Ongoing New Tank Issues,..............

[Bristlenose]

Hi, I am really looking for some advise. I previously posted on here some days ago, after issues arose in my new 200 litre tank.

The tank has been up and running for over a month, nearly 6 weeks. The first fish were a pair of small Angels that began to struggle after just 3 days. one was returned to the shop. The latter did well but then after several days I noticed that it started going near the surface to gasp for air before returning to normal. After a few more days passed its visits became more frequent, water tests showed no ammonia or nitrite.

A few white spots appeared on the fish which by this point was gasping, I was torn between white spot treatment and Gill flukes remedy as the fish had started to rub against decorations. Unfortunetly the angel then up and died. I treated for White spot!

I then moved in 4 tetras from the tank still set up at my parents. One of which died quite quickly. The others all had rapid gill movements so I started treating for Gill Flukes, 4 days later the remaining three are still in there but are not doing brilliantly. They are still eating which is good.

They seem to have to shimmy on the spot to stay in one place more than is normal (best I can discribe it as) still breathing rather rapidly but tend to be sticking to the lower water levels and hiding behind things, one shows a strange behaviour regularly where he twitches to his left hand side bending round whilst moving forward, seems very unnatural as if in pain. Any ideas? is it Gill flukes?

One worrying thing that I feel I must share is that one of the tetras ( the dead one) had a kink in his spine so that his tail was up in the air in relation to his body, (but the angel was in the tank way before the tetra and its a new tank so these problems cannot be related) the bent tailed tetra had no other signs of illness, just difficulty swimming.

The only other thing I would add is my PH level is high in the tap water here, I have introduced a big piece of bogwood and it has dropped from 8.2 to 8.o

I am hoping the bent spine is not TB, it is'nt right? I had one other tetra who had the same issue back in the tank at my parents but he stayed alive like it for many months, but gradually wasted away, it has only ever affected the tetra's and has not crossed to other breeds which have shared the tank in all this time. 5 years.

Please give me some help, I have wanted a bigger tank for the last few years and its really disheartening at the moment.

Cheers!

 

[the biffster]

i think the problem is
down to your tank not
been cycled properly
i have put a link up for
you to have a read of
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/forum/58-beginner-questions/

 

[Bristlenose]

i think the problem is
down to your tank not
been cycled properly
i have put a link up for
you to have a read of
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/forum/58-beginner-questions/

Thank you, as to the tera bent spines? both bent upwards?

 

[WILDER]

How many fish and which type.
Can you post water stats please.
What type of tetra's do you have?
Are they neon tetra's.

Small like grain of salt spots is whitespot.
Once the parasite invades the gills the fish rarely make it.

Bent spine can be caused by injury, birth defect, vitamin deficiency, fish tb, internal parasites, old age.

What does it look like when your fish go to the toilet.
Is the anus enlarged, or red and inflamed.
Do any fish look skinny or bloated.
Do any fish have sunken in bellies.

 

[Bristlenose]

How many fish and which type.
Can you post water stats please.
What type of tetra's do you have?
Are they neon tetra's.

Small like grain of salt spots is whitespot.
Once the parasite invades the gills the fish rarely make it.

Bent spine can be caused by injury, birth defect, vitamin deficiency, fish tb, internal parasites, old age.

What does it look like when your fish go to the toilet.
Is the anus enlarged, or red and inflamed.
Do any fish look skinny or bloated.
Do any fish have sunken in bellies.

There is currently only three tetras and three corys. The Tetra's are (I think they were called head n tail light tetras?) they have reddish eyes and white tips on their fins darker towards the tail and a grey colour.

Other than the odd behaviour especially the shimmying behaviour one shows there are no other signs of ill health. Except on two that died after their tails become bent (but this took some time).

Water stats are 0 Nitrite and Ammonia, ph 7.8

Since adding the Gill fluke medicine the tetra's seem more active but are still hiding at times, moving oddly (like bending to the sides but going forwards in a jerky motion, by that I mean the bending sideways in a jerky motion) and breathing still seems rather rapid.

I am really unsure as to what could be the cause but I am reluctant to move the fish still at my parents place until this is resolved as I have had some of them for 5 years!!!!! and really would be gutted if they died due to this.

 

[WILDER]

If the fish have whitespot you need a med that treats whitespot.
What ingredients are in the fluke med, and what's the med called.
Do the fish still have the small white spots on them.

You need to check for when your fish go to the toilet.
What's the make of the test kit you are using.

Get a pic of whitespot for you. But the spots look bigger in the pic.

Pic of whitespot.