Expert Fish Keepers....

[LolaLouie]

I sort of thought that once a tank was cycled and as long as you do everything right you are not at risk from illnesses... however there seems to always be some problem in my tank despite the fact i feed my fish a healthy diet, all water parameters are fine, all fish are compatible, the tank is not overstocked and i do weekly water changes.

I was just wondering to those who have been in fish keeping forever and are "expert" fish keepers... do your fish still get sick? Do you still have outbreaks of internal bacteria etc?!?

Coz if so maybe i should just quit now!!

Thanks!

 

[Darkstar]

I wouldn't define myself as an expert....but neither do I get problems with my tanks, even though they are over stocked. I had one twig catfish die unexpectedly some time last year and that is the only death in my main tank for the last 2-3 years I think.

If you have constant problems then obviously something is not right. If you can explain what is happening then someone here might be able to help you. However, no matter that problems you might be having as long as you are willing to take advice and act on it then there is no reason why you should give up.

 

[Esfa]

I've only had one fish get ill in the past few years, and I think that was due to old age....

if you quarentine, and keep your water nice, then your fish shouldnt get ill.

 

[Egmel]

I think it depends which fish you keep as well, some are particularly prone to certain disorders (neon tetras to NTD and guppies to internal parasites spring to mind)

Make sure that after any outbreak you sterilise all your equipment (buckets, nets the lot). Also wipe down all the surfaces around the tanks and boil wash any 'fish towels' you have. Basically clean anything that isn't actually being treated! Although most diseases don't survive outside the aquarium I wouldn't like to chance it. (hmmm, maybe I have fish related OCD )

Then as everyone else has said, quarantine any new fish, and sterilise any plants or fresh/live foods you put in.

I think even the experts have the occasional outbreak, sometimes it's because they've been lax and you hear them kicking themselves about it. Other times there's no obvious reason.

Good Luck

 

[darkwolf29a]

I just had a fish die last night.

I don't consider myself an expert by an means.

Here's what happened though.

A month or so ago, I bought a chaca chaca catfish. I tried pelletized food, krill, everything I could think of, but he wouldn't eat anything that didn't move.

So, I started getting minnows from Petco. Everything seemed fine for awhile.

I did a normal water change on him on Saturday, along with 5 other fish tanks. Water parameters were normal. I put the new minnows in, and didn't think anything of it. He started chowing down, and waundering around the tank, like he always did.

I got home yesterday to find him, and all of the other fish in the tank (About 10 minnows) dead. Needless to say, I won't be getting another Chaca for while, until I have my breeding program up and running, with a decent amount of babies to use for food.

So, while I'm not an expert, yes...I do have fish that die.

The only other fish I've had die, were due to age.

All of my fish, including a growing stock of bristlenose and L15 plekotias, are growing and seem to be very healthy fish.

The only thing I've gathered from this latest death, is that I, probably, got ahold of a bad set of minnows.

 

[LolaLouie]

Wow.. I must be doing something really wrong.. but I just can't figure out what!

Most of my problems began from a krib with an internal parasite.. I bought him from pets@home (1st mistake i guess) but I quarentined him for almost 2 weeks before adding him to my main tank.

I'm stumped as to why I seem to have so many problems... but good to know that this isn't normal otherwise i think i'd definitely give up!

Thanks for the input... also any advice welcome!

 

[CFC]

Any time you add a new fish to an established tank you risk introducing a disease to your established fish, even new purchases that are quarentined can pass on invisable infections that they have have developed an immunity to but your older fish haven't. It doesnt matter if you have been keeping fish 6 months or 6 years, if a fish has a contagious disease and you introduce it to your tank your fish will get sick. Bacterial infections are becoming an increasingly large problem as more and more fish are captive bred, cramped conditions and poor husbandry at the farms are breeding grounds for bacterial disease and parasitic infections.
Newly bought fish are at the greatest risk of dying as the stress of moving gives any hidden diseases the foot hold they need to get past the fishes immune system, so if you regularly buy new fish then you will have a greater chance of having fish die.
Disease in matured tanks with stock that hasn't been added to for long periods is rare as long as the tank is maintained well, but just like we have a greater chance of picking up a cold when we go into a place crowded with strangers fish have a greater chance of picking up disease when we introduce them to fish that are strangers.

