Everyone is dying

[Surprised_Fishie]

Hi, I have been fishkeeping for 11 months and not had any major catastrophes. Tonight has been horrid.

My favourite swordtail male jumped from the holding tank while i was cleaning and was chewed by the dog. A Female guppy tried the same and stripped all her scales on one side. A white cloud minnow did as well.

Got them all back in the water as soon as poss but lost the swordtail and the minnow is looking ill.

However it gets worse, upon returning to the tank everyone is disorientated and swimming into the walls.

My red tailed shark is hardly breathing and so i am supporting him in a breeding net so he doesnt get covered in sand. The white cloud Minnows are drifting and twitching. The guppy girls seem ok as do the platties and molly.

Basically my question is this (based on tank parameters which i am about to type) what can i do?

*UK 21 Gallon Tank
*Big Filter (cant think what type at the mo but its inside the tank stuck to the wall)
*Sand substrate
*tank heat is fine
*just done a water change but prior to that all levels were normal
*erm, just ask anything else

Please help

 

[WILDER]

Can you post water stats so we can take a look, red tailed shark needs a 40gal tank, can you list the rest of the fish, any flicking and rubbing on objects, red inflamed gills, heavy breathing, how often do you maintain the tank.

 

[Surprised_Fishie]

just realised my signiture is horribly innacurate although it is a 31 gallon tank.

Stocking:

1 red tailed shark
5 guppy girls
2 platty girls
6 neons
6 minnows

I borrow a water testing kit and i cant get hold of my mate tonite.


ARGH this is horrible

 

[tttnjfttt]

Did all your problems begin with the three fish that jumped? When you did your water change, did you remember to use dechlorinator? Did you rinse your filter out in tap water? How large of a water change did you do?

 

[Surprised_Fishie]

problems started with the jumping fish.

one didnt go back into the tank because he was gone. but the other two have. I am feeling paranoid that i mis dosed the tank (used finrot medicine - sorry i forgot - a bit stressed here) but i double checked and i used the correct doseage.

I did a 50% waterchange and stirred up the sand to get any nitrite buildup out.

I definately remembered dechlorinator and i rinsed the filter sponges out in a bucket of tank water. Altho i did rinse one under a tap because it was filthy. I always clean the plastic housing of the filter in clean hot water (ie with no detergents)

 

[WILDER]

Need to no tank ph to tap ph.

 

[WILDER]

Sorry justed noticed you clean s ponge in tap water, never do that as you destroy the bacteria colony, i would get your water tested as soon as possilble, are they still gasping.

 

[Surprised_Fishie]

only four fish are gasping. Also it was only one of the sponges and the sand substrate is full of bacteria(?) To be honest i havent done anything different except use the fin rot meds.

The cloud minnows are more than a year old but the shark is only a baby (4ish months)

 

[WILDER]

If they are still gasping i would do another water change, no chemicals have gotten into the tank, right the finrot med how much did you dose in the tank to the gals.

 

[Erised]

I agree with Wilder, do another water change ... I'd personally do about 25% and see if that makes a difference.

Also, if there's a way of getting your hands on an airpump for the moment, I recommend you do this. Your tank might be lacking oxygen in the water. Perhaps you have any friends who you can get in contact with to borrow an airpump off?

 

[Surprised_Fishie]

I was hurrying (always a stupid thing but parents were getting arsey) I believe i put in 20ML of finrot medicine into the 31 gallon tank. Working on the principle of 10ML to every 11 gallons but not wanting to put too much in. I have already done a second 1 gallon water change because i was worried i overdosed.

Just had another look, it appears only the shark is still gasping and he is trying to swim a little bit. Minnows are very still at the moment but their gills are going.

 

[WILDER]

You haven't overdosed then, i agree with erised always best to run an airstone as meds take the 02 out of the water, is the filter really rippling the surface of the tank, if not you need an airstone.

 

[tttnjfttt]

exactly what was the fin rot med you are using? it is very important to know.

You can also try adding in a little of aquarium salt to help the fish out. Just make sure to add it slowly to not stress out the neons.

 

[Surprised_Fishie]

It is 'Interpet anti fungus and finrot. Aquarium treatment 8'

Also do i need special salt?

what would be best to keep everyone alive until the morning?

 

[WILDER]

Table salt will be fine one teaspoon to a gal but add it gradually so the fish get used to it gradually rather than a big dose, good luck, get water tested fast.