Seriously... Im so confused. Another fish death

Rocky998

Kinda crazy, but somehow they let me stay
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This guy seemed pretty healthy and then I come downstairs and he's dead! Why? I thought u solved this but idk what to do...
This is the second death within 3 months

(The reason there's a bit missing from his tail is the other corydoras were eating stuff off of him when he died)
20240618_102727.jpg
 
Hello. If you experience a fish death other than from old age, you can bet it's water related. The first thing to do is review your water change routine. How much are you removing and replacing and how often? Next would be your feeding routine. How much are you feeding and again, how often. Start with these items.

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Sometimes fish just die though 😔 are you managing to stay on top of maintenance?
 
Hello. If you experience a fish death other than from old age, you can bet it's water related. The first thing to do is review your water change routine. How much are you removing and replacing and how often? Next would be your feeding routine. How much are you feeding and again, how often. Start with these items.

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I change 50%+ weekly
I feeding daily, sometimes I skip one or two days though.
I did tests today and my ammonia and nitrites are 0. I'm so confused...
 
Sometimes fish just die though 😔 are you managing to stay on top of maintenance?
I try to.

It's been pretty hard with my busy schedule but I find the time to do my maintenance.
I'm volunteering at an aquarium for 5 weeks and I'm on my second week now.
Every now and then I'm one or two days off with my water change day, but I still get it done...

I would think these fish would have been relatively young when I got them and they live 15 years... So I'm super confused. It could be old age but I'm not sure.
Some of the corydoras have excess slime and their fins are a bit torn, but other than that there's no other symptoms involved.
I really can't tell what's going on precisely
 
It sounds like something is irritating them if there's some excess slime coat going on 🤔 could an airfreshner or a deodorant be getting in or something like that?
 
It sounds like something is irritating them if there's some excess slime coat going on 🤔 could an airfreshner or a deodorant be getting in or something like that?
We don't really spray stuff around the house and there's a lid 🤷‍♂️
 
are you on a municipal water source... with all the strange weather lots of rain / lack of rain, lots of water parameters have been out of whack, at the well, and lots of municipalities are struggling to keep safe water for us... so maybe they are using more, or a different chemical if you are on a municipal water source...
I agree, the extra slime coat, is usually an irritant of some kind in the water
 
In the last few months, my confidence with the quality of my water supply vanished to the point that I don't want to drink it anymore.

I pulled the trigger and ordered a 5 stage Ro/Di water filtration system.
 
are you on a municipal water source... with all the strange weather lots of rain / lack of rain, lots of water parameters have been out of whack, at the well, and lots of municipalities are struggling to keep safe water for us... so maybe they are using more, or a different chemical if you are on a municipal water source...
I agree, the extra slime coat, is usually an irritant of some kind in the water
In the last few months, my confidence with the quality of my water supply vanished to the point that I don't want to drink it anymore.

I pulled the trigger and ordered a 5 stage Ro/Di water filtration system.
That would absolutely suck if it's with the water company... I wouldnt be able to purchase a filtration system like that...
Crud
 
maybe contact them, & tell them the problems you're having, & they can let you know what, if anything they are doing differently... & there are some smart members here, that may be able to figure something out...
 
That would absolutely suck if it's with the water company... I wouldnt be able to purchase a filtration system like that...
Crud

Depending on your needs, these system came a long way in affordability since the first time I looked at them.

My water tests came out with "Quaternary Ammonium Compounds" QAC. Very toxic to "Life in general" in quantities that are unbelievable. Ok it's not there all the time...

But it comes and goes. And without a battery of tests every time, you get scared of the next water change.

There is no regulation as to any kind of safe levels would be. But in the last months my tanks been hit 2 times and it's the sole thing that was different (in all the tests I have)

It refers to a group of chemicals with a specific molecular structure that makes them useful for various applications. they consist of a central nitrogen atom with four attached hydrocarbon groups and a single positive charge. This structure gives them unique properties. Due to their structure.

QACs are cationic surfactants. This means they have a positive charge, making them attracted to negatively charged surfaces like dirt and grease. Additionally, they are amphiphilic, meaning they have both water-soluble and fat-soluble regions. This allows them to interact with both water and oil-based substances.

These properties make QACs valuable for several purposes:
Their ability to bind dirt and grease in water makes them effective cleaning agents.
Some QACs can disrupt the membranes of bacteria and viruses, killing them and acting as disinfectants.
They can also be used as preservatives in some products due to their antimicrobial properties.

QACs are widely used in various products. Disinfectants, Cleaning solutions, Fabric softeners, Personal care products.

It's important to note that while QACs are generally considered safe for most applications when used according to instructions, there can be some potential downsides. Improper use or prolonged exposure may cause skin irritation.

Their persistence in the environment is a concern, and research on their long-term effects is ongoing.

As an experienced Aquarist... At some point you know that it's not "you" the problem, or at least not directly.

It doesn't mean that you are ongoing the same thing, But in your interior, if you feel that you know that you're doing everything right...

In case of fish that dies unexpectedly... It's nearly always the water that is the problem.
 
I would think these fish would have been relatively young when I got them and they live 15 years... So I'm super confused. It could be old age but I'm not sure.
Some of the corydoras have excess slime and their fins are a bit torn, but other than that there's no other symptoms involved.
I really can't tell what's going on precisely
The fish in the picture has excess mucous over the dorsal side of the body, as well as damaged fins.

If fish have cream, white or grey patches on part/s of their body, it is an external protozoan infection like Costia, Chilodonella or Trichodina. You can treat this with salt. Most external protozoan infections cause fish to rub on objects.

If fish have a cream, white or grey film over their entire body (head and fins included), it is excess mucous caused by something in the water stressing them out.

Your water changes and feeding is fine and is not causing this.
Are you gravel cleaning the substrate when you do a water change?
How often are you cleaning the filter?

What are you feeding them?
What is the GH, KH, pH and temperature of the water?
Pictures and video of the remaining fish?
 
Hello again. If you have a small tank, under 30 gallons, then the water changes need to be more frequent. A small tank won't get by on 50 percent weekly. The water changes need to be 50 percent twice a week to maintain the best water conditions.

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