Crashed Out, Two Left, Can Anyone Help My Talking Cat.

[PlecMama]

Last night my striped rafael was swimming freely, which isn't really like him, I thought he was hunting but it was odd because he usually does that at night, this morning it was clear Somethings gone horribly wrong, two dead clown loaches, the raf is on his side/back gasping and it was just a disaster.

I have no idea what's gone wrong and at this point it's almost irrelevant. I have done a 90% water change, all I can think is something got in there. I've had no trouble with the heater, no changes in food, tank mates, plants, decorations, in fact, the tank has been stable for so long with the same guys in it I don't even check the water anymore. The only thing that's happened that was odd was an outbreak of trumpet snails I noticed last night (while watching my raf swimming), I thought the clowns ate them all ages ago.

Anyone think of anything to save my raf? I'm getting to the point where I might have to euthanase him he's 9, the clowns were 11 and the chocolate plec who's acting like nothing happened is probably 12? He came from someone else 6 years ago, who said he'd had him six years.

 

[Byron]

You were very wise to do a major water change.
 
Were you able to test the original water, for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH?  Temperature OK?
 
Is it possible something toxic got in the tank?
 
Loaches are good on snails, but the Malaysian Livebearing being a burrower, some will always be down in the substrate.  But their sudden appearance can be due to substrate issues.  Do you regularly clean into the substrate during water changes?  Dead spots suddenly uncovered can spell death if they are significant.
 
Just some thoughts.
 
Byron.

 

[PlecMama]

Thank for replying, yeah I change the water on a good schedule. We lost Mr Fish this afternoon, only Plecto left now and he's going mad swimming all over looking for them, I found him sitting in the cave with Mr Fish's body

I'm just going to change the water again since we've had another death and see if he makes it, hard to know with plecs, they either lay in a corner, stick on a wall or belt about like they're doing a rally.



I guess in a few months I can have some new guys, Mr Fish used to just eat everyone I put in, haven't had a new fish in years.