What To Do With Contaminated Tank - All Fish Died From Fungus

[GuppyGoddess]

Hi everyone,

Every fish from my guppy tank is dead. A few weeks back the LFS I buy from sold me a guppy with fungus and I didn't realize it was sick b/c it was all white. It died and with a matter of a few days, all the other fish were sick so I culled them. I thought it was my fault b/c the tank was overstocked. Well, I bought two more guppies from them yesterday (they were the ONLY two in the tank) and even after acclimating the new guppies, one died within a matter of hours. I took it out and since it was darker in color, could see a film covering one of its eyes and it's lips. The other one that was still alive was taken out and it too had just a hint of fungus. I was furiated and took the two fish back, demanded a refund, and also insisted they give me a remedy for free. Surprisingly they did all of them. Of course, they first tried to get me to exchange the fish - for one from the SICK tank, no less.

Question:
Should I run the tank with the melafix, primafix, and quick cure I have or just take it apart and bleach it?
If I take it apart, do I bleach the heater/filter by letting them soak for a few hours?
What about the live plants? Most look so so, but my anuibus (sp?) is all doing really good. Can I just soak those in the medication or bleach?

My plan, regardless if I use bleach or the medication is to toss the rocks since those are only about $3.00 to replace.

Even if I run the medications, I'm going to recycle the tank. The reason to use the meds over bleaching is only b/c it's easier.

 

[WILDER]

A bad strain of columnaris can soon wipe a tank out.

Bless them. R.I.P.

Always test bag water for ph and temp, so you know how long to climatise for.

Sterilise everything.
Boil sponges in microwave.

Steralise plants in myxazin by waterlife.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

Yep, it sure happened quickly!

I plan to sterilize only the filter, net, and heater.
The syphon will be tossed (after I emtpy the tank) and the filter media was thrown away about an hour ago.

I'm getting a ph meter within the next week.

So neither the melafix nor primafix will kill everything on the plants? I don't want to buy Myxazin because of the price. IIRC it's over $22 here in the US, including tax.

 

[WILDER]

You might aswell strip the whole tank now you destroyed the mature filter sponges.
Columnaris lives in the background of your tank.

Sterilize the syphon in hot salty water, or bleach. Rinse well and let dry out.

Post in the plant section of the forum on how to sterilize plants safely.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

Okay, thanks. What do you mean that columnaris lives in the "background of my tank?" Does that mean it's always there and just waiting for an opportunity to spring forth and make fish sick?

 

[WILDER]

Yes.
You keep bacteria at bay with water changes and gravel vacs.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

Thanks. I just scrubbed everything down with vinegar and tossed/replaced the gravel.

When I went to get new media for the filter, I talked to the guy at petco and he said just to wash the tank and cycle it and if the levels are good, then my fish should have the immunity to stay healthy. So, I just reset up the tank and am now cycling it with fish food. Since the tank is in my child's room, I do not want to cycle it with ammonia.

Once the numbers are good, I'm putting a betta in there.

 

[WILDER]

The best bit of advice I can offer is to buy an quarantine tank. You need to quarantine new fish for up to 4 to 6 weeks, to stop desease getting into the main tank.

 

[Truck]

I wouldn't rely on the PH meter, they're only as good as the calibration they've been given.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

The best bit of advice I can offer is to buy an quarantine tank. You need to quarantine new fish for up to 4 to 6 weeks, to stop desease getting into the main tank.

Thanks. I cannot get a quarantine tank since, including the contaminated tank, I have six. My husband would be annoyed. I also have two kids, etc. Having another tank would reach the ridiculous level. The contaminated tank was cleaned and now is cycling. I only plan to put a betta in there and the need for a seperate tank isn't really necessary.