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Dwarf Gourami Iridovirus (DGIV) is a virus that primarily infects the dwarf gourami. Information about this disease is all over the place, which means that it's unclear whether it will affect other gourami species or not when it's present, but it is known to be transmissible. Symptoms of the disease are well known, but exactly why it only seems to affect dwarf gourami and not other small gourami species, such as the honey gourami, is not clear. There are two theories on why this is the case, both revolving around inbreeding of the species. The first theory is that because of mass inbreeding, the dwarf gourami’s immune system is severely weakened, making them much more susceptible to any sort of illness. The second theory is that the fish of today are of significantly lower quality than even 10 years back, which will cause a decline in everything about the fish.
Because of the popularity of these fish and the irresponsibility of enough breeders, there's a good chance that just about every dwarf gourami in the hobby has been exposed to DGIV. Just why some individuals are susceptible and others are not is a mystery. Vectors for infection include feces and corpses from infected fish. Other species of fish not affected by the virus can spread it if they've come in contact with it at some point. Catching this virus is quite problematic, as symptoms can be delayed by months from the initial infection. Even choosing healthy looking fish that show no symptoms can still be risky, as they may already be infected, and will not show symptoms for up to a year.
Symptoms
Symptoms
Once symptoms present, the mortality rate of DGIV skyrockets to ~100%. It is a progressive disease, and not all instances of infections will have the exact same symptoms. The Iridovirus is a genus of viruses, therefore, symptoms will vary. Generally, the disease first manifests as skin lesions. Typical presentation is pictured above. This stage is one that only happens most of the time, not all the time.
After the lesions appear, more unpleasant symptoms start. The virus has already weakened the immune system, which will allow for it to do more damage to the fish. The fish will start to bloat from an enlarged spleen and the beginnings of necrosis of the liver and kidneys. This will cause the fish to lose its appetite, lose color, and have a hard time swimming to the surface, as it will put pressure on the swim bladder. The rate of progression will depend on a few factors, such as the exact virus causing infection, and other stressors on the fish. The time from the first symptoms appearing and death can range from a few days to a few months. Death usually occurs one of three ways; complete degradation of the liver, until function stops and/or an inability to surface to get fresh air for their labyrinth organ, which essentially drowns them and/or starvation, due to a lack of appetite or ability to eat.
Treatment
Treatment
Unfortunately, there is no cure for DGIV, as it is a viral infection. The only thing that can be done is to treat the symptoms and attempt to ease suffering. Keeping stress to a minimum is essential to prolonging life, as it will greatly affect the progression of the disease. Most treatments for the symptoms will generally increase stress and ultimately cause more harm than relief. The best treatment is to spoil the little fish rotten until it stops eating. Remove anything from the tank that will stress the fish and give that little fish the best time of its life. After eating stops, and quality of life declines, the decision must be made of whether or not to euthanize. Growing research suggests that fish feel pain, but it's a very different experience from how humans feel pain. The fish’s response to noxious stimuli seems to be more reactionary than pain driven, but more research is required to definitively say one way or the other, which complicates the decision of whether or not to euthanize.
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