HELP asap! paradise gourami in trouble..

[cookingnerd607]

I took today off, while gazing at my tank while doing some work on a computer...i noticed one of my blue paradise gouramis has his scales pushed up. he looks slightly bloated too. I just fed last night using frozen blood worms for the first time, isntead of freeze dried. My ram, pleco, and other gourami are fine.

Obviously i have no clue what it could be!

He doesnt seem to be very active either staying in a tangle of plants and bogwood near the surface. I just looked again, his scales are definetly pushing outward almost looks like a steel file. Hes gasping too, what should i do?

[GulfCoastAquarian]

My Paradish Fish did the same thing once, but he was under a lot of stress from an aggressive Angelfish at the time. I removed the Angel and did a big water change and he perked up in a day or two.
What your little guy could have, though, is dropsy. Run some searches on it and see if it looks like what he might have. First thing I always do when fish look ill, though, is a water change. Can't hurt, so long as you keep the replacement water the same temperature as the tank and remember to use dechlorinator.

[Ibn]

Sounds like dropsy to me. Here is a page for helping you diagnose it.
http://puregold.aquaria.net/pg/disea...tom/byname.htm

and the treatment:
http://puregold.aquaria.net/pg/disease/dropsy.html

[cookingnerd607]

Ok ive got pimafix, a qt tank, and salt, im dead broke atm, and have no local FS that carry any antibiotic foods..what am i to do?

i just moved him into my 10gal, just him and a oto, the temp is currently at 78F, should i dose pima fix and salt, soak foods in garlic juices?

[Ibn]

Is there a reason for the oto to be in there also? If not, then remove him and just treat the paradise fish. Start raising the temperature and add some epsom salt (1/8 per 5 gallon).

Try to see if you can locate some antibiotics (doesn't have to be in the form of a fish food). Just soak regular food in it and feed it to him. I doubt pimafix will do much towards it...

[cookingnerd607]

Yeah, there is a reason hes in there, i cant catch the bastard!

What kind of antibiotics will do? I may have some stuff in my fish box, but its most likely waaaaaaaaaaay outdated 4+yrs.. I will see if any of my local fish keeper friends have anything..ill keep this updated

[cookingnerd607]

Already passed..i went out in my living room to get some chocolates, and checked on the little guy, and seen him upside down in the corner of the tank...

ok..So should i feed with the new frozen blood worms? i fed all my tanks with these and everyone else is fine...

[Ibn]

Sorry to hear about your loss.

You can still continue to feed them bloodworms. The fish didn't get sick from the bloodworms in the beginning. I'd look for other causes, especially water quality.