Sick Tank - Fungus?

[gmandolyn]

I just watched two of my honey sunset gouramis die this morning. Last night I noticed that one had a gray-ish somewhat fuzzy film in a strip from the upper lip to just above one of its eyes. It was too late to go to my LFS, so I waited until the morning. This morning, the gray-ish film had spread across that gourami's whole head, and another gourami had a little bit of film on his lower lip. (see images at bottom) They both were listless at the top of the tank, breathing shallow, getting pushed around by the current created by my BIO-Wheel filter and a low-powered bubble wall. I tested the chemistry of the tank (see below for a few-day journal).

I got to the LFS as the doors were opening this morning, and with the help of one of the staff, purchased Maracyn. I added 4 Tbsp Aquarium Salt (I hadn't ever added any before) and two packets (according to the instructions) of the Maracyn. Apparently it was too late, because the two infected gouramis died not long after.

This is a newly-populated tank (used the fishless cycle to populate the correct bacteria), so I'm guessing there could be many factors in play here. One thing I've noticed is that the pH keeps increasing without doing a water change, and last night when I checked the carbonate hardness (kH) it had increased as well. I have couple main questions: 1) Should I finish the medication of the tank to prevent the other fish from getting infected? 2) What is the best way to respond if this happens again? 3) Why does my pH keep increasing?? 4) Should I used Top Fin pH decrease or API Proper pH 7.0 right now, or should I leave the water alone for a while so I don't stress out my fish?

My other fish seem to be doing fine. My two new Mollies have not been swimming around a lot - just got them yesterday, so I'm assuming they're just adjusting to their new family?

Below I have added as much info as I can think of to hopefully help.

Tank size: 20 Gallons
pH: 7.4
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 5
kH: 54 mg/L or 3°
gH: 18 mg/L or 1°
tank temp: 80° F

Tank mates:
1 honey sunset gourami (added 7/2/09)
2 honey sunset gourami (added 6/30/09, died 7/4/09)
4 glowlight rasboras (added 6/30/09)
1 red-fin shark (added 6/30/09)
1 marbled sailfin molly (added 7/3/09)
1 balloon molly (added 7/3/09)
4 Aponogeton plants, grown from bulbs during fishless cycle process

Diary:
6/30

• Ammonia 0, pH 7.2, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 10, kH 2° or 36 mg/L, GH 1° or 18 mg/L
• added 4 glowlight rasboras, 1 red-fin shark, 3 honey sunset gouramis

7/1

• Ammonia 0, pH 7.2, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 10
• fed fish, gouramis not as interested in food

7/2

• Ammonia 0, pH 7.4, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 15
• one gourami died, no signs of illness, replaced by LFS

7/3

• performed 40% water change, +5mL LeafZone, +1/4 scoop API Proper pH 7.0 (didn't do full dosage because it says it is bad for plants)
• tap water for water change treated with Jungle Start Right water conditioner to remove chlorine
• Ammonia 0, pH 7.2, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5
• added 1 marbled sailfin molly and 1 balloon molly
• noticed 1 gourami has fungus on face, retested water, all stats the same except kH now 3° or 54 mg/L

7/4

• Ammonia 0, pH 7.4, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5
• 1 gourami's fungus has spread over forehead, died soon after returned from LFS
• 1 gourami has new signs fo fungus, died soon after treating water with 2 packets Maracyn and 4 Tbps Aquarium Salt
• Other fish active, red-fin shark has been less shy, more active; 3rd gourami is happy; rasbora school still playful and active; two mollies still shy and sticking to their parts of the tank; plants healthy; slight increase of algae due to plant fertilizer addition yesterday.

One final note: the temperature has been stable at about 75° F except for last night/today, where it has increased to 80° F due to hot weather outside and no A/C and bad insulation in the house. My guess is this and the pH increase caused too much stress on the two gourami that died?

Any advice would be awesome! Thanks!
~gmandolyn

This is the first sick gourami, where the fungus spread over the whole head.

This is the second sick gourami.

 

[WILDER]

I would carry on with the maracyn.

What your tap ph.
Can you list everything in the tank from substrate, ornaments, etc.

 

[gmandolyn]

I would carry on with the maracyn.

What your tap ph.
Can you list everything in the tank from substrate, ornaments, etc.

Thanks for responding! I thought no one would... None of the fish have gotten the fungus so far, and the remaining gourami is active and eating happily. The other fish look happy, too.

The tap pH is 7.0.

During the fishless cycle, the water did stay relatively high, 7.8-8.0 on average.

Things in the tank:
- The main substrate is white marble chips for landscaping, washed/rinsed thoroughly. I used them during the fishless cycle and then did a 95% water change.
- The Aponogeton plants are potted in the substrate Flourite.
- Two aquarium rocks for decoration.
- One small clay pot for decoration, one plant in clay pot, others in cut-off bottoms of plastic containers.
- One small glass bottle for decoration.

 

[glolite]

I agree with Wilder, carry on with the maracyn. Don't think the ph change was that drastic to cause problems but the heat may well have been. It's been hot here too and I lost a few guppys a week ago and they are usually very hardy. I did a 25% cold water change, turned off my heater and lights and the rest are now fine.
Good luck

 

[WILDER]

What type of rocks are they.

 

[gmandolyn]

What type of rocks are they.

I don't know what kind of rocks they are. My mom used them in her tanks when I was little. They haven't been in a tank for probably 10 years, so she gave them to me and I washed them off and put them in my tank.

 

[gmandolyn]

I agree with Wilder, carry on with the maracyn. Don't think the ph change was that drastic to cause problems but the heat may well have been. It's been hot here too and I lost a few guppys a week ago and they are usually very hardy. I did a 25% cold water change, turned off my heater and lights and the rest are now fine.
Good luck

I didn't think to turn off the light. Thanks for the tips.

 

[WILDER]

I would remove them from the tank till you find out which type of rock they are.
Always steralise rocks in boiling water.

 

[doktor doris]

Fish can't really get Fungus can they?

I thought Maracyn was an anti-bacterial preperation.

doris

 

[gmandolyn]

Fish can't really get Fungus can they?

I thought Maracyn was an anti-bacterial preperation.

doris

The Maracyn package I have says it can be used for "Body Fungus/Columnaris", which it describes on the back as "greyish-white stringy material covering most of the body; white or gray patches". *shrug* A search I just now did on Columnaris says it's a bacteria that is often mistaken for fungus, so there we go.

 

[doktor doris]

Ah thanks.

All things interest me! I thought fungus needed somewhere dark and damp, not underwater.

cheers mate

doris

 

[WILDER]

Yes fish can get fungus. But true fungus is very rare.
Columnaris is bacterial.
Good Luck.

 

[gmandolyn]

The pH keeps rising, so I have been adding pH Decrease to keep it under control. All of my fish are happily swimming around, energetic and eating well. I haven't seen signs of infection on any of them. Maybe the two gouramis were infected before I got them, and the increasing pH stressed them out enough to lower their immune systems and allow the "fungus" to take over?

I'm on my way to my LFS to purchase some gravel. Turns out the marble rock I had in the tank has been leeching off and raising the pH - I tested it by putting it in a cup of tap water for a day. Found the culprit! So FYI, unless you don't want a high-pH tank, don't use marble chips! They look cool but they're a pain.

Thanks for working with me on the problem - I really appreciate it!

 

[WILDER]

Don't use ph adjusters there more trouble than there worth.

 

[gmandolyn]

Don't use ph adjusters there more trouble than there worth.

So I've heard...I was using them as a temporary solution until I found a better one.

How do you deal with pH other than using pH adjusters?