Help! My Rasbora's Are Dying

[Miss Wiggle]

Got a small shoal of harlequin rasbora's in my little community tank, they've lived there happily for about 4 and a bit years now. Lost one about a month ago, no warning or signs of disease he just died. Tested the water and everything was ok, put it down to old age. Then about 2 weeks ago one of them was looking a little off colour, not rubbing or showing signs of disease, just looking a bit pale and not moving around much. Did a water test, nitrate's were a teeny bit high but nothing drastic, did another water change and added some stress zyme and some nitrate minus stuff, he perked up and I've kept a close eye on the tank for a week or so after and there's been no issues, water levels all fine, everyone looking healthy and happy. Then went away for the weekend and came back to a dead rasbora in the tank last night, he was a bit mangled as he'd been there a day or so, so couldn't tell if he was diseased or had been attacked etc, tested the water and it seemed fine, all the other fish looked perfectly happy and were behaving normally. Then no more than 2/3 hrs after I'd last checked I saw one of them die, he didn't look at all ill before hand, just suddenly stopped swimming and started dying, it was obvious he was past the point of no return so we put him out of his misery checked the water again to be on the safe side, everything completely fine, inspected all the other fish and everyone's looking completely healty and happy. Came down this morning to another dead rasbora, again no sign of disease or fighting.

I can't see how 3 would die within a day or two and it just be a coincidence or old age, but there's not a mark on any of them, no sign of disease in the tank, none of the other fish look ill or are behaving strangely. Water levels are spot on.

I thought I'd do a decent size water change tonight, add some salt to perk them up and have to keep my fingers crossed!

Anyone got any ideas what it might be or what else to look out for or test for?

I haven't a hospital tank running to put them in but I do have another partly stocked tank I'm just half setting up, any point re-arranging the fish into another tank or am I just likely to stress them more and contaminate the 2nd tank with whatever's in there.

someone please tell me how to save my fishes!!!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

forgot to mention, you have to be careful with salt and catfish don't you? anyone know if it's OK to add salt with a pimelodeous catfish in the tank or should I move him. I have got another suitable tank, little concerned about spreading any disease if I move him. Would diseases be carried in the water or the fish? Normally if I was moving fish I bag them up and acclimatise them, would it be better to just scoop him out and pop him in the other tank?

 

[Dana C]

Sorry to hear about your fish.
I am afraid I can't really help with your problem being new to keeping fish, but I have just read on another post that you can't add salt if you have any catfish in your tank. So if you are going to add salt I would move him first.
Hopefully some more experienced people will be on here soon and can help you.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

thanks Dani

got home and thankfully none of them are dead..... yet all still looking healthy

Ian reckons as they were all born together and have all lived pretty much the same life it wouldn't be unusual for them to die of old age within a day or two of each other..... I'm not convinced, what does anyone think?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

now lost a tetra the same age as the rasbora's.... also no sign whatsoever of disease, was looking fine before, water levels fine.

bloke in my LFS reckons it's just old age. Still not convinced tho

 

[WILDER]

How many are left, to many have died i would add a bacterial med to the tank, added and new fish lately.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

pair of green sailfin molly's a week or so ago, they seem fine no diseases, my fella also bought some from the same lot and they're fine too so I don't think there's an issue there either.

got 6 rasbora's left now.

I have some King British bacteria control stuff.... that OK? fish in the tank are

2 green sailfin molly's
1 royal plec
1 spotty catfish (can't remember the proepr namew, put it above somewhere)
the rasbora's
3/4 tetra's
1 dwarf gourami

yes i know funny numbers of some of the fish...... in the middle of tank re-arranging

 

[WILDER]

The new fish could of fetched a bacteria in the harlequins didn't build a resistance up too, sadly happens to often have old fish and soon as you add a new one, they start dyng, yes i would add a bacterial med to the tank.

Is this the med if so fine.


King British Disease Clear

 

[Miss Wiggle]

no it's king british bacteria control

http/www.fishandfins.co.uk/king-british-...r-treatment.htm

it's on there about half way down, can't find anything more informative about it sorry

thanks for the help

 

[WILDER]

That should be fine, see how you go with that, if they carry on dying you might need a stronger one.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

ok cool, thanks again for the help.

I'll update this in a few days when they stop dying (fingers crossed!)

 

[WILDER]

Ok, good luck.