Catfish Dying!

[mdsutton]

Request Help

Tank size: 32x24x15
pH: 7.5
ammonia: Very Low
nitrite: Don't know
nitrate: Don't know
kH: Don't know
gH: Don't know

tank temp: 26

Fish Symptoms:
Just over a week ago I noticed I had two angels with a sort of fungus growing. I treated the tank with a protozin formula that stated it was harmless to other fish apart from rays and piranhas.
The treatments went in on day 1,2,3 and 6. There were no problems until day 6 (sunday).

Five hours after the last treatment one of my leopard catfish started behaving slightly erratically and was permanently at the surface, seeming to push itself out of the water.
A couple of hours later it died. I watched the tank very closely and a couple of hours after this a second catfish started to behave the same way. I immediately decided to do a one quarter water change. This stopped the symptoms with minutes.
Problem solved I thought. The next morning (monday just gone) that same catfish was also dead. The remaining six catfish, though smaller than those others, were fine, as were all other tank inhabitants.
Yesterday I came home to all my remaining catfish being at the top displaying the same symptoms.
I decided that it must be something in the water, maybe some residual treatment that was poisoning them. I measured the ph and it was still the same, ammonia was very low, I don't have the stuff to measure the other things above.
Therefore last night I did a 90% water change, leaving the fish in some other water for the couple of hours it took.
I also rinsed out all the gravel.
On putting the fish back in, the all looked happy and I stayed watching the tank for over two hours (until 3am) and every fish looked fine.
At 8.30am this morning, three more catfish are dead!! I only have three left. Added to that some of the other fish (angels and a few tetras) are also at the top breathing oxygen from the surface, this doesn't normally happen.
Through all these water changes I was using tap water conditioner and cycle treatment that helps filters and oxidises ammonia and nitrate etc. The temp remained at 26 throughout.
Don't know if it is worth noting but I have also in the last few months used a treatment to get rid of some hair algae, which still persists.

Volume and Frequency of water changes:

Fortnightly quarter tank, apart from those mentioned above.

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank:

Rena XP2 filter, weekly use cycle treatment as mentioned above.

Tank inhabitants:

5 x Angel, 5 x Tetras, 3 x female betta, 2 x ancistrus, 8(now 3!) Leopard Catfish

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):

None

Exposure to chemicals:

Protozin treatment for fungus.
Treatment for hair algae a few weeks ago.

Please help, I'm really worried I've completely screwed the balance of a tank that has been happily running for over a year.

 

[Elaine2]

I had a similar problem once with a treatment that was supposed to be safe for all of the fish in my tank. They started darting about and hiding, trying to jump out of the water, and looked generaly stressed. I did a water change of about 50% and they were OK. I also made sure there was carbon in the filter to try and take out any remaining treatment.

My guess would be that yours have had a similar experience and then got further stressed by the huge change in water and changes to the gravel - effectively they have been put into treated tap water. They have also been shifted about and undergone another water change when you shifted them to clean the gravel. However, it is easy to panic and overdo things when there is a problem.

I think you will just have to see how things go but try not to to do much else to the tank other than monitor it, check on the fish and check the water parameters. I've never used Cycle but I know a lot of folk feel that it causes more problems than it helps.

Out of interest did your filter get turned off when you were changing the water? If so, you may have lost some of the bacteria and effectively have to cycle the tank again. Also, were you still using a treatment for the algae when this one went in? Best not to use more than one at a time and they don't always combine well.

There's also people with a lot more than my 3 years' of tropical fishkeeping experience on here who will have met this problem before and who will be able to advise you.

I hope the remaining fish are OK. It is stressful when something like this happens.

 

[DarkEntity]

You need to add water stats, and also did you cycle the tank?

 

[shang hi]

okay firstly, get the other test results (nitrite, nitrate) you can get a set for £15 at any aquatic fish shop, do u have a spercific tank size (gallons/liters) because is sounds like your tank is overstocked, rase the temp a bit and add more oxygen.
any other fish effected?
if there anyway of u quarentiening the "ill" fish.
did u cheack that the to chemicales: Protozin treatment for fungus
Treatment for hair algae
are compatable.
for further help visite http/www.nationalfishpharm.com/prevention.html
hope this helps.