Found A Dead Swordtail Without Scales

FishForums.net Pet of the Month
🐶 POTM Poll is Open! 🦎 Click here to Vote! 🐰

yancho

Fish Fanatic
Joined
Sep 24, 2010
Messages
119
Reaction score
0
Location
Malta
Request Help

Tank size: 40gallon
pH: 7.6
ammonia: 0.5ppm
nitrite: 0ppm
nitrate: 10ppm
kH:
gH:
tank temp: 29degrees celcius (* reason below)

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): Some days ago I found a clown loach with white spots and I put it into emergency tank #1. Also closely observing the rest of the fish, I saw another molly which had some scales dropped off from its side. I put it into emergency tank #2. The rest of the fish looked fine. Molly in #2 is getting better now, whilst the clown, looking that the spots are decreasing too. Both are kept in 30degrees celcius with 5ml salt mixed with 30 liters.

Every 1 day I increased the temperature of the main take 1 degree celcius (3 days = from 26 to 29 now). I continued feeding them normally, except made a bit of garlic squashed with water and their veggies where dipped in garlic before feeding.

The problem is that today, after work (8hrs not seeing the fish) I found my Swortail female, dead, and turned white without any scales. Looked at her gills, no problem there, and the shape looks fine. This morning she was allright coz I didn't see her whilst feeding and spent some time searching for it, until I found it and looked at it to make sure she is all right.

Volume and Frequency of water changes: last water change 4 days ago - 50%

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: nothing - no salt either

Tank inhabitants: mollies, guppies, swordtails, panda cories, ottos, plecos (common + bristlenose)

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): around 30 mollies + swords. she has been there before - say 2 months

Exposure to chemicals: none

Digital photo (include if possible): http://i54.tinypic.com/xkybg7.jpg



Do you think this death is related to itch? No spots were on her till this morning. Can't see any spots since there is no scale. Did it turn white just coz it spent a lot of time dead in the water or due to sickness? The tank has alot of airiation, there are 2x30cm + 1x15cm airstones and the Fluval 4u provides good water too. Rarely you see a fish going up except if I am not feeding. Normal behaviour found with all the rest of the fish. I have 6 fry swimming in the fry net, and all are ok (hopefully they remain [knock on wood]) so was expecting if there is some disease they would be the first to suffer. Was it just a mere coincidence?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

(PS: I am not much of a liker of chemicals, so natural ways are much better than chemical ways but if needs be, so be it)
 
any help please? I am noticing that most of the fish are now getting green and other colorful scales. Is it a good or a bad sign?
 
The only thing that i can suggest that makes sense is to put some stress coat in - as it gives them a slime layer that allows them to grow back healthy scales and not get infections, and add some aquarium salt. It helps with their electrolyte balances and they're crucial to keeping healthy scales. Normally if fish lose scales its because they have electrolyte imbalances. It has worked with me a few times when i've noticed them losing a few scales here and there, but it sounds like yours is more severe than mine has ever been.
I appreciate that you don't like chemicals, but they're from natural sources so it's nowhere near as bad as a lot of other medication. Stress Coat normally contains a high concentration of Aloe Vera, and you don't really get much more natural than salt.
xxx
 

Most reactions

trending

Staff online

Members online

Back
Top