I am so mad. Insanely angry. The kind of mad the raises blood pressure, and makes you need to smash something. With a baseball bat even.
I have been endlessly researching fish symptoms, treatments, all of it for weeks. Nothing is working and no one has any answers. I had to euthanize an Apisto today because of this mystery illness that is resistant to medication. My Lfs actually told me that they think they are dying because my tank is too new, but they have been moved to a different tank so how does the new tank theory make sense? That's after I listed the symptoms. I have not had any other fish die. Just the apistogrammas. Thanks for the useless help with the sick fish you charged me a kidney for.
In order:
Pale
Flicking/flashing
white-stringy poop
Hiding more in caves
Darkening in color {not in a good way}
Stop eating
Spine curves
Breathing slows
{Dead or euthanized.} By this point they look like they are suffering badly.
The last 2 of the 6 are at different stages. One is hiding in the caves and darkening. The other is pale. I haven't noticed any flashing since I no longer sit there for 30 minutes staring in trying to figure it out when there is nothing left for me to do.
I have tried medications for everything. Nothing stronger is available, even the lfs owner said so. These fish are dropping one by one and I have no idea what could be wrong with them.
I am worried about the cories in the 75 now, 2 of them have not colored up. There are 4 so I would expect them to be ok by now, even without a full school of them. Which I can't add without knowing if the tank is contaminated.
I'm so angry.
What the hell am I supposed to do.