New Gourami Caretaker!!

**newbief** · 10-31-2012, 03:55 AM

Hello, I just recently purchased a gourami from the pet store today and I think something is already wrong with the fish. The fish is staying at the bottom of the tank and his fins are flapping fast. Do you all know what could possibly be wrong? Please help!!!

**Cory Catfish** · 10-31-2012, 03:59 AM

Please give more details such as water conditions, age of tank, and size of tank so we can help.
Sounds like ammonia or nitrite poisoning.

**newbief** · 10-31-2012, 04:16 AM

The water condition is fairly new, maybe at 75. The age of the tank is about 4 months. The size of the tank is 5.5 gallons. Thanks.

**Cory Catfish** · 10-31-2012, 04:26 AM

By water conditions I mean the ammonia , nitrites and nitrates.

To help your fish the one thing to do would be first a water change(large) then to later rehome the fish as most gouramis can get prettttty big.

**newbief** · 10-31-2012, 04:58 AM

I recently did a water change. This is what occured when I did a water change. Should I do it again?

Also, in order for me to determine the water condition I will have to get a kit from the store in which I don't have at the moment. I will get one at a later time and let you know. Thank you.

**Cory Catfish** · 10-31-2012, 05:06 AM

What happened when you did a water change?

As for water testing your LFS usually will test water for you for free.

**newbief** · 10-31-2012, 05:12 AM

When I first did a water change I put in warm/cold water and I put the bag that the fish was inside the tank. I didn't take the fish out of the bag. I just let the bag float. Then, I put the fish inside the tank.

***I used to have goldfish and I quickly remembered that this fish is a tropical fish, which needs warmer water.

So I did everything above over.

Thank you for letting me know about the free water test.

**Dennis Bissett** · 10-31-2012, 09:49 AM

Mate have a read of the red articles in the cycling subforum, this will tell you what is going on in your tank. To give you good advice we need to know how big the tank is, what other fish are in it, and as asked above what your water parameters are. The most popular measuring kit seems to be the API master kit, which will tell you pretty much all you need to know. Be careful of the strip test kits, the are notoriously inaccurate

**mizzoutank** · 10-31-2012, 01:10 PM

You need to return the Gourami-today.

I never read anywhere that you dechlorinated the water
do you have a filter? heater?
so the Fish is probably suffering from ammonia poisoning.
lack of oxygen
and the water temp dropping/being way to cold for him.

so return the fish.
read how to cycle a tank fish LESS
research/ask what stock is appropriate for your 5.5 gallon tank.
buy the appropriate equipment.