Harlequin Rasboara dying one by one...

[Meeko]

Maybe they weren't doing fine after all

Tank size: 200L
pH: 7.2
ammonia: 0 (tested twice daily)
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 10-20ppm
kH: N/A
gH: N/A
tank temp: 26 celsius

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): One died overnight on the first night. The other 5 were fine yesterday, good colour swimming well until last night.

Very noticeable Red gills, mouth permanently open, keeps going to surface, stays away from the rest.

Volume and Frequency of water changes: Water change before going to purchase fish about 60%.

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: Using Fluval Water Conditioner when doing water changes.

Tank inhabitants: Nothing else apart from snails brought in off plants

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): Added 1 plastic plant purchased from Amazon as the tank was bare and I felt bad for the Rasbora

Exposure to chemicals: None that I know of

Someone on a Facebook group mentioned oxygen. Here is a picture of the way my filter and air stone are set up so you can see. https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=c0bbef35cd81b2a71c279b1f69aa116b&oe=5BB7C32C

 

[Meeko]

Okay now the lights are on I have inspected the other 4 closely and they all seem to be devloping red gills too, albeit at a slower rate. Going to do an immediate water change.

 

[Colin_T]

Red gills and breathing heavily is usually poisoning from water quality.

Do a big 75% water change and gravel clean the tank immediately.
Make sure any new water going into the tank is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added.

Make sure you use a fish only bucket for the aquarium and water changes. Do not let anyone else use the fish buckets for anything.

Make sure you don't have any creams, grease, perfume, hair spray or anything else on your hands or arms when working in the tank or feeding the fish. Even soap with a nice fragrance can cause problems.

No smoking, painting or air fresheners/ bug sprays should be used in the room with the tank.

Can you post another picture of the tank and preferably not one where you were hanging from the ceiling when you took it
Also a pic of the fish if you can?

Harlequins can be susceptible to bacterial infections and a pic should help us identify any diseases

 

[Meeko]

Red gills and breathing heavily is usually poisoning from water quality.

Do a big 75% water change and gravel clean the tank immediately.
Make sure any new water going into the tank is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added.

Make sure you use a fish only bucket for the aquarium and water changes. Do not let anyone else use the fish buckets for anything.

Make sure you don't have any creams, grease, perfume, hair spray or anything else on your hands or arms when working in the tank or feeding the fish. Even soap with a nice fragrance can cause problems.

No smoking, painting or air fresheners/ bug sprays should be used in the room with the tank.

Can you post another picture of the tank and preferably not one where you were hanging from the ceiling when you took it
Also a pic of the fish if you can?

Harlequins can be susceptible to bacterial infections and a pic should help us identify any diseases

On it. Will report back soon

 

[Meeko]

Pictures, man they are hard to get a good pic of

https://ibb.co/ezYfVT
https://image.ibb.co/iJiQx8/12345.jpg

 

[Meeko]

Water change done, heres hoping.

 

[Colin_T]

The fish look alright, altho the one on the left has its dorsal (top) fin down a little bit, which could be from swimming or something else. If the fin is normally upright like the others, then its fine.

There isn't much aeration in the tank but there is some. I prefer to have a lot more but that was for the fish I kept, they like currents.

I would say something contaminated the water and hopefully the water change will fix the problem

 

[Meeko]

The fish look alright, altho the one on the left has its dorsal (top) fin down a little bit, which could be from swimming or something else. If the fin is normally upright like the others, then its fine.

There isn't much aeration in the tank but there is some. I prefer to have a lot more but that was for the fish I kept, they like currents.

I would say something contaminated the water and hopefully the water change will fix the problem

Hopefully, I've adjusted the filter a little bit more when doing the water change so there is even more aeration just incase it is that. I guess I can only wait and see now. Maybe it was a poor choice for the first fish in the tank.

Just for peace of mind, I am curious as to if it is possible the fish were already sick at the LFS and the stress of moving has brought it on? Is it also possible it just the stress of moving etc?

