Possible Infection Hanging Around In My Tank?

[tkdc80]

Hi Everyone

I haven't added anything new to my 25g tank since August. Inhabitants are 3 platys and 2 cories (I know I should have more but read on...). The tank has been functioning for about a year now. Came back from a 2 day trip today to find a cory in terrible distress, barely gasping (he died shortly thereafter). Water stats zero's (nitrate 0.7), my weekly 20% change was done before I left, albeit 2 days late. When I left on friday, I did notice him erraticly swimming, very "jumpy" and jerky, but still eating normally.
This is the third cory i've lost in a similar fashion - but weeks/months apart. Is it possible it is something lurking in my tank, slowly picking them off? My three platys are as happy as ever, they have been around through all cory deaths, with absolutely no signs of distress.
I think that one of my remaining cories seems a little "off" - lethargic - but still eating.
Here's some other recent issues, in case it might be related:

About a month ago my largest cory was swimming strangely - not jerky/ fast like this was one was - but "wobbly" - I thought it might have been a constipation/gas issue from reading, treated with peas - and seemed to clear up. She's fine now.

Back in August (the last time I added fish to the tank) I brought to lovely baby angels home to introduce to my (what I thought was stable) tank. They seemed fine in the store....but one died within 3 hours of being in my tank, the other within 24 hours (both the same way - lethargic, hanging at the bottom, finally tipping over and gasping). Water stats were ok at the time and all other fish were perfectly fine through this so I assumed it was a problem I bought them with, since it happened so quickly. Didn't treat with anything, watched and waiting - all ok until these random cory deaths.

No body sores on anyone or other obvious physical signs. Perhaps slightly pink gills?? I was considering treating for flukes...
Any thoughts??
Sorry 'bout the long post....
Thanks

 

[Athena]

Hi - can I just ask what type of test kit you used to test your water? Was it the strips or liquid test? Also, did you check that your test kit is not out of date?

The red/pinkish gills would usually indicate an ammonia/nitrite problem and can wipe out sensitive species very quickly.

When you went away for a couple of days, did you add extra food into the tank before you went? That would increase your tank stats fairly quickly.

Athena

 

[tkdc80]

Hi Athena!
I am using strips (I know they're not as sensitive....but the liquid tests are time consuming and disastrous with a with a klutz like me). They are definitely not out of date - good until 2009.
I did not add extra food, and it was just 9 days (instead of usual 7) since my last water change......this all seems a little strange.
The one cory is still listless today.....still eating vigourously though. He is sitting at the bottom more than is usual for my guys.
Do you think I should treat my tank? It just seems like something has been "off" for a while....despite a year old tank with (usually ) 25% weekly water changes.

 

[WILDER]

How long did you climatise the new fish.
What was the ph of the store to your tank.
Take a sample of your water to the lfs and ask them to write the readings down for you.

Need to look into gill flukes first as gill flukes can cause bacterial infections.
Signs of skin and gills flukes are.
Red inflamed gills or pale gills with excess slime.
Opaque body with excess slime.
Flicking and rubbing as though something is irratating them.
Laboured breathing or gasping near surface of tank.
Swimming oddly like in a jerky movement.
Spitting food out.
Erratic swimming.
Weightloss sometimes.
Sores on the body of the fish, or red tiny pierce marks.

Your fry are more prone to flukes.
Any fish look bloated or thin.
The barbels on the corys did they look thin and short.

Need to look at water stats first to see if its not bad water quality causing the illnesses.
As test strip cards are not very accurate.

 

[tkdc80]

Hi Wilder
I climatised the angels by putting them in a bowl in the LFS water....then adding a 1/2 cup of my tank water every 2 minutes until it reached 10 cups. I have no idea about the LFS pH was - never thought to ask! I will do so next time. How much of a pH difference would cause them distress?

The last cory that died was definitely swimming erratically, and was much jumpier than usual the day that I left for the weekend. He was "freaking out" whenever I moved near the tank, which is highly unusual. No rubbing though that I noticed. Laboured breathing definitely - but near the end (when I returned from my weekend trip). Perhaps a little skinnier than usual. No sores. About the gills - these little guys have such tiny gills, i'm not sure if I would know inflamed or pale gills if they were in front of me, to tell the truth... Same thing with the excess slime - is it usually very obvious? I don't think that they have this symptom... Barbels on the cories seem normal. I have noticed my platys spitting out food in the past - but they have not done this recently at all. As I mentioned above, my platys are perfectly happy/normal through all this. But I gather they are a pretty 'tough' fish....

