Rainbow Fish Death

[onidrase]

I got 10 rainbowfish just a few days ago, and to my demise (though hardly surprising) a few of the bundle had a small case of mouth rot. I've been treating with melafix/pimafix which seems to be working, though it's not like I'm documenting progress or anything. However, this morning, I found one dead on the ground eyes ripped out.

I don't think the lack of eyes were the cause of death, but rather an after effect done by greedy fish. I mean. Hell. They're with cichlids and catfish. They'll eat anything. even dead fish eyes.

Anyways. I have no idea what killed it, and I don't want it to happen again. Aside from the apparent mouth rot, the rainbows have also been flashing occasionally, which I've been telling myself is just a side effect of the medications. other than that, I don't see anything out of the ordinary.

The convict cichlid is the only one that even tries to pick on them, but even he has laid off after figuring out there's no way in hell he's gonna catch an agile fish that's nearly twice his size.

Is it possible that there is something underneath the mouth rot that is causing the flashing that isn't the medicines, that may have killed off that rainbow?

 

[afremont]

I got 10 rainbowfish just a few days ago, and to my demise (though hardly surprising) a few of the bundle had a small case of mouth rot. I've been treating with melafix/pimafix which seems to be working, though it's not like I'm documenting progress or anything. However, this morning, I found one dead on the ground eyes ripped out.

I don't think the lack of eyes were the cause of death, but rather an after effect done by greedy fish. I mean. Hell. They're with cichlids and catfish. They'll eat anything. even dead fish eyes.

Anyways. I have no idea what killed it, and I don't want it to happen again. Aside from the apparent mouth rot, the rainbows have also been flashing occasionally, which I've been telling myself is just a side effect of the medications. other than that, I don't see anything out of the ordinary.

The convict cichlid is the only one that even tries to pick on them, but even he has laid off after figuring out there's no way in hell he's gonna catch an agile fish that's nearly twice his size.

Is it possible that there is something underneath the mouth rot that is causing the flashing that isn't the medicines, that may have killed off that rainbow?

Well, the number one thing we need to look at is water quality since it could be responsible for all the symptoms you've described. We need to know ammonia, nitrIte and nitrAte levels and how old you tank is (how long it's had fish in it). I'd be surprised that melafix is making the fish flash as most fish (non labyrinth) seem to like the way it feels in my experience.

If this is a new tank, your fish are suffering from ammonia or nitrIte poisoning in all likelihood. You need to find out your levels and start doing partial water changes to get them down if they are high. If it's not the water, then the flashing is most likely parasites, but in some cases could be from bacteria or fungus affecting the gills. Are your fish hanging out at the surface or filter outlet? Are their gills all red or brown, are they panting or acting really lethargic and sitting on the bottom?

EDIT: What kind of rainbow fish do you have bosemani, rainbow shark, etc..
EDIT2: Please try to post a picture. Is there white fungus looking stuff growing on the mouth?

 

[onidrase]

it's a new tank, but my most mature filter. I quite literally took this 75 gallon filter (I had it over filtered) off of my 37 gallon and put it on the 75 gallon. ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 10. It's -always- ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 10. Do weekly water changes of 10-50%, usually closer to 50%. They were just labeled australian rainbowfish at the store. they move too quickly and the rot is far too unnoticable to the untrained eye to get any pictures of them to diagnose anything. I tested the tank for ammonia and nitrite daily for a while when I added all the fish in, always kept at 0. If they're poisoned from ammonia it's not from my tanks. But I know it's not ammonia poisoning. There is no lethargy or reddened fins. just flashing.

 

[afremont]

it's a new tank, but my most mature filter. I quite literally took this 75 gallon filter (I had it over filtered) off of my 37 gallon and put it on the 75 gallon. ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 10. It's -always- ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 10. Do weekly water changes of 10-50%, usually closer to 50%. They were just labeled australian rainbowfish at the store. they move too quickly and the rot is far too unnoticable to the untrained eye to get any pictures of them to diagnose anything. I tested the tank for ammonia and nitrite daily for a while when I added all the fish in, always kept at 0. If they're poisoned from ammonia it's not from my tanks. But I know it's not ammonia poisoning. There is no lethargy or reddened fins. just flashing.

So their mouths are rotting, but no white patches or anything visibly growing on them? Any fin rot? It's weird because with rot I would tend to think bacteria, but flashing is more often parasites. I'd hate to recommend anything, I hope someone with allot more experience can help.

 

[onidrase]

it's a new tank, but my most mature filter. I quite literally took this 75 gallon filter (I had it over filtered) off of my 37 gallon and put it on the 75 gallon. ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 10. It's -always- ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 10. Do weekly water changes of 10-50%, usually closer to 50%. They were just labeled australian rainbowfish at the store. they move too quickly and the rot is far too unnoticable to the untrained eye to get any pictures of them to diagnose anything. I tested the tank for ammonia and nitrite daily for a while when I added all the fish in, always kept at 0. If they're poisoned from ammonia it's not from my tanks. But I know it's not ammonia poisoning. There is no lethargy or reddened fins. just flashing.

So their mouths are rotting, but no white patches or anything visibly growing on them? Any fin rot? It's weird because with rot I would tend to think bacteria, but flashing is more often parasites. I'd hate to recommend anything, I hope someone with allot more experience can help.

mouths aren't quite rotting, just some white patches by the mouths which can become a problem, but they're not even there anymore. I'm still medicating just to make sure it's gone, but I think it's just the medicine that's causing issues, honestly. Just cause something cures naturally doesn't mean the fish are gonna enjoy it.