3 Fish Down, Don't Know The Cause.

[Dcoil1]

Hey everyone, I've got a problem.

I went away for the weekend and 3 of my fish have died. Here's what I have (or had, rather)

25 gallon tank
1 Molly
1 Red Wag Platy
1 Sunburst Platy
1 Painted Platy
1 Mickey Mouse Swordtail
1 Chinese Algae Eater
4 Painted platy fry (about 2 months old)

Ammonia = 0
Nitrites = 0
Nitrates = less than 5.0

The Sunburst, Swortdtail and Algae Eater all bought the farm while I was gone. I had noticed the Sunburst and the Swordtail spending a lot of time on the bottom of the tank before I left, and the Sunburst looked like she was having trouble swimming. She was using her whole body to maintain her position rather than her fins. Now, our Molly is sitting pretty stationary in the middle of the tank (not on the bottom), and one of the Platy fry is swimming with his dorsal fin down.

No one has any white spots. I just changed the filter today when I got home thinking it was needed. It was a little dirty but not bad. Water looks clear.

Not sure what the deal is! Can anyone offer any advice?

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Chinese algae eater turning nasty, perhaps? Their reputations are not great.

 

[the biffster]

how long as the tank been cycled
and what filter are you running

 

[Dcoil1]

how long as the tank been cycled
and what filter are you running

The tank has been cycled about a month and a half to two months. The filter is a TopFin 20

 

[the biffster]

how often are you doing your water changes
and how are you testing strips or liquid test kit

 

[crazychris]

Hi. What do you mean by you "changed the filter"? Hope you didn't change the filter sponge as you lose your bacteria then! It only needs rinsing in tank water when the flow slows down.

 

[Defiance]

If as per last post the filter is still working as it should

Consider treating for 'Swim Bladder' infection/s

When fish don't seem to be swimming right, and using circular motions or erratic motions to stay going or resting upside down/sideways/nose down/tail down etc etc to me it points to a swimm bladder issue

Tony