Re: water quality - since this is an established tank, nitrate would be the most likely problem, right?

Thx!

 

[WILDER]

The fish that died just after adding them sounds like ph shock to me.
half a cup of water every two minutes is to much.
I always test the bag water in ph to see how long to climatise them for.

Darting can be bad water quality, parasties, ph shock, stray voltage, over dose of meds, toxins in the water, or the fish is dying.
Did he lose weight due to not eating with being ill.
Corys are more prone to bacterial infections.
No excess slime.
No flicking and rubbing.
If the fish wasn't flicking it dosn't sound like a parasite was involved.


Being pale or darker in colour, being listless and lethagic, hanging at the bottom, and laying to onside, and breathing laboured can be all signs of a bacterial infections.
Get you some info.

[URL="http/www.petsforum.com/cis-fishnet/afm/G29060.htm"]http/www.petsforum.com/cis-fishnet/afm/G29060.htm[/URL]


Taken from the link.
The third type of infection produced by Aeromonas is by no means the least. This form is often the most virulent (potent) and can be rapidly fatal. This insidious form does not produce any noticeable external ulcers. The most notable feature is a behavioral change in which the infected fish generally become listless and lethargic. Some fish may lose color or appear darker. The fish do not feed, frequently seem off balance and may sink to the bottom laying on their sides. The course of the disease is rapid, and by the time the behavioral changes are noticed, the entire population of a tank may succumb, sometimes in a day or so. This is an internal infection, with the bacteria being found in the kidneys and blood of these fish. The bacteria produce potent toxins that account for the severity of the disease.

 

[tkdc80]

Hi
I will keep that in mind next time I am adding fish - I was following instructions from an aquarium keeping book, but I guess books aren't always right, lol.

That description of the bacterial problem sounds bang on with the 3 cory deaths I have had over the past months. Is it possible, though, that the deaths are so far between? And that the other fish in my tank (the platys) are completely unnaffected?

Do you think I should treat with meds? If so, what ingredients should I look for?
My LFS carries a lot of Mardel and Jungle products, if that helps.

 

[WILDER]

Have all the corys died now if so I would just do some daily water changes on your tank.
Maracyn plus.
http/www.aquariumguys.com/maracynplus.html

 

[tkdc80]

There are actually 2 cories left. Neither of them are looking unwell today, definitely eating heartily. What do you think?

 

[WILDER]

Usually when you lost a few fish to bacterial infectons add a med.
But if they look fine I would just do some water changes for now.

 

[tkdc80]

OK thank you so much.
I will keep an eye on things and do a water change tonight!

 

[tkdc80]

help!
another cory going down tonight
The one that I mentioned previously as being a little listless/sitting on the bottom.....I just did a check - to find him laying on his side gasping - when i tried to catch him, he started swimming. Very 'wobbly', in fact, spinning in spirals as he tried to swim. Just 4 hours ago, he did eat. Looks as though he'll be a goner very shortly.
I'm doing a water change now as its late at night and no stores are open - Shall I treat with Maracyn Plus tomorrow?
One cory left ...
And the three platys. Platys still ate very well today, look good. I

 

[WILDER]

Fish can spin when there about to die.
Plus his breathing laboured so adding a med would just finish him off faster.
Its sounds to late for him now adding the med.
If he dies I would add the bacterial med afterwards.
So sorry.
Might be better off ending his misery bless him.

If you think the other fish are ok you could just do some water changes on the tank.
Corys are very prone to bacterial infections that's why its so important to keep the substate clean by hoovering it
once a week.

 

[tkdc80]

oh
ok thank you, I will do that.
I'm fearful for my last little guy now!

 

[WILDER]

I don't hold much hope for the really poorly cory but if you are worried about the other one add the bacterial med.
Don't forget to increase aeraton in the tank as meds reduce 02 in the water.
Check instructions that it dosn't wipe all your benefical bacteria out in the filter.
Off back to bed now cat woke me up and couldn't get back to sleep.