Ouch - fish died

[KerriPaul]

I have lost 5 fish in 5 days

1 D. kyathit
1 D. Choprae
1 D. Nigrofasciatus
1 Cardinal Tetra
1 Female Sword

All are sudden except the female sword who has looked iffy since she last gave birth.

Water is fresh rainwater with many plants and external filter.

Rest of fish seem fine including 17 danio fry who have been in the tank a week or so.

Any ideas?

 

[WILDER]

Can you post test results in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph, do you use declorinator with the rain water

 

[KerriPaul]

PH 7.1 approx


Have not got nitrate and nitrite testing gear at present but as I change 25% of water every week and have an external filter with activated charcoal and high surface bol filtering I would be surprised if it was not negligable - especially as the tank is very heavily stocked with plants (I used C02)

HTH Paul

 

[KerriPaul]

PS I dont use dechorlinator with rain water - how would rain water get chlorinated? I rely on the activated carbon to get rid of any impurities.

 

[WILDER]

How do you no your tank is fine if you don't do weekly test on your water,also declorinator get rid of metals and other things in the water as I would not no what was in rain water.

 

[jflowers]

How do you collect the rain water? If its run from the gutters then it could have anything in, parasites e.t.c. I dont think metals or chlorine would be in your water but you never know. I would get a test kit.

Jon

 

[The-Wolf]

symptoms
The sudden death of many fish over a short period of time with few preceding symptoms. Surviving fish hang around the water surface / stay on the bottom and may lose equilibrium. They are lethargic and don't eat.

causes
1) Acute poisoning. Water should be tested for core parameters and fish examined for signs of severe parasite or bacterial infection. carry out a 75% or more water change on the presumption of some (as yet, unknown) toxin.

2) Low dissolved oxygen levels.

3) Peracute bacterial disease.

HTH

 

[sylvia]

Also, don't leave CO2 on at night if you don't know this already - it *can* cause problems in a heavily stocked tank (that includes plants and fish). The plants don't need CO2 at night. Test your water!

 

[smithrc]

Also, don't leave CO2 on at night if you don't know this already - it *can* cause problems in a heavily stocked tank (that includes plants and fish). The plants don't need CO2 at night. Test your water!

Not true.... The PH swing of turning CO2 on and off is a lot more dangerous.

CO2 does not push oxygen out of the water - so the O2 levels should remain constant overnight (if the surface is moving).

 

[KerriPaul]

Another spotted danio de1ceased today

This one looks like it had dropsy - patches of blood in places looking like sores and scales sticking out.

Found a partial blockage in the filter last night but I dont think that is the whole story. Off to get some nitrate/ite testing gear.

Anyone know the best way of preventing dropsy. Have always had it from time to time with my danios. They look sluggish, then fat, then so fat all their scales stick out (euthanasia time)?

I think danios must be more susceptable!

 

[WILDER]

Once dropsy has progressed their is no cure, you should feed peas in their diet and daphnia it helps them to digest their food, you could try an anti internal bacteria med, but usually you use antibiotics but only available through a vet.

 

[KerriPaul]

Any idea what causes dropsy and how you prevent it in the first place. Danios seem especially vunerable.

 

[WILDER]

Sometimes it's passed on in birth and that's all I no, fluids that build up in the body causing organ failure, peas and daphnia to help them digest their food.

 

[sylvia]

Dropsy is caused by internal bacteria - how could this be passed on (unless it is a livebearer and the mother had it or the egg was somehow infected)?

Good water quality and not over-stocking are always the best methods of prevention...

 

[WILDER]

Here is a link for you.http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/hddropsy.htm