HOPE SOME ONE CAN HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM

[dolly_daydream]

hi hopefully someone can help me with this problem as im at my wits end and my brain is frazzled trying to work out the problem.i have a 48 inch by 18 by 12 fully mature tropical tank the fish i have are 5 angels size range are 4 inch down to 1 inch,8 zebra danios 2 jumbo neons,2 clown loaches,2 baby plecs,and 1 red tailed shark and 2 guppys.the problem is slowly but surely my fish are dyeing off especially the angels,i tested everything,
nitrite=perfect,
nitrate=perfect
amonia=perfect
oxygen=perfect
water=crystal clear
filter=under gravel and fluval 4
temperature 79
ph7.0
im totally stumped they show no signs of white spot,or ich or anything.took my water to my local fish shop he tested it and he said all the conditions where perfect,he told me to try some melafix which i did but it did no good i did a 7 day course,but the way in which they die stumps me maybe you know,they just go in a corner and there breathing like crazy you can tell there having trouble breathing by there gills they do this for about 3 days then there dead in the morning,ive lost 4 angel fish to this and 3 guppies now my largest angel fish is doing the same,i tried moving the sick one to a different tank and treating them in there but they still die
can anyone please help
thanks
claire

 

[The-Wolf]

I'm no angel expert but I found this on the net.

Angelfish Virus
A Potentially deadly disease. It is highly infectious. All exposed angelfish that are not immune will come down with symptoms within 2-3 days of exposure, usually quicker. If you suspect that a quarantined fish has this, you should destroy the fish. The risk is too great to keep such a fish around. There is no medication for this virus. The fish's immune system must be relied upon for the cure. Symptoms: Clamped fins, excess slime, listless with nose pointed up slightly, usually towards the back of the aquarium. It has an approximately 3 week infectious period. This disease is so undesirable, because if an angelfish survives the virus, it will likely become a carrier for up to six months. This can put an angelfish breeding operation out of business very quickly. These symptoms can also be caused by other infectious diseases which may be secondary or tertiary infections, that are unrelated to the virus.

I can see no other reason for your problem
I hope this helps.

 

[gaya]

Hi,

do you have anything new there (decorations) that could be releasing somekind of chemical poison. or is anyone in your household using cleaning supplies near the aquarium? good luck

 

[dolly_daydream]

hi
thanks for replying to me that does sound exactly like what my angel fish are doing,it says destroy them but there my babies,how can i detoy them humanely,i wouldn,t want them to suffer though if any one knows how to destroy these fish quickly please let me know
thanks in advance for your replys

 

[dolly_daydream]

hi
no theres nothing new in there its heavy planted the way its always been and the plants have been in there ages,and i clean the tank and cabinet with a wet cloth with no detergents,ive kept angel fish for years and been successful at pairing them off and breeding them but ive never come across this before,i hate to see anything suffering

 

[The-Wolf]

hi
thanks for replying to me that does sound exactly like what my angel fish are doing,it says destroy them but there my babies,how can i detoy them humanely,i wouldn,t want them to suffer though if any one knows how to destroy these fish quickly please let me know
thanks in advance for your replys

The most human way is the clove oil method. It is the olny way I would euthinise.

got this from the net.
Clove Oil and Tank Water Method

Buy pure clove oil. You can get it at a health food store for under $10 for a ½ ounce bottle. Put the fish in a medium sized mixing bowl in his own water from his tank. In a small jar or something with a lid (I use a cleaned out jelly jar) mix the clove oil with tank water. Put the lid on and shake it like crazy over and over until the liquid in it is white. Then pour a little into the mixing bowl with the fish. Swirl it with your hand. The fish might fight it just a little bit and then slow down. Then pour a little more in and swirl again. He should just go to sleep and appear dead. If he doesn't, try a little more of the clove solution, always shaking very well before an addition to the bowl. When he goes to sleep, leave him in the solution for a good 10 minutes and then put him in a small cup or zip-lock baggie and put him in the freezer. Pain free death. Very humane. We should all go so easily.

I'm not too sure on the freezer bit

 

[CathyG]

Hi Claire

What is your water change routine? Have you changed the water since the onset of the deaths? What are your parameter readings? (perfect is subjective) Which fish have you lost? How long have the fish been in the tank? Have you seen any signs of bullying going on?

The clove oil route is the most humane method I have heard of, thankfully I have not had to do it myself though...

 

[dolly_daydream]

What is your water change routine? Have you changed the water since the onset of the deaths? What are your parameter readings? (perfect is subjective) Which fish have you lost? How long have the fish been in the tank? Have you seen any signs of bullying going on?

The clove oil route is the most humane method I have heard of, thankfully I have not had to do it myself though...

erm i change 10 % weekly,all reading on test are almost crystal clear,ive lost about 4 angels and the same number of guppies ive looked at the bodies of the fish no marks or abbrasions,the fish have been doing fine for about 8 months in the tanks,and there was no bullying at all until today my plec as started attacking but this problem with my fish dieing as been going on about 2 weeks so the plec and my fish dieing are no related
thanks in advance
claire

 

[The-Wolf]

Most people here do a 20% weekly water change, some even do 30%
try and do 20% and see if that improves the situation.

 

[Aquamick]

Little bit more info on the clove oil method of Euthanasia;

Like The-Wolf says, use a mixing bowl or food-grade plastic jug.
Add 10-20 drops of oil per litre of water, the fish should soon fall unconscious. Leave for at least 1 hour, checking for signs of life every fifteen minutes or so. If the fish appears still to be living, add more clove oil, and leave for 1 more hour.

I'm confused to why you would need to place the dead fish in the freezer, though.

Taken from Practical Fishkeeping Magazine, 'Casualty' Dr Peter Burgess. June 2004

Hope this helps in future.

 

[The-Wolf]

I'm confused to why you would need to place the dead fish in the freezer, though.

I was confused to the freezer part myself, I guse the topic i got it from was mixing to methods
For the record I have never done it and I hope I never have to.

 

[Link]

I cant see it being a disease associated with just one fish because it is unlikely that the others would die.
The water is ok and that is normally ressponsible for mass deaths.
You've tried melafix which is an anti-bacterial remedy and this has has no effect.
Normally ammonia will give fish rapid gill movements as will lack of oxygen, but because you tank has only just started having problems I cant see its that.

I personally think the fish have gill parasites such as gill flukes. The parasite lives in the gills of the fish and takes in the oxygen that the fish takes in. This makes the fish gasp and hang at the surface as they struggle for breath.
I think Sterazin by Waterlife is used to treat gill Flukes. If all your fish are dying then anything is worth a try.
Do a large water change first and then follow the instructions on the bottle