It can be very sad when one of your fish appears to be dying. You do your best to care for the fish, but sometimes things seem to go wrong anyway.
Gouramis are known for being hardy fish that are good for beginners. This can discourage you when your gouramis appear to be dying for no reason.
There has to be something that is causing the gouramis to die, though. Why would the gouramis be dying even when you’re trying your best to care for them?
Continue reading to learn about some of the reasons why gouramis might die. This will allow you to understand what might be happening in your situation so that you can try to turn things around or do a better job next time.
Why Do My Dwarf Gouramis Keep Dying?
Dwarf gourami fish are very hardy, but they can still die for various reasons. Below, you’ll see some of the problems that might cause your gouramis to die.
1 – Significant Water Parameter Issues
It’s possible that your gouramis might die if you have significant water parameter issues. You already know that it’s important to keep the water parameters in check when caring for any fish.
Gouramis are said to be hardier than most fish, though. You might not expect that slight issues with the water parameters will kill the fish.
Generally, water parameter issues won’t kill the fish. However, things might be different if you have significant water parameter problems.
For example, your water parameters could be a little off or they could be way off. If the water parameters are way off, then that’s going to be more problematic for the gouramis.
Also, if you don’t take care of the water parameter issues, it will keep causing the gouramis to get worse. Those who ignore the problems in the fish tank won’t be doing the gourami fish any favors.
Gouramis should be able to survive in poor water conditions for some time. They just won’t be able to survive indefinitely.
It’s also worth noting that some gouramis are hardier than others. Certain gourami types are a bit more delicate, and your experience will depend on what type of gourami fish you’re caring for.
Monitor the condition of the water so that you can make changes as necessary. Remember that you need to test the water using a pH balance testing kit on a regular basis.
You can alter the pH balance as necessary by using special chemicals. This should help you to avoid issues.
2 – Fighting with Other Fish
Fighting with other fish could cause your gouramis to die, too. Sadly, you might have put the gouramis in a fish tank with other fish that they aren’t compatible with.
For the most part, gouramis are considered to be excellent community fish. They get along pretty well with many other types of fish.
Gouramis can be aggressive and territorial in certain situations, though. Sometimes gouramis will even bully other fish in a community aquarium.
Not all gouramis are aggressive enough to become bully fish, but some are. If your gouramis are dying, then you’re probably concerned that the opposite is happening.
There are plenty of fish that you can put in a fish tank with gouramis that will wind up bullying them. Larger and more aggressive fish might make things very tough for the gouramis.
If you want the gourami fish to be safe in the tank, then you must pick compatible tank mates for them. Do your best to pick fish for the community tank that will for sure get along well with the gouramis.
It won’t be hard to find good options that you can choose from. You just need to take the time to do the necessary research.
Note that you need to research compatible tank mates for the specific type of gourami fish that you own. Each gourami fish species will have a different list of compatible tank mates.
3 – Disease
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to hear that disease can wind up killing your gouramis. There are a few things to consider when addressing this topic.
Firstly, you should know that stress will cause gouramis to be more susceptible to diseases and infections. This means that not caring for the fish well will make it easier for them to get sick.
Water parameters are very important to keep in mind. If you’re not doing a good job keeping the water parameters in check, then the gouramis will become stressed.
Dirty water will cause the fish to become stressed. Forcing gouramis to live in cramped and overcrowded fish tanks will stress them out.
Gouramis being in a fish tank with fish that they don’t get along with will make them stressed. There are a lot of potential stress factors to consider.
Many types of gourami diseases can be fatal when you don’t treat the fish fast enough. A gourami fish could get an infection, and it’ll be possible to treat the fish and nurse it back to health.
If you ignore the infection for too long, then the fish could wind up dying. Many diseases such as ich can be treated when you take action, but the fish could die if you’re not trying to help them.
Other diseases are even more problematic since they will always lead to death. One such disease that gouramis need to be concerned with is known as dwarf gourami iridovirus.
This is a virus that comes from mass breeding operations in Asia. Fish that get infected by this virus will ultimately die, and it’s also incredibly contagious.
This is why it’s recommended to euthanize any fish that have the virus. There is no known cure for dwarf gourami iridovirus at this time.
How to Save a Dying Gourami
Before you jump to conclusions, you’re going to want to try to figure out what disease your fish has. Look up the symptoms for common gourami fish diseases and then monitor your fish.
This should make it possible to determine what is happening. From there, you can decide how to treat the fish.
Often, gourami fish diseases can be treated by quarantining the fish and giving it medication. If the fish has an infection of some sort, then you’ll be giving it antibiotic medications.
You might also treat the water using aquarium salt. Eventually, the fish will get better if you take good care of it.
If the fish doesn’t get better, then it might have a condition that isn’t treatable. Or, you might have caught the disease too late.
Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his family’s fish tank. Being able to maintain a small ecosystem and observe the behaviors and interactions in the underwater world peaked his interest early on and has kept him hooked until this day. On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything he’s learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium.