Parasites?

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cboatman

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Hi everyone. Recently got a new tank and to say it isn't going well is an understatement. It's a 13.5 gallon fluval edge.

Cycled the tank using a combination of seeded filter media from my established tank and Seachem Stability. It cycled in a little less than a week and now runs 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and 5-10 nitrates (it's relatively well planted).

I added three Cory cats. They all did fine for a week (am planning on getting more eventually but not until I get what ever the issue is sorted out). A week later, after everything seemed fine, I added two glowfish (zebra danio). Waited another week before adding three more. Anyway, against my better judgement I stupidly added a very thin glowfish with a slightly bent spine (I figured since they were all from the same place and the others looked healthy, there wasn't anything wrong with him). He quickly died. A week later, out of the blue, one of the originals died very quickly. I'd had her, with no adverse symptoms, for two weeks. The second of the originals started hiding a couple days after the sick glowfish died. She is now breathing very rapidly, spends most of her time hiding, and has a slightly curved spine and a sunken belly. She isn't eating either. One of the newer ones is now showing similar symptoms (sunken belly, refuses to eat, breathing heavy). I did large water change and treated the tank with an anti-parasitic thinking it was internal parasites. Only a single healthy glowfish is left. The corys have never seemed unhealthy and my other tank (with neon tetras) isn't showing any sort of disease even though I've used the same equipment for water changes. Is there any else I should be doing?

Thanks everyone.


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Diagnosing fish problems is the most difficult aspect of this hobby. This or that symptom can be due to various issues, from parasites to protozoan to genetic disorders to inappropriate water parameters, to...almost anything.

The Zebra Danio and the developed "Glorfish" are extremely weak species these days, and frankly I would forget them. This 13 gallon tank is insufficient space for a proper-sized group of this species anyway, as they need at least half a dozen (preferably more) and more space to swim as they are very active swimmers. I would re-home the surviving glofish and think about other more suited species. I'm afrtaid they are very few, as this is a very small space. Many of the smaller species will be wild caught, requiring greater attention to water parameters, so if you could give us the GH and pH it would help us suggest possible species.

Another note, most of us in this hobby do not agree with these "glofish," some of which are inhumanely developed. It is only by not purchasing them that we can hope to have such practices ended.

Byron.
 
The glowfish I bought are genetically modified. They the offspring of formerly genetically modified ancestors. As it is, I don't have an issue with GMOs.


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They're not dyed or injected.


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The glowfish I bought are genetically modified. They the offspring of formerly genetically modified ancestors. As it is, I don't have an issue with GMOs.


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Most of us do, I'm afraid. This is not a practice we condone in this hobby, and it is in fact illegal to sell these fish in Europe. Here is what it says about this on Seriously Fish, in the profile of the Zebra Danio, Brachydanio rerio.

More recently, transgenically-modified ‘Glofish’ which flouresce constantly have appeared on the market.

These were originally produced by the National University of Singapore in an attempt to mutate a fish so that it would literally glow in the presence of certain environmental toxins and are available in a number of colours, including yellow, green and red.

The substances causing this effect are proteins extracted from a particular jellyfish (green and yellow forms) or coral species (red form). An American company quickly purchased the rights to market Glofish in the United States where they’ve achieved a fair level of popularity.

As things stand they’re illegal to buy, sell or own within the European Union although several instances of smuggling have been recorded, the punishment for which is a hefty fine.​
 
I don't believe this is the proper platform to get into the ethics of genetic modification. It's perfectly fine to not condone glowfish.


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I doubt it's a water issue as all my tests have come out fine. (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5 nitrate). My water is very soft. I keep neon tetras and glowlight tetras in another aquarium without an issue. I would rather not add any other fish into the tank until whatever is killing my current fish runs its course. I've seen a bit of improvement with the prazi-pro, so hopefully that will continue.


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Bent spine often points to two things. Calamanus or TB. Like Byron said its hard to say for sure.

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So it looks like everything is going to die except for the three cories. Any suggestions on where to go to next? I don't want to add any new fish if they are all going to suffer. I certainly will not be buying from the same store again.

Should I move the cories to another tank and bleach everything? I have live plants, what should I do with those?

Thanks for your help. It's officially been a month since the first few fish were added. I don't know what they have, but it's certainly been destructive. I miss enjoying my tank. Every time I look at it, I feel horrible.

I checked the water parameters again. 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 10-20 nitrates.


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I would do couple large wc (75plus) good vac. Clean filter. Your not going to not have losses in this game. But up your chances by staying away from fish with track records of issues, difficult fish, gmo, or fish that dont look well. Stock properly.

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Okay. Thank you. I just worry about the possibility of an internal infection. That would clear it up?


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