2nd Death

[Behold]

Ok this time i just lost a zebra danio. i belive it was a she and she seemed a little rounder than most but not bloated. she slowed down last night to not even react to my hand near the tank. thismorning i found her stuck to the filter head dead. i took her out. ALL colour has gone and on the belly it is soft with minor red patched.

Is this just fast acting dropsy? some rupture there are no markings on her at all.

new and existing opaline are now fine RTBS is finally not such a recluse! and the 2 gibbs are nice and active. at least 3 danios are always active. bit concerned that a couple of the other danios seem to not do alot but will react to movements around them.

I don't have a hospital tank at the moment and need to get one. should i get a breading tank to isolate them in just to monitor them???

Thanks

Oh ps.

Stats

Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 40ppm
PH = 7.8-8 (Could this be an issue???)

Also how could i lower the PH?
Tank has:

4 Plants
2 large peices of bogwood
Sand
Polystyrene back drop

 

[jollysue]

I see your thread floating down to obscurity, so thought I would offer some input, although I am not a danio expert and don't know your other problems previously.

Yes, shoaling fish that are separating off to themselves are an alert to possible problems. Red streaks before death are an indication of internal bacterial infection. After death it is more problamatic, ime. Any fish that is showing illness is best put in a separate hospital tank. It doesnot have to be large for small fish--the inch per gallon guideline will usually do. Often the meds will kill the good bacteria and cause a cycle, so that is a second reason for separating--the first is contagion. I usually just use floss in a filter with a medicated tank. You can use a plastic tub or sweater box if you keep the water clean and changed often---and heated.

As I said I am not familiar with danios, so I do not know their ph likes. In most cases it is best to stay with the tap ph and stock accordingly. If you feel it is important then peat will lower ph, but fluctuations are more of a problem than a constant elevated ph--my understanding from the general wisdom.

Your nitrates sound a little high. I don't have my test kits handy, but .25 sticks in my mind as reasonable. Is your tap nitrate level high? I would up the water change schedule, if the tap level is lower. Some fish do react to nitrates, and it can wear them down. Well I am not swearing to all of this.

The cause of your fish's death is not possible to determine from the information you have posted.

 

[gowing238]

Most fish can acclimatise to your basic tap water ph level. It will do them more harm than good trying to alter it because unless your a chemist it is almost impossible to alter the ph level and keep it stable. A constantly changing ph will do lots more harm. All i could say is your nitrate level is slightly high. Try doing daily 25% water changes for a few days.

Also, maybe there is a low oxygen content. Do oyu have airstones? If so try turning them on. The more surface agitation the better.

Hope this helps

Sorry! One last thing! If it is a bacterial infection and you have already had one fatality i would not bother quarantining any fish looking off colour i would treat the whole tank immediately. If its contagious best treat everyone as a whole

 

[Behold]

Thanks guys i have used a spare cassarole dish for now to quarintine the 3rd danio. (another died with no real warning.)

I have no heater but my house is allways warm and i have airated the dish. over night he seems better but not great so off to get some melafix or similar as i have notices gills are a little red. I need a real hospital tank but im looking in to that.

As to the tap water. my tap water fluctuates from about 20ppm and 40ppm out of the tap (I find this test hard to tell the right color i think.) so i find that if my nitrAtes ever seem more then vibarant red im over the 40ppm and i push a water change.

its my PH im concerned about as it starts at 7.4 and rises to about 8.... i have no idea what causes it....

 

[jollysue]

Ph naturally fluctuates. Temp changes, new plants, new fish, just a multitude of things change the ph naturally. The fish can handle the natural fluctuations as long as it is stable. These fluctuations are natural in the environment. But unless you invest in an expensive set up to monitor and dose the ph automatically, it is better not to make more fluctuatuions, or so the general consensus goes.

A common water softener is peat. It can be added to the filter or the substrate. It is used to help in planted aquariums too. But it will cause some fluctuation as its effect depetes and must be renewed. You might check in the planted section on using it in the aquarium effectively.