-the-head, and treated it promptly if some antibiotics. They got slightly better, then his abdomen has swell up and he is swimming on his side and acting very lethargic. He also was having the white feces which is associated with this disease as well.

My question is, could he have possibly developed this disease after a few years? From what i've read it seems like the DG's are born with it and do not tend to live this long.

Any info would be very helpful.

Thank you

**Taurus** · 04-27-2012, 06:13 PM

Dwarf Gourami disease is know as iridovirus and he may have been born with it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwarf_gourami

This is why I don't keep dwarf gourami any more. I lost at least a couple of them to the disease.

**AAG** · 04-27-2012, 06:57 PM

I guess I'm just wondering why it takes longer in some than others to appear? Also, if I may ask Taurus, when your DG's came down with the illness, did you put them out of their misery? If so how did you do this humanely? I hate seeing anything suffer, but not sure I could kill it either.

**escamosa** · 04-28-2012, 12:13 AM

Before you put the little guy down, can I ask if he feeds at all? They can be very prone to constipation. So if he still feeds a little, you can mash up some shelled peas, and try that. It might work, it might not, but it's worth a shot.
If that doesn't work, and you feel that it would be better to put him down, then you can fill a fish bag with some water, net the fish into it, then sit it in your freezer. He'll basically just go to sleep.

**AAG** · 04-30-2012, 02:06 AM

He has not been feeding. I just tried the pea trick so I'll keep an eye out. I don't think I could put him down, but thank you for the tip. Some how he survived the weekend. He isn't the powder blue color he once was, much darker. Still holding out hope!

**AAG** · 05-03-2012, 11:47 PM

My sick gourami has been going on a week now like this. Anyone know how long a gourami can survive with iridovirus?

**pjaldave** · 05-04-2012, 04:33 PM

Fish in general will only die from starvation approximately after 2 weeks.

**escamosa** · 05-06-2012, 08:45 PM

The poor little guy.

I think it pretty much comes down to how healthy and strong the fish is, before it picks up the virus or becomes ill from whatever it may be. There's a fair chance, if the little guy was in good shape, he could go on like this for 2 weeks, maybe a bit longer.

**AAG** · 05-07-2012, 03:17 PM

It is pretty pitiful watching him just floating there on his side. I wanted to wait a bit to see if he could come out of whatever he has, but i'm starting to think the most humane thing is to put him down. Very saddening

**koaladarshana** · 05-14-2012, 04:39 AM

Awwe that's too sad... I'm sending all my good vibes your way! Unfortunately the same thing has happened to me twice with dwarf gouramis and they didn't make it through, so I just gave up on them altogether and got honeys instead.