Whats Killing My Small Fish?

[noshybabs]

ive lost 3 sword tails, and 1 silver tetra type fish. (not sure what they are yet)

All the fish followed the same pattern. They became shy and would swim near the surface of the tank, usually near the intake of the pump or near some sort of current.. They would swim "laboured" by that i mean they would swim swaying there entire body. I think its called shimmying.

They seem to attempt to eat but not actually manage it. Eventually they get thinner and over a period of about 4 days untill they eventually die.

I dont want to loose any more fishies can anyone help?

My water stats are thus

No2 = 0
No3 = 80
temp 23 degrees C

Thats all i know as i dont have any other test kits

I have a fish here that i lost today so if anyone wants to know anything else please let me know

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Sounds like swimbladder if they cannot swim correctly and have a hard time balancing but maybe Wilder can confurm this.

 

[DarkEntity]

How long has the tank been running,

Did you cycle the tank, what size is it, what filtration etc..

 

[noshybabs]

How long has the tank been running,

Did you cycle the tank, what size is it, what filtration etc..

there not having any problems staying upright, just seem to laboured in there swimming, The tank is a 96 litre Juwel tank with the filter that came with it and its been running over a year. ive had it 6 months and these are the only fish ive lost, all in the last 2 months.

I lost 2 sword tails and the terta last month, and then eveything seemed fine, I lost the 3rd Sword tail today, after it spent a short time in a new tank, but it died from the same symptoms as the first 3, and the i dont think the new tank had anything to do with it as it was only in there a day and i have a 4th sword tail in there that is fine

 

[noshybabs]

Weres wilder when i need him

 

[WILDER]

I'm a she lol.
Right just want to check that they was losing weight through not eating.
Any signs of flicking or rubbing in the tank.

Check the gills to see if they look any different like being pale with ecess mucas on them, or red and inflamed.

Want to rule parasites out first with losing alot of fish.;

http/article.dphnet.com/cat-02/flukes1.shtml

 

[noshybabs]

oops sorry

They seem to get thinner over a period of 3 or 4 days before they day, and ive seen them try and take food but they just spit it out again,

The sword tails i have are very orange, and i think there fins are natrually red so its difficult to tell if there inflammed.

The body of the fish doesnt thave red gills at all but when she was alive they were very red.

I have 1 sword left and his gills are red, let me see if i can get you a some pics

her is my dead sword tail female, as you can see her gills look fine, but when she was alive they were very red, il get a pic of the living male to show you what i mean

 

[WILDER]

I think you are dealing with flukes, spitting food out is a sign, red gills are a sign, and also going thin is a sign of flukes.
Get you some info.

Red fins can also be a sign of a parasite.
http/article.dphnet.com/cat-02/flukes1.shtml

Look under spitting and red fins, the systom you are describing are fitting the flukes.
http/www.goldfishinfo.com/ailment2.htm#spitting

 

[noshybabs]

Does look like it could be flukes, whats the best way to treat? have you ever had to any exprerience treating them?

 

[WILDER]

Yes and there very hard to get rid off.
The waterlife med did nothing much it took me ages to get rid of them ended up stripping the tank down, then adding the med again.
What your ph as jbl do a good fluke med but it has to be in the ph 7 range for it to be effective.

 

[WILDER]

http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...products_id=138

 

[noshybabs]

Ive been though all the meds i have and none of them seem to treat flukes,

Cant tell you the PH as i dont have any litmus o anything. Its on my shopping list. I couls try the salt treatment, but im scared it will kill everyone

 

[WILDER]

Some sites say salt no good on flukes.
Get a ph test kit liquid ones are the best.
Or take a sample of your water to the lfs to find the ph out and tell them to write it down for you.

Taken from that med link, does your fish act the way this sight says.
JBL Gyrodactol is an effective preparation to combat gill and skin trematoda of the genus gyrodactylus and dactylogyrus in aquarium fish.
Increased breathing, (as for oxygen deficiency), shying at objects, jerky swimming movements in conjunction with shock colouring or apathetic "hanging around" in the aquarium are signs of infection with gill worms.

In the case of infection with skin trematoda, bloodshot areas of skin may also be observed. Infection of the gills may be diagnosed using simple means as follows: catch the suspected fish and lay them on a damp surface, then, with a pair of tweezers, carefully raise one gill cover. The white worms may be easily recognised using a magnifying glass (10x).

Contains 20 tablets

 

[noshybabs]

Increased breathing,shying at objects, jerky swimming movements in conjunction with hanging around,

Thats about spot on what im seeing, and it is the smaller younger fish that seem to be suffereing. Ide say that flukes is bang on the money

 

[WILDER]

Ok, good luck.