Loosing Fish No Idea Why

[edgehog]

Hi

I purchased two small angels and two plecos last weekend and within a couple of days the two angels died and since then I have been loosing fish every day. The shop that sold them to me does not seem to have any problems with the tanks they came from.

I am now down to just 1 angel 4 rainbows, 4 cories, 3 black widows and the platys. The fish are showing no signs of distress, illness, parasites, fungus or anything. One minute they are looking fine then all of a sudden they die. Ive changed about 30% of the water with filtered & treated with little effect. Ive added a large bag of charcoal to the filter and lost an angel since (this morning) but touch wood nothing else since.

I'm at a bit of a loss at the moment as to what is happening, anyone got any ideas?

Thanks


Tank size: 210 l Established with no losses for about 6 months
pH: 7.2
ammonia: as close tozero as can measure
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 10-25
kH: 6-10
gH: 8
tank temp: 24

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): fish seem quite normal and then all of a sudden they die, sometimes this is in around only an hour

Volume and Frequency of water changes: 25% every two to three weeks

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: no chemicals some bogwood and a few marimo balls that are about 4 months old

Tank inhabitants: originally 2 Plecos, 4 small angels, 4 corydoras, 6 rainbow fish, 6 platys & 6 black widows

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): two of the angels and the two plecos

Exposure to chemicals: none added recently

 

[WILDER]

It dosn't sound like ph shock if other fish are dying.
If no signs of
Flicking and rubbing.
Darting or erratic swiming.
Excess mucas on gills or body of fish.
Laboured breathing, or gasping at surface of tank.
I would add a bacterial med to the tank.

 

[edgehog]

It dosn't sound like ph shock if other fish are dying.
If no signs of
Flicking and rubbing.
Darting or erratic swiming.
Excess mucas on gills or body of fish.
Laboured breathing, or gasping at surface of tank.
I would add a bacterial med to the tank.

The fish seem absolutley fine, bright, erect fins, good colour and feeding well, clear eyes and then quite literally they die in less than an hour. Ive been over the dead ones with an eye glass and can't see any problems. My readings have been steady for about 3 - 4 months.


I'll try a bacterial med but the cories seem fine and I would have expected them to suffer first, same with a toxin. Its the speed from good to dead thats hard to get my head around. Literally I check them and they all look great, an hour later I'm fishing out a dead one.

 

[WILDER]

If it was a toxin or parasite would of expected to see some of the symtoms I listed in last post.

So really that just leaves bacterial.
Best to quarantine fish up to four to six weeks as they can fetch desease into the tank.
Did you put the bag water into the tank.

It happened to me once when I bought new fish and my old fish kept dying with no symtoms.
And my corys survived.

Been know for fish to put toxins in the water like suicide.

Have the plecs died too.

Check for tiny red prick marks on the fish aswell.

 

[edgehog]

Yes I did put the bag water in, what is strange though is as soon as I lost the angels and a couple of others I went back to the shop expecting to see losses in the two tanks they came from (plecs from one angels from the other) but both were pretty much as they were when I bought and again three days later. Thats why I was unsure about a bacterial infection as the stock in the shop tanks is not dying.

Probably worth trying, originally I was worried about stressing the fish more but to be honest I think its an all or nothing solution now. I'll wait till morning and nip down the local store if i've had more losses.

Any recommendations?

 

[WILDER]

When fish die in a tank and not removed for quite along time they can cause desease.

When quite a few fish die and there showing no symtoms they say to add a bacterial med.


Read this to see what you think.


The third type of infection produced by Aeromonas is by no means the least. This form is often the most virulent (potent) and can be rapidly fatal. This insidious form does not produce any noticeable external ulcers. The most notable feature is a behavioral change in which the infected fish generally become listless and lethargic. Some fish may lose color or appear darker. The fish do not feed, frequently seem off balance and may sink to the bottom laying on their sides. The course of the disease is rapid, and by the time the behavioral changes are noticed, the entire population of a tank may succumb, sometimes in a day or so. This is an internal infection, with the bacteria being found in the kidneys and blood of these fish. The bacteria produce potent toxins that account for the severity of the disease.

 

[edgehog]

Ill try a med

Thanks

 

[edgehog]

Finally gone a night with no losses, so including most of yesterday thats the longest time by far. Hopefully I'm over the worst of whatever it was. Maybe the charcoal is taking out something?

I'm going to hang fire with the bacterial med for a bit as I don't want to stress them at this stage however it will be kept in reserve just in case unless anyone has any experience of them and knows that they wont, as a general antibiotic, affect the filter media bacteria. Im thinking about INTERPET AQUARIUM 9 as its a specific internal. Anyone used it before?

Thanks for the advice and fingers crossed!!!

 

[Tolak]

Sounds like a bacterial ailment. This is the reason a quar setup is a good idea. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, a rubbermaid tub, small heater & air driven box filter will work just as well as a glass tank & better filter.

Keep up on water changes as well, this helps with any ailment.

 

[edgehog]

Sounds like a bacterial ailment. This is the reason a quar setup is a good idea.

You're absolutely right, kinda got a bit lazy in that respect. Mainly because I never rush into buying any fish looking at them one weekend and buying them one or two weeks later (if there still there which they usually are) after looking in a few other outlets for the best looking ones. That way I usually spot any issues with tanks or fish before I buy and get a good idea about the retailers in my area.