Lethargic Fish

[ncjharris]

Hello all.

Wonder if you can help us.

Got a planted community as per my sig, all fine up until last week.

Was tending to the tank and noticed one of the zebra's dead on the bottom of the tank (was hidden at the back, so may have been there for up to a day). Shame, but was one of our cycling fish, had had a good life so mourned a little, tested and changed the water and carried on. Cause of death unknown, but the carcass looked a bit mangled - not too sure if cause or others having a snack.

Then the other day one of our gouramis started hanging around the surface - not gasping or anything, just floating. On closer exam we saw that poor blighter looked bloated and that his dorsal and tail were ragged - looked to me like a bacterial infection with finrot secondary.
So we treated the tank - Interpet Anti Bacterial and also some finrot med. Added additional aeriation too.
A mistake I think that we didn't quarentine the fish.

Anyhow, carried out course of medication for 5 days and fish started to look a bit better, but this morning came downstairs to find a dead fish.

So, have now changed water (50%) again, not tested today, but will this eve, but all the fish in the tank (except the danios) are looking very sluggish. Some are resting on the bottom, some at the top. I have adjusted the filter to agiate the surface some more, but they are still not really looking them old selves. In addition, it also looks like one of the other Gouramis may be bloated too.

Anyone got any ideas why? I'll add some carbon to the filter later incase there is still some med in there, and test the water, but we haven't done anything else that could have changed anything.

Any ideas welcome.

Oh, thanks for reading too!

 

[WILDER]

Need to no tank size, how many fish and which type, test results in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph,what do you feed your fish, have you tryed some shelled peas, also what does it look like when the fish go to the toilet, can you see anything prutruding from the anus, and any flicking and rubbing against objects.

 

[ncjharris]

Ok, Ta for your response Wilder.

as mentioned, tank and inhabitants as per sig -

30G
7 Danio
3 Red Robin Gourami
2 Paradise Fish
3 Panda Cory
2 River Shrimp

Just done water change today, so will test water this eve again - last test (post danio death) all was ok (ammonia & nitrite 0, nitrate 20ppm, ph 7.4)

Fish are fed mixed diet, once per day, two of either flakes, catfish pellets/wafers, frozen bloodworm/tubifex/daphina and also veg (includes shelled peas).

Can't see anything protruding from the bum, although now you mention it, the dead gouramis faeces were more stringier than normal in his last days.

No flicking or rubbing - just fish resting on the substrate/stones/plants.

I'll post next water test results this eve/tommorrow morning.

 

[WILDER]

Well it's not there diet as they are well fed, leaves bacteria infection or parasites, gouramis and prone to internal parasites like livebearers, i would just watch out for the fish when they go to the toilet, and feed some shelled peas to give them a good clear out to see what's going on.

 

[@ombomb]

I misread that as Zebra Plec...

...thought the world had gone mad for a minute or two

 

[Cheese Specialist]

If in doubt, do a waterchange!

Water changes can work wonders and usually have to be done before any kind of treatment anyways.

 

[ncjharris]

Update.

Well, yesterday eve for one reason or another didn't get to test the water - by the time I came to it the fish looked a lot better anyway, more active, so I added the carbon pad to the filter and left it.

This morning before work, all present and correct, looking ok.

Came home - missing another danio.....
....eventually spotted it dead at the back - one of our golden long fins, so a bit upset. All other fish looking ok, although the shrimps were up high, clinging onto the filter (internal fluval 4) rather than in their log - bit odd.

Anyhow, that meant we were going to do another water change anyway, but tested the water before just to see.
Results -

Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0.50ppm
Nitrate - 20
pH 7.2

So, looks like a mini cycle - whether this was the causes of the deaths I don't know.

Could be;
1 - caused by the meds put in
2 - from the dead danio decomposing
3 - something else.....

Anyhow, if the deaths were from poor water conditions, wouldn't the corys have been the first to suffer? I suspect the meds had something to do with it, as well as affecting the condition of the water also reducing the oxygen content hence the letargy of the fish.

So, we've done a 50% water change, and I shall test the water tommorrow too so see if it has re-cycled.
In the meantime, any other suggestions?

 

[WILDER]

Yes dead fish can alter water stats what med was it you was using, just carry on with water changes, good luck.

 

[ncjharris]

Using Interpet 9 - Anti Bacterial
and Waterlife - Myxazin

I know some treastment can't go together, but I couldn't find anything about avoidance on the rules.

We did treat for snails a few days previous too......

 

[WILDER]

The other one by waterliffe its and external bacteria med for treating outside bacteria, so you are treating inside and out, it should be ok, but it might of been the reason for the nitrite raise and the dead fish wouldn't of helped with the water stats., good luck.

 

[ncjharris]

Update;

tested the water again last night, fish looked ok, water looked good, they all fed, BUT test results showed a little ammonia (0.25ppm).

Perhaps nothing to be worried about, topped up the water with some clean stuff, but, a reverse cycle? Is that possible, or is it another mini cycle?

Whats causing it - all livestock present and correct!

 

[WILDER]

Meds could of knocked your bacteria colony abit causing it to go into a mini cycle.