A Sad Story

[AlexHaden]

We bought our fish tank only about 2 months ago, as the wifey has always wanted to keep fish. We bought a 120l tank and were off, we cycled the tank according to all the guides - and bought 4x mollies and 3 platties and gave the little blighters their freedom.

Everything seemed ok - weekly water changes and frequent water quality tests didnt bring up any concerns, so we added 4x Glowlight tetra's and 2 more platties.

Then the nightmare started.

We went on holiday for a week, and came back to all of the fishes covered in whitespot - we treated the tank but lost 1x plattie and one mollie.

Since this event - we seem to have been beset with one thing after another. We then noticed that one of the fish was sluggish, and looking twisted, so we looked and consulted everywhere to the cause - and it could have been one of hunderreds of differnt things, and lo and behold - the poor little sod went and died. Now we have noticed some white growths on the platties fins, and one of the tetra's looks like all of his fins have been bitten off - so we are ssuming fin rot's on its way through the tank.

We are left with 1x Mollie - 2 Sunrise platies, 1xMickey platie and 1 other platie and 4x tetra's - and we dont think they will last the month - despite our best efforts - and now despite regular cleaning and hoovering of the tank - we have a massive infestation of brown alge - we clean it - up it grows again - nothing we do seems to control it.

I think thats it - we are giving up - we hear all kinds of stories that people dont have any problems and everythings fine - but after getting hit, after hit, after hit - we just dont feel that we can put anymore fish through all of these horrible diseases - its just not nice.

So thanks for the help in the past - its been apprecited.

 

[dwarfgourami]

I'm really really sorry to hear this. Lots of sympathy!

 

[WILDER]

Sounds like fish tb to me sorry, also bent spines can be internal parasites so check the anus of the fish to see if its enlarged or red and inflamed.

http/www.4qd.org/Aqua/disease/tb.html

 

[*Fishkies*]

Well depending where you are located. Maracyn Treatments are great for fin and tail rot. I would also recommend a dose of Coppersafe with the maracyn. This would treat all the problems in your tank that it seems like your fish are having.

As for the algae...how many hours a day do you have the light on?

And don't worry, not everything is perfect with fishkeeping. I had a pleco once that that was sick for 3 months. He cost me a fortune to treat. Probably almost a good $60.00 (US dollars). But now he is healthy and fine again. And i'm a college student who doesn't have much money, but having him for 4 years I just didn't want to lose him.

I would try treating your fish though and after all uses of your nets and what ever you use to clean the tank. I would clean really well with hot water and that.

Good Luck! Hope they could pull through for you! And everything turns out well!!

 

[rdd1952]

I hate to hear that you have had problems and hope you will reconsider giving up. White spot is brought on by stress as are most diseases. The organisms that cause it are always present in the tank and only need a trigger to kick in. That trigger is stress. More often than not, the stress is caused by high levels of ammonia and/or nitrite. What are your readings for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH? How did you cycle your tank? It's definitely possible to save the remaning fish and get the tank back on track.

 

[martyn21uk]

I agree with rdd1952. And the thing to remember is that with every fish that dies, the others get a more knowledgable owner.

 

[Night_Market]

Brown algae - insufficent lighting usually.

With regard to the diseases - must have come from introduced livestock I suppose.

Whitespots common, but if the tanks treated along wih the fish, it usually is ok. Mostly brought on by a sudden drop in temp or by infected fish. Though before the spots appear the affected fish 'gasp' at the surface and itch against gravel or the deco.

Fungus/bodyrot must have been introduced via infected fish or stress.

I'd be inclined to do a hefty water change, tap safe it, don't add any more fish then treat them as and when they need it. If they perish, treat he tank with a broad spectrum bacteriacide and cycle it empty, then try 1 hardy fish and leave and til it seems ok. I don't know the conditions before, but remember to up the temp in the tank to at least 26c for the white spot med to work.

Good luck.

 

[WILDER]

If the fish had a bent spine and wasn't born like that there is something seriously wrong, and the fish wasn't old.

 

[Bozza]

Im really sorry to hear your problems. Im sorry to hear your giving up aswell

 

[iairj84]

I'm sorry to hear you're giving up... I know the loss of fish can be tough and at one point I had given up on it... As you can see from my sig I'm kinda far from it now, but still.

