Ángel Fish And Molly's Dying. Ick

[Betty007]

Hi I am new to the hobby. And most of my fish have died in the past 3-4 days. Tank is 65 gallons, water test is fine. I have molly, angelfish and guppies. The guppies are all alive but the others are dropping like flies. The tank is about 2-3 months. Ick started in the tank and I have raised the temperature to 86f, removed carbon from filter, treated the tank with API ich cure, I have been doing 40%-50% water changes and they keep dying. The Dalmatian Molly,s eyes are bulging and clouded over. Please help. What can I do?

 

[rms]

Are you sure it's ich? Are there small white spots on the fish? They look like salt grains usually.

 

[nic1]

Sounds bacterial,
What are your water parameters? We need numbers please.
A 2-3 month old tank is so new I don't think that its actually cycled properly yet and what you're experiencing are spikes, these spikes make fish so sick that most of them don't make it unless they are really hardy. Water changes are a good start, I would stop the ich medicine, get an air stone if you haven't already got one, do daily water tests and change the water when required according to the test results with conditioned water. Do not get anymore fish and use a general cure like tetras general cure.
Also try and research new tank syndrome.
Feed the fish little amounts, and I would change the water little and often to avoid high levels of ammonia building up that consequencly is poisoning the fish.

 

[Betty007]

Yes, there were small white spots mainly on fins and tail.  They are breathing heavy at the top of the tank, and not eating,  I use the water test strips to test the water, and at least once per week I take a water sample to a tropical fish place that does the other test with the liquids, etc.  I did not cycle the tank properly out of ignorance.  Petsmart (now I know better than to listen to them) where I purchased the 65 gallon fish tank said to fill the tank with water, required amount of Stress Coat, run filter, include gravel, decorations, etc. and give it at least 3 days before I put fish in it because it was such a big tank.  Once I visited the small neighborhood Tropical Fish farm, I learned a little about cycling, of course by then I already had fish inside the tank, and there were nitrate, amonia spikes, Alkaline and PH on the low end, and all the stuff associated with not cycling a tank.  The newest victim of this disaster is an angelfish who has been the only one (i originally had 8 nickle size to quarter size angelfish) that between 11pm and 6am developed a round bulge on the stomach and looked as if it had swallowed a marble.  Within minutes he was swiming upside down and other fish were picking on him, so I placed him in a net by himself so that he would not be tortured by the other fish.  BTW I did a 50% water change last night and as the water was being sucked out of the tank two of the angelfish became lethargic and swimming sideways, etc. by the time the water was being replaced they were almost dead.  Stress?  at which point I placed a carbon filter in and a few hours later added 8 teaspoons of salt.  After my fish started dying I researched the reviews on the Ick treatment I used, and all 11 reviews on Amazon state that this medicine killed their fish.  It appears none of my fish are goint to make it.  This morning there were only 2 angelfish, 4 molly, 4 guppy (guppies have not been affected).

 

[nic1]

Its OK, you took advice off someone who obviously had profit in mind, when you step into a New hobby its always good to read a bit about it first, but having said this, I did the same as you almost 20 years ago now, I ended up with a couple of fish and a baffled outlook on fish keeping, but reading LOADS educated me and I'm still learning!
Guppys and Molly's need hard water to thrive, and angels needs soft water, its probably best to check your water and keep suited fish.
Some people swear by esha exit for white spot, but I found it hardly made a difference in my tank as I am in a soft water area and require more of it but couldn't use more as I have scaleless fish, if this is the case for you, I have success with tetra general cure to treat spots and bacteria even pop eye, clamped fins, etc.
Regarding your water, you need to add some beneficial bacteria and fast, see if you can get some from a mature tank, maybe from a friend or a fish shop and ask for mature media, this.comes in the form of what looks like dirty water from their filter, some gravel from the tank, plants or decoration in an occupied tank, pour the water directly into the tank.
When you change the water in your tank make sure that the temperature closely matches that in the tank so it doesn't stress the fish out.
You can also buy some biological filter boosting products also.
Sorry about your fish, you can stock SLOWLY when ammonia and nitrites are 0 and nitrate are around 5-10.

 

[Betty007]

Thank you for your advise.  I am devastated.  With everything going on with my poor fish 1) Ick  2) popeye and 3) swollen round belly on angelfish, I am afraid I will probably get home and find another few dead.  I will buy/obtain the items you recommended.  Thanks again for your help. 

 

[nic1]

That's OK, let me know how you get on. When things settle down and your water is on track pop back on to the site for some advise about stocking your tank.
No questions are too silly or complicated, there's always someone willing to help