Should I Treat Dwarf Gourami?

Amidst my suffering of a fever, I haven't been able to tend to my fish, being locked up in my room all day. I found the strength to go and feed my fish and to to my unpleasant surprise my gourami is in the early stages of dropsy. I noticed him becoming bloated last wednesday, and I fasted him. I planned to end the fast friday, but I got sick, so today was the first day he was to be fed. He isn't lethargic and I am going to attempt to feed him now. Only differences I see in him are the bloat, scale lifting, and heavy breathing. He is currently in his 15 minute epsom salt bath. Now, I know about dwarf gourami disease and how it is incurable, and I am assuming dropsy is a symptom? I have had this fish for about a year now. I have all the resources available to treat dropsy, but is this your typical aeronomas dropsy or iridovirus? Should I try to run my go-to dropsy treatment on him? There was a fish in this tank some time ago that also had dropsy, but was too far gone, so I had to put down. I am not wanting to put this gourami down.

Just fed the tank and he is eating.

 

Amidst my suffering of a fever, I haven't been able to tend to my fish, being locked up in my room all day. I found the strength to go and feed my fish and to to my unpleasant surprise my gourami is in the early stages of dropsy. I noticed him becoming bloated last wednesday, and I fasted him. I planned to end the fast friday, but I got sick, so today was the first day he was to be fed. He isn't lethargic and I am going to attempt to feed him now. Only differences I see in him are the bloat, scale lifting, and heavy breathing. He is currently in his 15 minute epsom salt bath. Now, I know about dwarf gourami disease and how it is incurable, and I am assuming dropsy is a symptom? I have had this fish for about a year now. I have all the resources available to treat dropsy, but is this your typical aeronomas dropsy or iridovirus? Should I try to run my go-to dropsy treatment on him? There was a fish in this tank some time ago that also had dropsy, but was too far gone, so I had to put down. I am not wanting to put this gourami down.

Just fed the tank and he is eating.

I feel like epsom salt bath is the first thing to do, and antibiotic administration is the second. If you can do both of those you are giving him the best chance.

 

He finished his epsom salt bath, I have a 5 gallon QT available, and kanaplex on hand. I think I'll just begin his treatment tomorrow and cross my fingers.

 

Could you start the antibiotic tonight? Sooner the better...

 

It is quite late and I am still quite ill, so I feel tomorrow morning would work out better. All the fish are asleep now anyways and he's already stressed from his bath.

 

It is quite late and I am still quite ill, so I feel tomorrow morning would work out better. All the fish are asleep now anyways and he's already stressed from his bath.

Oh lol. I forgot you said you were sick.

 

I will make sure to give updates in the morning Hoping this isn't iridovirus

 

Update: I don't necessarily see improvement in his bloating, but it certainly hasn't gotten worse. I've given him his second epsom salt bath and he is now in a 5 gallon with kanaplex

 

So it's been almost a week, and he hasn't gotten better, but he hasn't gotten much worse. He is still active and eating, but the bloat isn't going down. If I start to see lesions, I will euthanize. Unfortunately, it will most likely come to that. Only thing stopping me from doing it now is how much life he seems to have left, but it will probably be for his own good.

 

I say if he looks like he wants to fight, let him. The will to live can be strong.

 

Exactly my philosophy. A lot say "oh it's torture to the fish" or "best to euthanize" but if my fish is still living his life, I'll let him and if he looks like he wants to try then I will too. Only if it truly looks like they're suffering I will euthanize, and I have had to euthanize.

 

Unfortunately he has developed cysts on his dorsal fin. I will be euthanizing him tomorrow

 

Unfortunately he has developed cysts on his dorsal fin. I will be euthanizing him tomorrow

That is too bad. He’s lucky he has someone to keep an eye on him and send him off as peacefully as possible.

 

Thank you. He really was a close one for me and my family.

 

He's on the other side now

 

RIP little fishie.