# Gourmi help!



## ringmybell (Jan 1, 2012)

I recieved a free large guarmi from a pet store yesterday because he came in with a swim bladder or digestive tract problem. He is swollen from head to tail, swims with his butt above his head, if he stops smimming he floats to the top and lays on his side. I tried using peas but he would not eat any. Also his spine is starting to make an S shape. I am tring epsom salt baths but how when I know they are working? I can't keep him in a seperate tank because I only have one filter. He is getting picked on by my other guarmi. I feel horrible about it, but I think the teasing has stopped. What should I do? He is fasting. How long until I should notice results?:hmm::redyay:


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## SeaHorse (Dec 27, 2010)

This is gonna sound wacky but I have on 3 seperate occassions with 3 diff fish saved them from bloat. I spent several hours and held the fish upright, to allow it to rest a bit, slowly moving the fish forward and back to keep water moving thru the gills. sometimes they freak out and take off and this action causes them to pass out some of their "troubles" lol. Then I hold them again for another rest.
Hey it's worth a try and you can say you've tried everything. Penning them into a small tank does not allow them to keep swimming and they usually flip over or eventually die. Good luck. 
How many Gourami's do you have together?


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## ringmybell (Jan 1, 2012)

he was with one other guarmi, but was getting picked on A LOT. I did research and found that they can breath air just like betta's so I put him in a ten gallon tank, by himself, with nothing in it, so I can moniter his feses, and food. He has been in there for about 5 hours. As soon as I put him in there, he really perked up! He has been swimming like crazy! with his butt up in the air of course. But so far no feces. But he seems happier now, and he is actually putting himself against the cage wall, and props himself up to rest. I'm going to try fasting him until I see feces but no longer than 5 days.


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## SeaHorse (Dec 27, 2010)

Good job, I agree that the resting is one of the keys to the recovery. It won't hurt him to go a day, two or three without food for sure. not sure about 5... but you are on the right track. or tiny amounts of food if you want to give him something.
He'll be back in the big tank standing his ground in no time. 
Good luck.


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## ringmybell (Jan 1, 2012)

i read somewhere to with hold food a week or more! I thought that was crazy! I'll go maybe 2 1/2 possibly. Some one suggested I euthinize him. You can see a video of him swimming in my other thread "Gourmi's Journey"


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## SeaHorse (Dec 27, 2010)

Yes that is rough to watch isn't it. Does he seem any better now that he has had a chance to rest a bit? I personally would not euthanize him yet as I have seen fish recover. I've lost them too to bloat, it's hit or miss. You will know when it's time. 
I would guess that is your basic Blue Gourami. They change colour from 3 spot to speckled and back again depending on their mood. It's probably similar to flashing in RBF. I had one for years. I've also learned tho to just keep one Gourami in a tank as this slow moving seemingly graceful swimmer suddenly can get very aggressive and territorial. Good luck


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## ringmybell (Jan 1, 2012)

yea I don't know if I wanna give up hope after just one day. He has not gotten any better or worse. just the same. but he doesn't seem like he's in pain or anything. in fact he loves to jump! He defenitly has life! He does not have any spots. But I have noticed, he can not change his color. IN my tank when getting picked on, my other gourmi looked like a zebra his stripes showed so much, and all he wanted to do was swim away submissivly and his colors too were very bright. They are still bright, and my other gourmi is back to his "relaxed" color. I wonder if that is a symptom


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