My Red Tailed Black Shark

[WILDER]

Still getting no where as red inflamed gills can be poor water quality to gill flukes.
I would pick a fluke med up as well, but there only one good one and you have to buy it online.
Though I would try methylene blue if stats turn out fine.

 

[SuperColey1]

many thanks. will let you know results

 

[WILDER]

Ok, good luck.

 

[SuperColey1]

Hello Guys, I am so lost and bereft of ideas. After the shark died so quickly all seemed to be OK. I did a test tube test and it said the following:

Ph 7.2
High Ph 7.8 (should these be diff?)
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 20.

This all seems to indicate that the water is OK and it stays a constant 28degrees. and I have some live plants in the tank as well.
Anyway I did a 30% water change getting the water to 28 then putting in aqua safe then slowly restoring to the tank.

After a few days I noticed that the plecs, betta and black mollies were getting little grey patches behind their dorsel fins and with the male black mollie down the sides, so I started a blue methyl? i think treatment and waited 4 days. No effect.
Realising I had left the carbon pad in the filter i removed it did a 30% water change and then treated with blue methyl again.
2 days later, the plecs are OK the white baloons are OK, one of the black mollies is OK, but the male now looks like he has dropsy (pineconed sides but grey over the black) and the betta seems to be developing whitespot!!. Is my tank jinxed.
Also I can't see anymore but I have been retrieving little 1mm-2mm snails and binning them 5 so far in a week and on last clean 2 days ago was like a small clear jelly like substance stuck to my filter almost like miniscule frogsporn.

What is happening. I'm getting so disheartened. I'm feeling like I just let them all die and totally clean the tank buy all new deco etc. and then start again.

p.s The tank I bought the shark from in Pets at home now says. 'this tank is under treatment and the fish not for sale' I notice a fair few of the fish in the tank are now yellow tailed grey/silver sharks rather than red tailed black sharks.

I will never buy from Pets at home again but would appreciate anyone who can help me save these fish (even though only 2 seem sick now)

Cheers
Andy

 

[WILDER]

Never rains but pours.
The grey on the fish sounds like the whitespot, if the grey areas are not fluffy looking.
The thing with whitespot it can cause bacterial infections.
Once scales stick out that the last stage of dropsy organ failure, all you can do is try an epson salt bath on the fish.

Skin looks grey in patches. External Parasite Costia necatrix parasites.

 

[SuperColey1]

Its only the male black mollie that has the scales sticking out but he still loves food but tends to hide a lot. the betta doesn't seem to be affected by anything except his face looks a little greyer . This might just be because the water is blue and the light seems to be highlighting lighter colours more.

the female black mollie started to go a little grey on back and sides but has cleared up totally and is best mates with the male betta.

I think the female baloon is pregnant as she is starting to get a black shadow in her belly and is always chasing the male.

should i remove the male and hope the tank clears or try different meds?

 

[WILDER]

Keep going with the methylene blue for now.
If she pecking at the male yes give him a break, probably her hormones with being pregnant.

 

[SuperColey1]

its the baloons pecking.
the black mollies dont seem to 'talk' anymore. she's more into the betta lol

I will keep going with the blue and hope for the best

 

[WILDER]

More into the betta lol, must be his size.
Good luck.

 

[andyt_uk]

girls huh
they are so fickle

when i saw you had bought from pets at home my heart sank- they dont have a very good rep i am afraid

you said you got the tank second hand, reused most of the water etc..

did you let the filter media dry out? the majority of the bacteria live in there and will die quickly if they dry out.

your stats now are ok but there is a risk your fish were exposed to poor water. although your current symptoms do suggest a parasite something i have quickly learnt about myself recently.

hope it all works out for you

 

[SuperColey1]

when i bought the tank it was full to the top of the gravel (2-3 inches) the rest of the water was in containers.

The fish in another container and the pump submerged in another.

I rang them before I left Lincoln (1 hour away) so they could start emptying etc. and then transferred the water back in straight away upon arrival home.

Then changed 10% water and floated the fish container in the tank for 30 mins to acclimatise.

After that i slowly mixed the water every 5 mins before releasing everybody.

They all seemed happy although the person who sold me the tank had a couple die on transfer to the containers so maybe the parasite(s) were endemic then.

Hopefully the blue for 1-2 weeks will kill all the parasites and then I'll have to get something to speed up the cycle, because I've hear the blue kills all the bacteria.

Hoping for the best but preparing for the worst really. Although most of them seem to be getting a little better, and theyve never been off their food or sluggish.

Thanks for the help people, i'll let you know more next week.

 

[WILDER]

Good luck.

 

[SuperColey1]

All is well now.
The plecs weren't sick. They were war wounds, probs due to their size in my small tank and lack of feeding ground territory. They are being rehomed in a local tropical house in 2 weeks time, to be replaced by 2 L66 King Stripes.
The black mollie male has cured completely since I dabbed him mith blue. and his missus has returned to him.
The small male baloon has died though probs due to old age, seeing as I think this tank was originally started about 1 year ago + the 6 months before they can be sold etc.
So at last all is well

ph = 7.2 - 7.6
Niti = 0
Nita = 10
Amm = 0

Still a little blue colour in the water but that will go with the water changes.

Thanks for all your help people.
I am planning to add to the tank next the 2 L66s then after Crimbo 6 Neons, and then in Feb a couple of others. Will I be up to max then or can I 'squeeze' a few more in?

 

[WILDER]

Glad your'e back on track, fish keeping does have it down parts, but the rest makes it all worth while.
Quarantine new fish.
Good luck.