My Fish all died.

[TheTenthDoctor]

Things were going fine. Then one day when I turned on the light I noticed my fish swimming strangely. Sort of a whole body wag. I did a water change. The next day they had all perished. My snails are fine. And the plants are doing well. However I am determined to get to the bottom of this mystery before I embark on any other fish. I will get water parameters tonight when I got to get my water tested. The tank has been set up for months. 20 Gallons. Planted heavily

 

[Byron]

In addition to tests--and for these, can you give us the results of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, and water parameters being GH and pH--info on water changes (frequency and volume), all additives from conditioner up, the substrate material. And the fish (species and numbers).

 

[thuctoanvietnamese]

I have the same problem. but my fish didn't die in a short time like you.
People in my country call it"shake"
It can spread very fast
do the fish moving like this ?

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2546116105660514

this video is not mine

 

[thuctoanvietnamese]

the

I have the same problem. but my fish didn't die in a short time like you.
People in my country call it"shake"
It can spread very fast
do the fish moving like this ?

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2546116105660514

this video is not mine

the fish on the left corner in 0.03

 

[Colin_T]

It's either a bacterial or protozoan infection.

Make sure you do huge regular water changes and gravel clean the substrate, especially in heavily stocked tanks with lots of fish.

Make sure the GH is above 150ppm and 200ppm is better for guppies, swordtails and platies (250+ppm for mollies).

If they start shaking/ shimmying, add salt. Use 4 heaped tablespoons of rock salt, sea salt or swimming pool salt per 20 litres of tank water. Keep the salt levels up for at least 2 (preferably 4) weeks.

 

[TheTenthDoctor]

It's either a bacterial or protozoan infection.

Make sure you do huge regular water changes and gravel clean the substrate, especially in heavily stocked tanks with lots of fish.

Make sure the GH is above 150ppm and 200ppm is better for guppies, swordtails and platies (250+ppm for mollies).

If they start shaking/ shimmying, add salt. Use 4 heaped tablespoons of rock salt, sea salt or swimming pool salt per 20 litres of tank water. Keep the salt levels up for at least 2 (preferably 4) weeks.

Its a dirted tank so I am going to do my best to vacum the gravel. I will do a large water change and add salt you said?

 

[Byron]

Its a dirted tank so I am going to do my best to vacum the gravel. I will do a large water change and add salt you said?

It is crucial to give us all the data when asking a question about a problem. This is the first mention of dirt...can you explain this? What "dirt" exactly; how long has this tank been running with this substrate?

Second, you did not post the GH, pH, and results of tests for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

There is a very good chance this is the problem here.

 

[FishGuest5123]

I’m so sorry to hear this. It’s devastating, I know. If you can provide the numbers that Byron requested, we may be able to help you figure this tragedy out.

 

[FishGuest5123]

I had one shimmying and going in circles. Third day on water changes and salt that @Colin_T suggested and fish seems to be improving. Colin, can the protozoan infection also cause wasting?

 

[TheTenthDoctor]

Okay sorry for the late reply. I was investigating and analyzing the evidence. All evidence points to a nitrogen spike.
here's the parameters and other details about the tank
The tank has been running for about 4 months, however I redid the tank and it had cycled filter media. Dirt is dirt from a relatives garden. The Garden has been empty for years and I've never had problems with it. I also put clay root tabs in. The tank is twenty gallon and heavily planted. Fish was mainly guppies.
Parameters
Ammonia .0
Nitrate 60
Nitrite 0
Hardness 75-150
Chlorine 0
Alkalinity 120-180
pH 7.8-8.4

@Byron @Deanasue please get back to me with what you think!

 

[FishGuest5123]

If PH and nitrate really too high for guppies.

 

[Byron]

Okay sorry for the late reply. I was investigating and analyzing the evidence. All evidence points to a nitrogen spike.
here's the parameters and other details about the tank
The tank has been running for about 4 months, however I redid the tank and it had cycled filter media. Dirt is dirt from a relatives garden. The Garden has been empty for years and I've never had problems with it. I also put clay root tabs in. The tank is twenty gallon and heavily planted. Fish was mainly guppies.
Parameters
Ammonia .0
Nitrate 60
Nitrite 0
Hardness 75-150
Chlorine 0
Alkalinity 120-180
pH 7.8-8.4

@Byron @Deanasue please get back to me with what you think!

The dirt is clearly the source of the high nitrate. There are organics in the dirt. I am not suggesting that this alone killed the fish, it wouldn't have been as quick as you reported; but nitrate at 60 ppm is too high for fish and this at the very least will weaken them significantly, making it that much more difficult to deal with other issues. Colin is better than I am on disease matters, I would only be guessing. There is also the possibility of some toxic substance in the dirt; unless you had it tested at a soil testing facility there is no way to know what is or isn't in it. Some "garden" substances can remain in dirt for years, even decades, and still be lethal to fish.

Clay root tabs...if these are osmocote or similar, that is another source of organics contributing to high nitrate.

While I was typing, deanasue posted. The pH is fine for livebearers, so long as it is above 7 which it is. The GH at 75-150 is presumably in ppm, and this is much too low for livebearers. Another thing that will weaken them; insufficient calcium which is essential for fish as for the rest of us.

 

[TheTenthDoctor]

Okay thanks for the prompt replies. So what can I do to fix this. I have never had this issue. I have had many other thriving fish. My tetras thrived until there was a heater outage and they died.

 

[Byron]

Okay thanks for the prompt replies. So what can I do to fix this. I have never had this issue. I have had many other thriving fish. My tetras thrived until there was a heater outage and they died.

First, you have soft water so do not acquire any livebearers or other fish that need harder water. It is possible to harden the water and if you want to go down that road you can, but being able to use your water directly from the tap does make water changes much easier as you do not need to prepare the water outside the tank, and in an emergency this can be crucial. But staying with soft water species like tetras and hundreds of others would be advisable.

Second, you need to reduce the nitrate. I indicated where this was coming from, the only other source would be the tap water itself.

That leaves the cause of the sudden death. Colin earlier suggested protozoan or bacterial, and offered some suggestions. The low GH and the nitrate both weaken fish over time, and that makes it easier for things like bacteria and protozoan to attack fish that are unable to effectively resist it. I would still be concerned over something in the dirt since this seemed (if I read earlier posts correctly) to have been the precursor to the rapid decline and death.

 

[TheTenthDoctor]

Okay. I will begin to work on this now the holidays are over. Btw, I soaked the dirt before I put it in the tank.