Fish Are Dying ;(

[LuckyGirl]

Hello,

For the last -3 weeks I am encountering fish deaths ;(

Here some details:

54L Aquarium
set up for 3 months
treated with AquaSafe
water change about 20L every 1-2 weeks (currently a bit more due to deaths)

well planted - last plants added about 5 weeks ago
contains 2 mangrove roots (which were watered and boiled for ages) (roughly added 2-3 months ago)
1 ornament (have taken this from the old aquarium)

Consistent water values:
0 Nitrite
0 -5 Nitrate
0 Ammonia
apporx. 7.6 PH

I added 8 red fire shrimps (posted) about 6 weeks ago, which all disappeared. Apart from that the fish were very healthy, water values consistent.
About 3 weeks ago one of my female guppys died. She got thinner and thinner, and I assumed she was just weakened after giving birth.
As my water levels were fine I got 15 shrimps from my local fish shop and another female guppy to ensure there is a good ratio of female/male guppys in the tank. The shrimps seem fine (though I usually never see more than 2-3 at one time) and the guppy did well for the first 2 weeks.
I believe I then found another dead female guppy and started to wonder if this one was birth related as well.
About a week ago I notices that one of my platies (white) seemed to behave odd. He was hiding a lot or at the top of the aquarium. Looking very closely I believed I might have seen white spots - I am not too sure of this as no other wish had any signs of this, and the fish is white.. He also clamps the fins.
I also noticed that the newly bought guppy female had a whole/abrasion at her belly. She ate ok, swam fine but was hiding occasionally. I was not sure if it wasnt just an injury and hoped she would recover.
At the weekend the other female guppy was hiding. Both female guppies were dead when I checked the AQ today.
The platy is still alive but has very red gils and floats partly on the side. he also has big eyes. I expect it to be dying very shortly ;( And I cannot find a tiny mal guppy at all, searched the whole AQ.

So within 3 weeks I have lost 4 female guppies, have one missing male guppy and one platy about to die ;((
The other fish are absolutely fine, swim around, show healthy colours, have no sign of illness and eat ok. My water values are constant.

I feed flakes, frozen brine shrimp and blodd worms.
Can it be that problems started due to me throwing in the frozen cubes? I have read that this is fine, but have now read somewhere else that this can cause diseases.
Is there anything I can do? I have shrimps in the tank and want to avoid medication - especially as I am not sure if to treat dropsy, itch, parasites, etc.

I will not add new fish for a while and hope I have no more deaths. About 3 weeks ago I was happy about a healthy tank ;(
I did start the blood worm feeding 3 weeks ago btw.

I have increased the tank temperature now to avoid white spot.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[WILDER]

Going skinny and red gills are flukes
Will need this called flubenol need to add once a week for 4 weeks.

http/www.flubenol.co.uk/

 

[LuckyGirl]

Going skinny and red gills are flukes
Will need this called flubenol need to add once a week for 4 weeks.

http/www.flubenol.co.uk/

Hi Wilder, thanks for your response
As I can only make it to the fish shop at weekends, I just bought Interpret Anti Crustacean Parasite treatment in the pet shop.
Would any of you know if this will work and if it affects my shrimps?

The only other option for me is to call the fish shop tomorrow and see if they have flubenol.

 

[ArauraDiscus]

Well flukes aren't a crustecean. Sounds like it is meant to kill thinks like cocepods and snails or something of the sort. What does it say on the directions on the back, and what company makes it?

 

[LuckyGirl]

Well flukes aren't a crustecean. Sounds like it is meant to kill thinks like cocepods and snails or something of the sort. What does it say on the directions on the back, and what company makes it?

The company is Interpet. It says it's agains crustacean parasites and will eradict anchor worms, fish lice, gill maggots and fish leeches. It's meant for large higher level parasites.

 

[ArauraDiscus]

Well if it says it hurts crustacean parasites, you can be sure it will hurt your shrimp. Move them if possible until the tank is medicated.

 

[LuckyGirl]

Well if it says it hurts crustacean parasites, you can be sure it will hurt your shrimp. Move them if possible until the tank is medicated.

I cannot move the shrimps. I read about all the effects this medication has and think it is far too risky, as I do not know if it will work. It included daily water changes, will harm plants and completly destroy filter bacteria.

Flubenol sounds like it would harm my shrimps... but it seems much better. I wonder if I would fill the old tank with fresh water, could I put them in? There would be no filter bacteria. I am worried that if I would use some filter material from the current tank, that I would transfer flukes as well.

Oh, the fish that are still alive show no signs of any illness. They swim very lively, have brilliant colours and feed normally. There is only one which is a bit lazy, but it swims around as well and shows no signs of clamped fins, odd gills, bloated or thin belly. Do I have to treat the tank in this case?

 

[-germ-]

Do you have a spare filter?
If you are planning on doing a short med course and you can get to the lfs purhase a SeaChem Purigen pad this'll keep toxins down for at least a week, probably alot more. Plus it can be redoxed and reused indefinately....
May work on your medicated tank, i'm not sure to be honest, i've heard somewhere that it shouldn't interfere with most meds....
But don't use it with any amine based products like most that apparently provide slime coat....
I'd contact them first to check, link to their site as prime in my sig....
Good luck.

 

[LuckyGirl]

Do you have a spare filter?
If you are planning on doing a short med course and you can get to the lfs purhase a SeaChem Purigen pad this'll keep toxins down for at least a week, probably alot more. Plus it can be redoxed and reused indefinately....
May work on your medicated tank, i'm not sure to be honest, i've heard somewhere that it shouldn't interfere with most meds....
But don't use it with any amine based products like most that apparently provide slime coat....
I'd contact them first to check, link to their site as prime in my sig....
Good luck.

Thanks, that's a good tip!
I was just on the phone with my lfs. As my other fish show no signs at all, I should not medicate for now.
I do hope the other fish really aren't affected. I have lost half of my fish ;(

How many weeks would I need a well running tank (without fish deaths or ill fish) to restock again? I was thinking of waiting 4 weeks. Would that be ok?

 

[-germ-]

Yeah 4 weeks is more than enough.
Though be aware you'll have lost some cycling capacity after such a period so re-stock slowly....
I'd improve my tank maintenance regime though, illness tends to get such a strong foothold due to poor health or stress, i'm NOT implying yours is, just that an improvement in water conditions is always wise after deaths and such.

 

[LuckyGirl]

Yeah 4 weeks is more than enough.
Though be aware you'll have lost some cycling capacity after such a period so re-stock slowly....
I'd improve my tank maintenance regime though, illness tends to get such a strong foothold due to poor health or stress, i'm NOT implying yours is, just that an improvement in water conditions is always wise after deaths and such.

Well, my water values are absolutely fine and I do a weekly water change. That is why I do not know how this started ;(
Maybe adding the shrimps and the new guppy stressed the fish? As my lfs is fabulous and they use quarantine tanks I am pretty0 certain that I didn't get an ill fish. There was also a dead before the new fish/shrimps were added.

 

[the biffster]

sounds like guppy disease to me is it just the guppies dieing

 

[LuckyGirl]

sounds like guppy disease to me is it just the guppies dieing

Unfortunately it was one platy as well. But theoretically the deads could be caused by different things, so you could be right.