Help! Severum Dying!

[fishfran]

Hi,
I'm new to this forum and am desperately hoping you can help me save my severum.

I have had him for about three years, but moved house a week and a half ago and had to transfer him in a bag for 7 hours, and then hold him in a makeshift tank with my other fish for 5 days until my good tank arrived. During that time he lost colour, but when I transferred him to my normal tank he seemed to settle down, regained his colour and looked normal again. That was about week ago.

A few days ago I added four electric yellows and a plant.

Anyway, last night my severym seemed lacklustre and not eating, and this morning I awoke to him looking absolutely awful. He is lying on his side at the bottom, his colour has gone all dark and I can see rid horizontal lines (like veins) along him. One of his fins looks like it has been eaten.

I checked the PH and it was too acidic, so have added PH Down.

The temperature also seemed a bit warm, I have a new, bigger heater, so turned it down to 26 degrees celcius from 30 - I used to keep it at 30 because I had a smaller heater. And that temp is what my severum is used to.

I have attached a couple of photos for you. It has happened so quickly, I am really worried.

Thanks for your help,
Fran

Tank 75L
1 x severum
1 x tiger barb
2 x golden sucker fish
4 x electric yellows (new)

I don't know too much about tropical fish keeping, but I want to get better. I've had my four original fish for three years, but moved them into the current tank a year ago.

 

[fishfran]

I'm afraid its too late, he just went.

Thanks anyway.

 

[Cookielici0us]

It's stress from the transfer and the changes that it wasn't prepared for. at least... I would only think so...D: sorry for your loss D:

 

[raptorrex]

aww man that's awful.
its so sad to loose a fish.
can you id the "2x golden sucker fish" please?
or post a better set of pics.

 

[fishfran]

Thank sguys.

Apparently my golden sucker fish are gold sucking loach, a varient of Gyrinocheilus aymonieri.

And I just read on this forum that they can be aggressive. However I havent had any trouble with them for three years with the severum.

Can you suggest some other fish for me to get, now that the severum is gone?

Thanks.

Note: the picture isn't of my golden sucker fish, but it looks just like this one!

 

[Tizer]

I guess the make shift tank didn't have a mature filter so he just died of ammonia poisoning? Did you do any water changes in those 5 days?

 

[MrsM]

awww sorry for your loss

 

[elmo666]

If you want something along the lines of your severum, and really sorry for your loss, I remember many years ago a lovely fish I kept, Port Acara. Now, it was along time ago, and can't recall much about size/water requirements so if you do like the look of these, pls check this out first.

 

[fishfran]

I kept a small amount of original water in the tank while it was transferred. pretty much just level with the stones at the bottom, so as to keep some organic matter when I filled it up again.
I haven't done any water changes since I filled it a week ago.

I used all new filter carbon, bio balls etc.

 

[raptorrex]

Thank sguys.

Apparently my golden sucker fish are gold sucking loach, a varient of Gyrinocheilus aymonieri.

And I just read on this forum that they can be aggressive. However I havent had any trouble with them for three years with the severum.

Can you suggest some other fish for me to get, now that the severum is gone?

Thanks.

Note: the picture isn't of my golden sucker fish, but it looks just like this one!

yeah, these guys can get quite nasty as they age.
scraping slime coat is their main trick, and a missing fin would fit their MO.
possibly the move has brought out their "bad" side.

I'm truly sorry for the loss!

 

[Tizer]

I kept a small amount of original water in the tank while it was transferred. pretty much just level with the stones at the bottom, so as to keep some organic matter when I filled it up again.
I haven't done any water changes since I filled it a week ago.

I used all new filter carbon, bio balls etc.

Well, there you go then, if you used new filter carbon and bio balls then this is what killed them. New filter material has no mature live bacteria on it to process the nasties in the water. So your fish just die in their own urine. A mature filter is filthy dirty covered in bacteria, its this bacteria which keep you water clean of ammonia, nitrite etc.

(nothing beneficial is kept in the tank water and there is very little if any beneficial bacteria in the gravel, so that's a pointless exercise in itself)

 

[fishfran]

Ah, thanks for all the advice.

And thanks everyone for your sympathy.