Lots Of Deaths, And Dropsy?

[spidey]

To sum up.
Everything was hunky dory apart from the algae bloom before the platy went in?

As soon as the platy go in fish start to die. Water is looking fine and the algae bloom has now gone.

Yep, that's right.

Fish darting around the tank and then gasping at surface and then off balanced swimming then death.

I'm not sure about the gasping, the one Platy that went to the top a lot didn't seem to be gasping as such? No particluarly fast gill movement, although it had its mouth against the surface?

I take it the fish in the shop when you stood watching them were fine? No sign of distress on any fish while you were watching?

Yes, they had seemed fine.

If you could look behind the gill covers of a fish while its swimming around to see the colour that would help. Its hard to see in little fish but you should be able to see the gill colour underneath and check that its a healthy cherry red colour.
As Wilder has said, the tank isnt really big enough for the fish to swim in. Where in the house is the tank and is it exposed to strong smells, such as perfume, polish, air fresheners etc?
It has a lid? Does it have an air pump?

The colour of the gills does seem ok. Yes, I realise I made a mistake with the size of the tank. I feel bad, as I'd tried to research, but didn't take into account the nature of the Tetra (shoaling) and only went by the inch per gallon rule. I should never have got the platies.

The tank has a lid and a filter (Rena Filstar IV1) that does 220 litres/hour. The heater is 50 Watts (maintains 26deg). I use King British Safe Water and Safe Guard as necessary. The fish tank is in the open plan living room / diner / kitchen, so it may get strong smells from the kitchen?

Did you do a water change before testing the water or is it the same water the fish died in?

It has been changed once since, 40%. My Ammonia had been slightly higher before the last water change, about .25ppm.

Which filter are you using and how often and how do you clean it?
Tank maintenance. How often and how much are you water changing and doing gravel vacs? Are you dechlorinating the water?

I clean aforementioned filter perhaps once every 2 months? I tend to do about 30% changes every two weeks. I gravel vac at the same time, and use King British Safe Guard on all water.

The platys may have brought something nasty in with them. If it were a parasite then you should see a fish scratching off a plant or the gravel.
If they have brought in something internal like sporozoan parasites then that may explain the lumpiness in the tetras, but tetras are prone to cancerous lumps anyway.
How many neons have lumps that you can see?

Just the one neon has the droopy belly, and just the belly itself looks slightly lumpy.

Sorry for the questions, must feel like you are being interrogated by the fish police

Don't apologise, thanks to you and Wilder so much for helping me!

Tracey

Its pointing towards ntd but strange as usually they start to look bleached out, when mine had it it got a sunken in belly, or they get dropsy and popeye, there many symtoms to ntd once it has advanced.
Check the gills to see if there red and inflamed. if i'm getting this right two of the neons already had the sunken in bellys, then the platys died.

Nope the sunken bellies came after the platies,

Tracey

 

[WILDER]

Platys are know for internal parasites.
Have you noticed any curved spines, to me its pointing three ways, fish tb, internal parasites, and ntd but not too sure on that yet.
All nasty.

 

[spidey]

Platys are know for internal parasites.
Have you noticed any curved spines, to me its pointing three ways, fish tb, internal parasites, and ntd but not too sure on that yet.
All nasty.

Nope no curved spines, although I did think it may be internal parasites but all the fishy symptoms are so conflicting as most of the ones I'm seeing seem to be 'general' symptoms.

 

[WILDER]

Internal parasites can cause bacterial infections on top.
You could try a worming med.

 

[spidey]

I think for now I would try a bacterial med as there nothing to lose.

For internal bacteria do you think?

Tracey

 

[WILDER]

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=142441

 

[black angel]

Well, the filter is big enough to cope with the fish that were in the tank but it may have gone through a slight hiccup when you added the new ones and may have caused an ammonia spike that maybe went a bit higher than the .25 you registered. It fits with the platy going crazy and then dying. With the platy as well sitting at the surface that indicates low oxygen levels. Is the tank aerated or do you have the filter blowing bubbles or agitating the water surface?
When you clean the filter how are you doing it, with old tank water or under a tap?

 

[spidey]

Well, the filter is big enough to cope with the fish that were in the tank but it may have gone through a slight hiccup when you added the new ones and may have caused an ammonia spike that maybe went a bit higher than the .25 you registered. It fits with the platy going crazy and then dying. With the platy as well sitting at the surface that indicates low oxygen levels. Is the tank aerated or do you have the filter blowing bubbles or agitating the water surface?
When you clean the filter how are you doing it, with old tank water or under a tap?

The filter doesn't blow any bubbles, no, it just makes the surface ripple. I do clean the filter briefly under a tap, is that the right thing to do?

Tracey

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=142441

Thanks for that! Is it harmful/stressful to use acouple of meds on a tank if you're unsure of the problem?

Tracey

 

[black angel]

Im afraid not.
When you clean a filters sponge under a tap you kill the bacteria that live there. So when you place it back in the tank it has to cycle all over again. This may be the cause of some of your problem.
The filter has to recycle itself each time you wash it under the tap.
Next time you do a water change, squeeze the filter sponge out in the bucket of used tank water and this will ensure the bacteria stay alive.


I would hold off from adding any meds to see if it was the filter that was killing the fish.

 

[WILDER]

Do you mean you clean the filter and not the sponges under the tap water.

 

[spidey]

Im afraid not.
When you clean a filters sponge under a tap you kill the bacteria that live there. So when you place it back in the tank it has to cycle all over again. This may be the cause of some of your problem.
The filter has to recycle itself each time you wash it under the tap.
Next time you do a water change, squeeze the filter sponge out in the bucket of used tank water and this will ensure the bacteria stay alive.


I would hold off from adding any meds to see if it was the filter that was killing the fish.

I didn't clean it too often because I knew about retaining the bacteria, but I didn't realise the tap was a no-no full stop, I must have read some bad advice. It's amazing how much conflicting advice there is for fish keeping isn't it? Anyway thanks for setting me straight, I won't do that any more! *sigh* My poor fishies, I feel like I've let them down, whatever's wrong with them.

Tracey

Do you mean you clean the filter and not the sponges under the tap water.

Nope just the sponge, but only very briefly,

Tracey

 

[WILDER]

I agree with black angel with the filter sponges never clean them under the tap water.
Bad water quality can cause stress and desease, but still dosn't explain the sunken in tummys, never know a fish to have a sunken in tummy then go back to normal again.