Fish Dying Need Help

We bought a 55 gallon tank on dec. 1st. we cycled the tank with 10 white clouds. During cycling we didn't lose any. then this wednesday we bought 5 rasboras. everything was good for the first day. then thursday night the smallest rasbora died. i figured it was just shock but as a precaution i checked the water levels

Ammonia- 0
PH- 7.8-8.0
nitrates- 0-5 ppm
nitrites- 0 ppm

the tank has been staying at these levels for the past 2 weeks or so. Friday morning i found 2 more of the rasboras dead. i checked the levels again and everything was the same. so i thought i might still be shock. then tonight we lost 2 of the white clouds now i'm getting concerned the levels have not changed. But i did notice small red dots on the bodies of the dead white clouds tonight.


Request Help

Tank size: 55
pH:7.8-8
ammonia:0
nitrite:0ppm
nitrate:0-5ppm
kH:
gH:
tank temp:78

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):

only noticed red dots on the white clouds

Volume and Frequency of water changes:

1 per week 25%

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank:
none other than declorinator

Tank inhabitants:
now 8 white clouds and two rasboras

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):
5 rasboras

Exposure to chemicals:
n/a

any suggestions would be appreciated.

The levels all look fine to me so its not the water, how did you acclimatise the new fish? I would have gone with the problem being the change of water parameters but if its now effecting the original WCMM as well, then I would suggest that possibly the rasboras had an infection which is now effecting the other fish. These red spots do they look like spots of blood on the fish or does it look like the scales have come away?

Without knowing the exact cause, I would suggest an immediate w/c of around 30-40% and an external bacteria medication as a precaution, remove any carbon you have your filter before dosing with meds, increase aeration into the tank as some meds will reduce oxygen levels in the water.

Whereabouts are you, UK/US/Europe etc? Also what test kit are you using, liquid based or strips?

i'm in the U.S. i have both the liquid and strips. but only use the strips after water changes to make sure there is no chlorine. i couldn't really tell what caused the red dots because the dots were so small. to acclimate the fish i poured the water from the store into a bucket then poured a cup of water from my tank into the bucket every 5 minutes or so for about a half hour. What type of medication should i use?

Red dots can be septicemia to parasites.
Any signs of flicking and rubbing.
Septicemia can spread as the fish leaks bacteria into the tank water.


Red spots on skin can be caused by:
Regarding the small red dot, small pinprick like haemorrhages (called petechiae) can be due to a local lesion, a generalised septicaemia or toxaemia caused by acute viral and bacterial infections.

I would use the liquid test kits as test strip cards are not that accurate.

they aren't rubbing. as far as flicking i'm not sure what that is. my liquid test kit doesn't have a chlorine test so i got the strips to test the chlorine. do they make liquid chlorine tests? should i get medicine to treat them for septicaemia? if so what is the medication caled?

I never test for chlorine as your water conditioner should remove it.
Flicking and rubbing mean they will rub themselves on things in the tank.
For septicemia you will need maracyn plus.

they aren't flicking or rubbing. the remaining fish seem to be doing ok. do yuo think i should treat them for septicemia or wait to see if the other fish show signs?

If they still have red dots on them I would treat for septicemia.

thats the thing the remaining fish have no visible red dots. should i treat before they get sick. does septicemia spread rapidly? if the other had have it would they already be showing signs?

Keep on eye on the fish for flicking and rubbing and excess mucas on the fish, as red dots can also point to parasites like flukes, fish lice.

If the other fish have no red dots just do some water changes for a few days.

thanks for the advice i will do water changes and keep updating on any changes.

Good Luck.

Now on more of the white clouds is acting funny. he just floating at the top of the tank barely moving



should i treat the tank with maracyn plus

luke85 said:

Now on more of the white clouds is acting funny. he just floating at the top of the tank barely moving

View attachment 55114

should i treat the tank with maracyn plus

Click to expand...

Are his fins clamped as they look like it in the pic.
How his breathing.

yes they are clamped. he's breathing slow, quick inhale