Urgent Help Please

[steveb14]

One of my giant danios is sprinting all over the tank then spinning like a dog chasing its tail. Its mouth seems to be sucking in and out quickly and when i first saaw it this morning it was hiding under a log. It seems very disorientated . I have isolated it and given it a little food to try and calm it down. I tested my water yesterday and all the levels seemed ok. It is a new tank set up which has been going for about 3-4 weeks. I just a 4 giant danios ( i died last week without any symptoms) 8 neons , 4 platys . All the other fish seem fine and seem healthy.

One of my giant danios is sprinting all over the tank then spinning like a dog chasing its tail. Its mouth seems to be sucking in and out quickly and when i first saaw it this morning it was hiding under a log. It seems very disorientated . I have isolated it and given it a little food to try and calm it down. I tested my water yesterday and all the levels seemed ok. It is a new tank set up which has been going for about 3-4 weeks. I just a 4 giant danios ( i died last week without any symptoms) 8 neons , 4 platys . All the other fish seem fine and seem healthy.

Sorry i have 3 rummy nosed tetras in the tank and a sucker fish too. I was rushing to get fast reply .
thanks , Steve

 

[mark.w.jones]

Need to know a little more:

1. How long has tank had fish in for since it was set up?
2. How quickly have you stocked your fish?
3. Did you fishless cycle tank before adding any fish?
4. If not how did you prepare your tank for their arrival?
5. Tank size / capacity?
6. Levels for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, tank temp. (preferably tested with a liquid test kit)

 

[steveb14]

Need to know a little more:

1. How long has tank had fish in for since it was set up?
2. How quickly have you stocked your fish?
3. Did you fishless cycle tank before adding any fish?
4. If not how did you prepare your tank for their arrival?
5. Tank size / capacity?
6. Levels for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, tank temp. (preferably tested with a liquid test kit)

Thanks for your reply Jonesy

1. 2 weeks.
2. after 2 weeks i put the danios in and rummy,s i then waited did another water full water test which was fine and added neons ete last tuesday.
3. yes, used the chemicale theat came with the tank as instructed , then had the water tested at the aqua shop and also liquid tested myself.
4 .-
5.300 litres
6. amonia: 0 , Ph 7. , nitrate 0, nitrite 0, temp 26c 78 f

It is twisting and spinning at the moment, It seems such a shame , do u think i should hang on and give it time , is there a chance it may recover? all the other fish seem ok and are feeding well etc.

thanks very much for your help.
Regards Steve

 

[mark.w.jones]

I must admit I am a little stumped. For one, I'm quite surprised your tank has no levels of ammonia and nitrite as you have stocked rather quickly. A fishless cycle is not what you have done I'm afraid. The old "bacteria in a bottle" trick is, the majority of the time, a load of old crap. A true fishless cycle is carried out by adding ammonia solution over a period of weeks to simulate fish producing waste in your tank. Take a look at the link in my sig. as it's defintiely worth doing next time.

From what I have read. Giant danios are known to be quite aggressive towards each other especially in smaller groups like the 4 that you stocked. To even out the aggression and to stop them picking on one fish in particualar you really need 8+ in a school which you more than have room for in your tank. At the moment though with a fish that has an un diagnosed problem I would hold back before stocking any more until you have sorted things out, just keep a close eye out for bullying between the remanining 2. I also don't think your tetras are very good tank mates for the danios as from reading here:

http/www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_danio3.php

They are known to attack smaller fish.

What liquid test kit are you using to get your readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate by the way?

You really need to post the symptoms of your ill danio in the emergency section as I am not entirly sure from the symptoms you describe. Maybe an internal bacterial thing but I can't say for certain and there are guys in that forum, particularly Wilder, who really know their stuff.

 

[martyn21uk]

there are guys in that forum, particularly Wilder, who really know their stuff.

I'm sure Wilder will love being referred to as a 'guy'!!

 

[steveb14]

I must admit I am a little stumped. For one, I'm quite surprised your tank has no levels of ammonia and nitrite as you have stocked rather quickly. A fishless cycle is not what you have done I'm afraid. The old "bacteria in a bottle" trick is, the majority of the time, a load of old crap. A true fishless cycle is carried out by adding ammonia solution over a period of weeks to simulate fish producing waste in your tank. Take a look at the link in my sig. as it's defintiely worth doing next time.

From what I have read. Giant danios are known to be quite aggressive towards each other especially in smaller groups like the 4 that you stocked. To even out the aggression and to stop them picking on one fish in particualar you really need 8+ in a school which you more than have room for in your tank. At the moment though with a fish that has an un diagnosed problem I would hold back before stocking any more until you have sorted things out, just keep a close eye out for bullying between the remanining 2. I also don't think your tetras are very good tank mates for the danios as from reading here:

http/www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_danio3.php

They are known to attack smaller fish.

What liquid test kit are you using to get your readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate by the way?

You really need to post the symptoms of your ill danio in the emergency section as I am not entirly sure from the symptoms you describe. Maybe an internal bacterial thing but I can't say for certain and there are guys in that forum, particularly Wilder, who really know their stuff.

Cheers Jonesy, thanks for your time. I have noted what you have said and am going to leave my tank alone now for a good few weeks and also keep a close eye out for bullying and do regular tests. Thanks also for the links to the other site etc very informative. The test set i purchased was £20 and is called the Nutrafin essential mini master test kit. It has 7 bottles of reagents you mix with the tank water in 2 test tubes provided + a pipette. It tests for Ph, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite.
Thanks again
Regards Steve

 

[mark.w.jones]

I've always considered "guy" to be a general term for people rather than for a bloke. For Americans maybe its more masculine but hey. No offense intended

 

[steveb14]

I've always considered "guy" to be a general term for people rather than for a bloke. For Americans maybe its more masculine but hey. No offense intended

I have identified one of the Danio,s as being a bully. It is chasing and barging into the other fish, even having a go at the neons now. The 2 other Danios keep going back to it and every time it has a go at them. I think they will end up like the dead one this morning if i dont do some thing. Sould i try and put the aggressive one in the small breeding tank for a while or will this just make it worse when it comes out.

 

[martyn21uk]

Yes I would isolate if you can. He wont be like a prisoner let out of jail afterwards with pent up anger at being sent down for a crime he didn't comit so don't worry about that. What size is the Q tank though? Is it cycled? See if this resolves the problem and then if you're happy you have no other health or water quality issues then get your numbers of Danios up as soon as possible as said earlier and re-introduce him.

Now you come to mention it I manage a team of just women and often refer to them as 'guys' when talking collectively to them. I'm not sure about the american thing as I'm from London!!

 

[mark.w.jones]

Now you come to mention it I manage a team of just women and often refer to them as 'guys' when talking collectively to them. I'm not sure about the american thing as I'm from London!!

Phew, so it's not just me then.

Agreed, isolation is probably for the best at the moment. Then once you are happy things have settled down in your tank, and you've increased your school of danios to 7-8 then you can allow him to rejoin the others. If you add him in at the same time as the new danios I feel that would be best as in the early stages in a tank, new fish are establishing pecking orders and terratories so he would get a fair chance to establish himself again. He may still become quite dominent but at least there would be 7 fish to spread his aggression between.