My Red Tailed Black Shark

[SuperColey1]

Request Help

Tank size: 100Ltr
pH:?
ammonia:?
nitrite:?
nitrate:?
kH:?
gH:?
tank temp:26-27

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):
He was a dark anthracite colour with a nice orange/red tail although transparent due to his size
Now he is very pale grey with some patches on his back.
He's been hanging around the Magnetic cleaner a lot could this be it?

Volume and Frequency of water changesnce a week 10% change

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: just the stuff what makes the water OK for the fish

Tank inhabitants: 1 x male betta, 2 black mollies, 2 baloon mollies, 2 common plecs

 

[WILDER]

Red tailed shark need to be in a 40gal.
Stats would be good if you had them as its going to be hard to pin point it.
As the symtoms you mention can be poor water quality, parasites to bacterial infection.
Even poor water quality can make them flick and rub.
Do a water change, and take a sample of your water to the lfs and tell them to write the readings down for you.
Also pick a bacterial med and parasite med just in case.

 

[SuperColey1]

I haven't got a kit. Shark was OK this morning then I did a water change. Used the correct quantity of water treatment in the bucket. cleaned the filter in the old water etc. this has all happened in the last couple of hours or so!!. Wil get a kit tomorrow. hopefully he'll still be alive.

Thanks Andy

 

[WILDER]

You didn't wash the sponges in tank water did you, as you only do one at a time if there really mucked up.
Did you match the new water temp to the tank.

 

[SuperColey1]

I cleaned the sponges in the dirty water before putting them back into the filter, then I put the fresh water into a bucket and let it equalise before letting it into the tank.

 

[WILDER]

I would get your water tested might of removed to much beneifical bacteria out of the sponges.


I would also increase your water changes to 30%, 10% not enough.
Common plecs are massive waste producers.

 

[SuperColey1]

Thanks for the advice.

All the others are OK though. Is this because he was the smallest?

He's almost albino now apart from the black fins and pinky tail. I don't think he'll last much longer

 

[WILDER]

He sounds in a bad way, is he laboured breathing.
Stange to go like this in hours.
Can you issolate him.

Test kits are so importantt it can tell you alot, nothing worse than not knowing stats as it makes it harder to rule things out.

 

[SuperColey1]

He's dead now. I'm gonna remove him from the tank before the betta eats the lot and gets whatever he had.

I'll buy a kit tomorrow and remeber not to clear all the gunk out of the sponges next time.

Maybe had something when I bought him from Pets at Home.

Thanks anyway

 

[WILDER]

How long have you had him?.
Look for signs of flicking and rubbing on objects, and yes please get the water tested.

How long has the tank been set up?

 

[SuperColey1]

Had him 1 week. The tank was set-up last Saturday but with the original water and the filter uncleaned.

 

[DarkEntity]

So was the tank cycled or not? That could be a starting point to the problem

 

[SuperColey1]

pre us gettin it yes.

we put most of thye original water back in,
the orig gravel was still in position undisturbed.

as for the fish 'flicking' it did look like it had rubbed some scales off from it's back. i thought maybe hed been fighting or something

 

[WILDER]

You could be dealing with a parasite.
Need to get stats done though.
What the gill area look like on the fish any excess mucas on them,are they pale or red and inflamed.

 

[SuperColey1]

red an inflamed