female killi's dying

[paul_f]

I recently got two species of killi fish from my local fish shop . Aphosemion striaturn 6 females 1 male(tank clearence job lot) and aphosemion australe 3 males 2 females . The austale are fine and reasonably shaped belly wise , eating flake, grated beef and I also have a tub of clean water with midge larvae which I am managing to feed almost every day to both tanks of killis.The striaturn the male is fine the females all looked very thin a couple died within 2-3 days so I put the male in my community tank to give the females a rest as I thought perhaps he was chasing them about. The females don't seem to eat much, the midge seem to be going slowly but ive seen them spit them out as if not hungry same goes for flake and grated beef. Over the last week I have lost 2 more females so am down to 2. The temp is at 76 , it was at 72 the higher temp has made no difference to appetite. Ph was 7.5 but I added boiled peat and its dropped to about 6.5, nitrite level is min my test kit shows less than 0.3. Any ideas what will fatten up these females ( ive seen more meat on a super model) and should I keep them separated from the male or put him back in (he is currently in my community tank with the guppies, sward tails and dwarf gourami, spare male australe + loads of corries and he's right at home fins erect no problems. Any thoughts would be gratefully received
Regards
Paul F

 

[WILDER]

You have a nitrite readings so that wan't getting down to 0, being thin can be internal parasites, what does it look like when they go to the toilet, is the anus red and inflamed, anything prutruding from the anus, any deformaties on the fish like a bent spine or tail.

 

[platyfreek]

I don't know mucha bout kilis but i hope they get better

 

[paul_f]

The nitrite reading is the same reading if i use distilled water it is the min the test kit shows i.e their is no lower reading. Regarding the fish they look normal just painfully thin none of the signs you mentioned just a distinked lack of appitie.

 

[WILDER]

With them being thin

just read this link, just to make sure.
http/www.4qd.org/Aqua/disease/tb.html

 

[OohFeeshy]

TB is possible, but on a side note there should be no nitrite at all. Either the tank wasn't cycled or it has gone into a mini cylcle because you added too many fish at once.