 

[shelaghfishface]

Any time you add a new fish to an established tank you risk introducing a disease to your established fish, even new purchases that are quarentined can pass on invisable infections that they have have developed an immunity to but your older fish haven't. It doesnt matter if you have been keeping fish 6 months or 6 years, if a fish has a contagious disease and you introduce it to your tank your fish will get sick. Bacterial infections are becoming an increasingly large problem as more and more fish are captive bred, cramped conditions and poor husbandry at the farms are breeding grounds for bacterial disease and parasitic infections.
Newly bought fish are at the greatest risk of dying as the stress of moving gives any hidden diseases the foot hold they need to get past the fishes immune system, so if you regularly buy new fish then you will have a greater chance of having fish die.
Disease in matured tanks with stock that hasn't been added to for long periods is rare as long as the tank is maintained well, but just like we have a greater chance of picking up a cold when we go into a place crowded with strangers fish have a greater chance of picking up disease when we introduce them to fish that are strangers.

gee wizz, i honestly thort it was the other way round, that the newer fish would be healthier- its not that im totally stupid but that whats i assumed,that is definatley were i have been going wrong, ie 1 fish dies i get another 1 fish dies i get another and so on,im down to 4 fish in one of my tanks ( platys)due to illness ( suspected tb wilder said), i wont replace anything in this tank now, ill just be satisfied with looking after those 4 and when they go well we`ll see

thats afantastic peice of advice thankyou from me CFC
shelagh xx

 

[LolaLouie]

Any time you add a new fish to an established tank you risk introducing a disease to your established fish, even new purchases that are quarentined can pass on invisable infections that they have have developed an immunity to but your older fish haven't. It doesnt matter if you have been keeping fish 6 months or 6 years, if a fish has a contagious disease and you introduce it to your tank your fish will get sick. Bacterial infections are becoming an increasingly large problem as more and more fish are captive bred, cramped conditions and poor husbandry at the farms are breeding grounds for bacterial disease and parasitic infections.
Newly bought fish are at the greatest risk of dying as the stress of moving gives any hidden diseases the foot hold they need to get past the fishes immune system, so if you regularly buy new fish then you will have a greater chance of having fish die.
Disease in matured tanks with stock that hasn't been added to for long periods is rare as long as the tank is maintained well, but just like we have a greater chance of picking up a cold when we go into a place crowded with strangers fish have a greater chance of picking up disease when we introduce them to fish that are strangers.

That's good to know... Right I'm going to hold off buying fish for a while!

Thanks!

 

[Eclecticoldsod]

I was told, 50 years ago, “Life is a lottery, and a fish tank is a very small world – so expect losses.” And I have had them over the years, but none due to disease (as far as I know...) I have cheated on cycling tanks (quite a new thing for anyone as old as me). I have had the odd one or two fish that died almost at once (which I put down to shock at being moved/acclimatising to the new conditions too fast, or just bad luck!)
Lots of it comes down to the species: I have never lost any sort of Danio, but struggle with Neon Tetras. Do you see sick fish, or do there just seem to fewer and fewer of them each morning – like my neons? Dead or sick fish will probably be a disease – missing ones most likely down to a larger tank-mate you hadn't even considered...
A deadly disease will sicken or kill almost every fish in the tank – the wrong water parameters will kill just the species – a hungry tank-mate will take out any fish small enough to swallow..!
What applies to you..?

 

[Mr._Fishy]

I wouldn't really consider myself an expert, but I haven't had any sort of disease outbreak in the past 2 years on any of my tanks besides the q ones. I've had some fish just die though. I assume it was due to old age though.

Ryan

 

[LolaLouie]

I have sick fish, never missing fish. My tank is mostly SA cichlids.. I think maybe CFC got it right... maybe all my problems have come from this 1 krib who seemed ok but then got sick and infected my whole tank

 

[WILDER]

Sadly seen it all to often.
The only way is to quarantine fish for up to 4 to 6 weeks.

I think its always best to worm new fish if you can get hold of internal parasites medications.

 

[SuperColey1]

I dont get new fish very often but when I do I put them straight into the tank (I have no q tank) and run a course of Sterazin just in case.

When I buy plants they go straight in.

Andy

 

[kribensis12]

Man i wish i was a expert, then i could reply! Just Kidding. I dont think there is ever a expert fish keeper, but i get diseases around once every 2 or 3 months on average, unless i introduce something. Then i get diseases once every month. Dont ask me how i got theese figuer's, i just notice that i get diseases more often after introducing new fish.