One Fish Dies After Another

[blobble]

Request Help: Diagnose and treat cause of successive deaths. One fish dies at a time. I have lost about 7 in succession over about 4 months but much more frequently of late. I have lost 1 Platty, 1 Swordtail, 1 Black Tetra, 1 Guppy, 1 Silver Tip, 1 Apple Snail.

Tank size:60 litre (5 UK gallons approx)
pH: 6.8 (fallen from pH 8 at the end of November)
ammonia: Not on test kit.
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 100
kH: 0
gH: 10
tank temp: 24 C, 76 F

Fish Symptoms: No lesions, normal colour, fish body mishapen by internal swelling. Swelling is sometimes uneven and to one side. Fish starts by swimming to surface to get oxygen then has difficulty swimming to surface and sinks, then tries to swim up again, then sinks and "rests" and tries to swim to surface. Rapid gill movement. Death takes over 24 hours.

Other features, which I have observed. Some fish have long string-like "worm" from bottom and distended body.

One fish has had white growths, which are not fluffy and have not spread t other fish. They appear as blobs or warts on the surafce and have arrived but not spread. They are onthe body mainly but also on dorsal fin and gill. Other fish appear healthy.

Volume and Frequency of water changes: Weekly 10% change of water

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: Tried malachite for white growths but I have stopped this now. I add a plant food each week.

Tank inhabitants: 4 large (10 cm, 4 inch) Clown Loach; 3 (2 cm, 1 inch) Silver Tips; 7 (2 cm, 1 inch) Neon Tetra; 1 (2.5 cm 1.25 inch) Black Tetra; 1 (11 cm 4.5 inch) Algea Eater; 1 (2.5 cm, 1.25 inch) Rosey Barb); 2 (2 cm, 1 inch) Guppy.

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): 2 new plants about 4-6 weeks ago. Last fish additions were Guppies about 3 months ago.

Exposure to chemicals: Non apart from additives given above.

 

[WILDER]

Loads of problems your stats are out as the tank is severely overstocked, clown loaches need 90gal tanks.
If the fish has worms prutruding from the anus they have internal parasites.
Internal parasties and bad water quality can cause bacterial infections.
Do an immediate water change.
The blobs are they on the fins and do the look like a cauliflower or a cluster of berries.
Your ph is out as the tank is overstocked, it sounds like you have a high ammonia reading which will cuase the ph to drop.

 

[WILDER]

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

 

[blobble]

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

Thanks for the quick response.

The Clown Loaches came with the tank from a friend and have lived there for some years. They are active and healthy. ...but time to re-tank now? What's a good rule of thumb for stocking?

Can I cure the internal worms with a water or food treatment and would the worms cause the fish to become blown-out and mis-shapen? Would I harm the fish if I treated them for worms and it wasn't worms?

The "worms" just hang there, they don't move. They eventually break off. Are they worms?

The blobs appear to have a fairly smooth surface as far as I can tell, possibly a little like berries. They stand out from the surface of the fish and are cream to white in colour and cover about 3% - 5% of the surfacwe of the fish. The fish appears otherwise healthy and has had the blobs for about 6 weeks. Only one fish is infected. Can I cure it?

Sorry for all the questions!! ...and many thanks again.

 

[WILDER]

I would read up on these first so we can rule them out.
http/www.aquarticles.com/articles/manage...mphocystis.html

 

[WILDER]

http/www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/nematodes.shtml

 

[blobble]

http/www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/nematodes.shtml

Thanks for the two references. Reading them I don't think the one fish has Lymphocystis but only on the basis that the fish has had it for more than 4 weeks and the article says it should go after 4 weeks. The fish has behaved normally while infected and no other fish have been infected. The growths do not look like the ones ion the picture but more like individual growths.

As for the other worm infection, the article says they appear as several reddish worms from the anus. There is only one single "worm" coming out and it's brown/black in colour and not tranparent.

...any further advice would be appreciated.

 

[WILDER]

I had a plec with internal parasites and the worms can be brown in colour.
The blob can be anything from parasites to bacterial.
I would get that worming med first as it going to kill them, so need to act fast, as once they are infested with them they damage the inside of the fish and cause bacterial infection on top.

 

[WILDER]

CAMALLANUS WORMS - small red or brown worms that attach themselves to the rectum and intestines of the fish

Symptoms: A resting fish may have red or brown worms protruding from its anus. The fish may also appear pinched in the belly.
Treatment: Ask your local fish dealer to recommend a proper (marine or freshwater) medication for internal parasitic worms. Most medications for this will contain such a drug as trichlorfon, yomesan or piperazine. Follow all manufacturers recommendations and treat the fish in a separate hospital tank.

 

[blobble]

CAMALLANUS WORMS - small red or brown worms that attach themselves to the rectum and intestines of the fish

Symptoms: A resting fish may have red or brown worms protruding from its anus. The fish may also appear pinched in the belly.
Treatment: Ask your local fish dealer to recommend a proper (marine or freshwater) medication for internal parasitic worms. Most medications for this will contain such a drug as trichlorfon, yomesan or piperazine. Follow all manufacturers recommendations and treat the fish in a separate hospital tank.

Many thanks for the advice. The belly is bloated rather than pinched.

Can I treat the whole tank of fish in case others have the worms and are on their way to showing symptoms?

 

[WILDER]

Yes treat the whole tank.
Good luck.

 

[blobble]

Many thanks.