I have had my guorami for about a year now and all of a sudden it is looking fat. I know I am not supposed to have goldfish with a tropical, but I have had the fish for a long time and it seems to get along with the goldfish. They have been in a tank together for about 6 months now. I just wanted to know if it is possible a goldfish got it pregnant. It has been sitting at the bottom some and looks fat.

I doubt that a GF woud ever mate w/ a gourami. In fact, its probaly impossible.

Your goldfish may have swim bladder diesese or might just be egg-bound.

Sounds like the gourami is fat.
Is it a male or a female and yes its impossible for them to breed together.

I am not sure if my guorami is a male or female...
It just about 2 weeks ago began appearing fat and is resting at the bottom more than usual.

based on my other tropicals it seems like it is about to have babies! Maybe include a pic so we can get a hint! Have you tried to see if it has little black dots at the back, becuase if it does those are the eyes of the babies of it is pregant!

Thanks! I tried, the last part may not be true for all tropicals! It is true for guppies!

Gouramies are egg layers and being in the same family as bettas build bubble nests.
You ned to start doing more water changes to keep the water quality good. try and invest in an ammonia and nitrite test kit as well.

weird, gouramis build bubble nests right? like bettas.. thatd be strage, having a gourami carrying a load of massive goldie eggs about

i have no other guorami... how the hell is it pregnant? lol
I nhave had the fish for about a year so it hasn't had anything other than a goldfish to impregnate it... STRANGE!!!!!!!!!
I see vaguely some black specks on his lower torsoe... woahhhhhhh this is neat.

can you get a pic?
If its a male then its seriously in trouble. The males are brightly coloured and most of the famales are a silver.
What kind is it do you know?
If not then how big and what colour?
Females carry eggs only, they dont get pregnant like livebearers do.
Do you have tests for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph?
What size of filter is it and how do you clean it out.
what temperature is the water at?

Sorry didnt read the post properly. I thought the goldfish was getting fat.

And Sandy, I bet her Gourami is a male. Pet Shops almost never sell female gouramis.

Ive a feeling its a male as well and it doesnt sound good.
Need a pic though.

It is orange and I am not sure if it is male or female.
I drove an hour to a pet store and got the water checked.
The nitrates were high so I did a 50% water change. My popeye goldfish died last night, my other fish a fantail is doing fine. I don't know what it could be.
I don't have a thermometer and I use a 20-40 gal Whisper charcoal filter (i just got it about 3 mo. ago)

To me it sounds like your Gourami is very ill. If you had another fish die of popeye, your gourami may very well have dropsy. It is physically impossible for a goldfish to impregnate, or fertilize the eggs of a different species of fish, so sorry to disappoint you on that. It ain't happenin.

If you have on fish that died of popeye, and a gourami with possible dropsy, then you really have something wrong in your tank(s). Sounds like you have a possible parasite infestation that is weakening your fish into bacterial sicknesses. Please post back and let us know how the fish is doing.

it didnt die of popeye - popeye is a type of goldfish

my bf is trying to load some pics for me.. the fish is sitting at top now, i think i freaked him out when trying to get a decent photo...

jeez - sorry the pics are so huge...

Its a male dwarf.
It doesnt look too healthy as you can see the scales starting to stretch over the belly.
In tropicals dropsy can take longer to get to the pineconing stage and some fish dont even pinecone.
Is there a heater in the tank? If not then cooler temperatures weaken tropical fish opening them up to diseases. If there is a heater then it must be at least 26c.
as you lost the goldie then i suspect the water quality isnt that good and bacterial diseases have mounted up.
Can you isolate him in clean dechlorinated water at a warm temperature and add maracyn?

I dont have a heater or another tank. :-(

The water quality is good. The only thing was I had high nitrates. I did a 50 percent water change and the water is crystal clear. Also the water isn't that cold, I infact had thought it might be a little warm. I guess I need to purchase a themometer.

I dont know what I can do. the only fish medication I have is melafix -- I live an hour from any pet store so anything else will have to wait til tomorrow.

I do have a fish bowl... would that work?

i read on a site that it is useless to treat dropsy and they die in 5-15 days

It isnt pine coning. It is just either floating or sitting on the bottom and looks very bloated. I thought it might be pregnant, but it is a male and someone said it could be Dropsy.

All I have is a fishbowl and melafix as a seperate container and meds.. should I do this?

More info and pics here: *** I edited this post

As I said its only a possible diagnosis and you should try to treat for bacterial diseases.
I would treat him in his own tank as you havent really anything more suitable. Before you start any meds though you really need to get that heater and thermometer.

do i need a whole tank? Can I use a fish bowl?

There is NO way I am buying a new fish tank.

Sorry, I meant in the tank he is already in.

I have fantails also in the tank, will the warmer water harm them?
Will Melafix be okay or should I purchase something else? I also have 2 snails so it needs to be safe for crustaceans.

I have noticed his tail is getting light w/ no color -- it looks almost clear.

I've treated fish for Dropsy and have had them live through it.It's all about how fast you start treatment.I'd leave the fish in the tank that they're in now and treat the whole tank with The Maracyn's.,only because your Goldfish Popeye has died allready. Crystal Clear water may look fine,but looks can be deceiving. Nitrates,if they're high enough,are enough to kill your fish..Melafix is for minor problems,which I think your fish is beyond. I'd find a heater,and start the Antibiotics as soon as possible,so the rest don't end up dying, The goldfish bowl isn't a good idea.Water Params don't stay stable in it-Med doses are difficult to understand,and the fish need extra aeration when using meds.-------------- By the way,I combined both of your threads since the posts were about the same fish and it's problems.That way all the info is together.

I bought a heater and I am slowly raising the temp. It is at 76 now. I also put melacyn 2 in the tank. It isn't showing any signs of improvement. Is there anything else I can do?

You need to give the meds some time to work. if theres no change by the end of the meds then let us know and we can discuss what else to try.

i bought a heater and it was supposed to turn off on it's own. I barely turned it up and when I started 5 hrs ago my tank was 73 now it is 80!!! It feels like bath water. -- I thought it was going to turn off because it says turn it a notch and it will raise the temp 2 degrees and turn off.. it didn't.. good thing I was watching!! Is 80F too warm?

Well it is day 3 of the treatment. He is still in the same spot on the bottom. Never moves. One side has shrunken back to normal, but the other one is just as swollen as it was.

One problem, the mecalyn 2 package says treat for 5 days, but the box only came with enough for 3 days! I live an hour and a half from the nearest pet store. The temp is still at 78 and he is not pine coning. I just don't know what in the world to do.