 

[Colin_T]

Stress does not cause red gills and rapid breathing, altho if a fish is spooked or chased and panics, it will breath more rapidly compared to normal.

But yes the fish could have been in a tank with a disease and that has come across with the fish. However, the picture you provided would indicate the fish are pretty healthy and do not appear to have any external parasites or fungal or bacterial infections.

Something you can do to reduce stress is put a picture or something over the back and sides of the tank. You don't have to cover the sides but the back should definitely be covered with something. You can buy plastic aquarium backings at any pet shop, or use coloured card from a craft shop, or even a black plastic rubbish bin liner. Just tape the backing to the outside on the back of the tank and it will make the fish feel a lot more secure.

Floating plants like Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides) will make the fish feel more secure and more plants growing in the substrate will also help.

 

[Meeko]

Stress does not cause red gills and rapid breathing, altho if a fish is spooked or chased and panics, it will breath more rapidly compared to normal.

But yes the fish could have been in a tank with a disease and that has come across with the fish. However, the picture you provided would indicate the fish are pretty healthy and do not appear to have any external parasites or fungal or bacterial infections.

Something you can do to reduce stress is put a picture or something over the back and sides of the tank. You don't have to cover the sides but the back should definitely be covered with something. You can buy plastic aquarium backings at any pet shop, or use coloured card from a craft shop, or even a black plastic rubbish bin liner. Just tape the backing to the outside on the back of the tank and it will make the fish feel a lot more secure.

Floating plants like Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides) will make the fish feel more secure and more plants growing in the substrate will also help.

It's fuhnn you say about the background, I have been waiting on one coming in the post. My test results almost 6 hours after the water change are 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and 0 nitrate. There are 2 eleocharis acicularis and 1 harbii rosa in the tank so I wonder if they will be using up the nitrates but in saying that it has only been 6 hours since I done the WC and the last test yesterday was reading 10-20 nitrate.

The fish seem slightly more happier, I will be keeping an eye on them over the next couple of days. I have a few live plants arriving in the post on Tuesday including the water sprite you mentioned there so that might cheer them up.

 

[Meeko]

Stress does not cause red gills and rapid breathing, altho if a fish is spooked or chased and panics, it will breath more rapidly compared to normal.

But yes the fish could have been in a tank with a disease and that has come across with the fish. However, the picture you provided would indicate the fish are pretty healthy and do not appear to have any external parasites or fungal or bacterial infections.

Something you can do to reduce stress is put a picture or something over the back and sides of the tank. You don't have to cover the sides but the back should definitely be covered with something. You can buy plastic aquarium backings at any pet shop, or use coloured card from a craft shop, or even a black plastic rubbish bin liner. Just tape the backing to the outside on the back of the tank and it will make the fish feel a lot more secure.

Floating plants like Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides) will make the fish feel more secure and more plants growing in the substrate will also help.

Either they were fine from the beginning or the water change has helped significantly as all 4 are alive and kicking this morning. I was sort of fearing the worst!

 

[Colin_T]

Keep an eye on them because water changes can dilute disease organisms to low levels but a few days later the pathogens have increased in numbers and affect the fish again.

Don't get any more fish until these guys have been happy and shown no issues at all for at least 2 weeks.

 

[Meeko]

Keep an eye on them because water changes can dilute disease organisms to low levels but a few days later the pathogens have increased in numbers and affect the fish again.

Don't get any more fish until these guys have been happy and shown no issues at all for at least 2 weeks.

Hey I just went to attach my background and noticed there is white coloured stuff growing all over the glass on the inside..I'll have pic shortly but could this be a fungus and may be the reason why the 2 have died?

 

[Meeko]

How on earth I didn't notce this before I have no idea but I think it is safe to assume this is what happened to the fish. To my eyes it sort of moves around with the current, is very very small almost fluffly like. It feels slimy to touch and easily rubs off ( I rubbed a bit off with my finger no problem).

 

[Meeko]

There goes the next casualty. sigh.