It's worth trying. Just keep pushing on and let it be a relaxation more than a worry.

 

[AlexHaden]

Thanks for all the support - woke up this morning to another dead tetra with no fins left at all

We have now taken 2 hours and given the tank a thorough going over to get rid of the brown algae - and done our usual 20% water change. Have boosted the tank temps to 24-25 as they were around 22 - and someomes suggested that that is too low for the fishies. And will get a Air Stone and pump "just in case" its the oxygen levels.

Also added some of that TeaTree treatment for fishes as its supposed to be good stuff, and if you all agree that it wont kill the remaining tetra's and platies - we will add some Aquarium salt.

Also we have plastic plants that also got coated in algae

Is it better to have real plants rather than plastic? do they make the water go slimy?

Thanks again for all your support - its appreciated - just feel horrible that the fish are dying its sad

 

[Azaezl]

Real plants are far better then plastic ones, IMO they look alot better & the fish like them more as well(well mine do). I had a bit of a problem with brown algae in one of my tanks for ages when I first set it up, then it went away then it came back with a vengance, have no idea why, tried everything to keep it under control. In the end I put 2 plants in and that was the end of it(I've since put alot more in), the plants will also help to oxygenate the water and reduce nitrate levels, it'll also give the fish a place to hide if they want. I'd definately recommend getting some live plants, put as many in as possible and make sure they are low light as I'm guessing you just have standard lighting that came with the tank?

Don't give up!, whenever I lose a fish I feel like giving it all up and feel like I'm a really bad fishkeeper, it's hard to imagine things going right when you have one problem after another. It will get better eventually just tackle one problem at a time, starting with what's causing the fish to get ill!

 

[cleekdaFish]

I have lost fish too due to diseases and I also had major algea issues until A UV saved my sanity .And at that point i was deciding to quit too , but, fortunately, i didnt quit !I luv this hobby and the ppl of this forum were awesome in helping me to get back on track.. Dont give up, ask for help around here....U r still new to this hobby , but u will eventually get it rite. I have!


wisdom starts when u ask



Even in petstore fishies there die and get deseases too, Its ok to get a few losses

 

[cleekdaFish]

Thanks for all the support - woke up this morning to another dead tetra with no fins left at all

We have now taken 2 hours and given the tank a thorough going over to get rid of the brown algae - and done our usual 20% water change. Have boosted the tank temps to 24-25 as they were around 22 - and someomes suggested that that is too low for the fishies. And will get a Air Stone and pump "just in case" its the oxygen levels.

Also added some of that TeaTree treatment for fishes as its supposed to be good stuff, and if you all agree that it wont kill the remaining tetra's and platies - we will add some Aquarium salt.

Also we have plastic plants that also got coated in algae

Is it better to have real plants rather than plastic? do they make the water go slimy?

Thanks again for all your support - its appreciated - just feel horrible that the fish are dying its sad

Every new tank gets algae , its part of the proccess..just get some otos or bushy nose plecs they will eat em up. Get a UV sterilizer it will help u out with an algea bloom and makes ur water crystal clear. I had 2 fishies losing their fins too and flesh and unfortunately they died. I did use treatment but the medication wasnt gd I guess ,however, my other 18 fishies r gd , I guess their immune system was weak compared to my other healthy fishes

 

[Underwurlde]

We have now taken 2 hours and given the tank a thorough going over to get rid of the brown algae - and done our usual 20% water change. Have boosted the tank temps to 24-25 as they were around 22 - and someomes suggested that that is too low for the fishies. And will get a Air Stone and pump "just in case" its the oxygen levels.

Also added some of that TeaTree treatment for fishes as its supposed to be good stuff, and if you all agree that it wont kill the remaining tetra's and platies - we will add some Aquarium salt.

That does not sound like the actions of someone who has given up.

That sounds to me like the actions of someone who cares.

And as far as I'm concerned that is the first biggest thing you need for successful fish keeping: The right attitude.

Everyone, without exception, that I have met here (and other forums) including myself, have had similar problems to this in the past, some worse, some not as bad. Now that you have past this hurdle, all the better to move on and learn from it.....

...Don't give up, it does not sound to me like it is in your nature do to so.....

For now, concentate on the fishy side of things, come over to the planted side later (as they are far more complicated than *just* keeping fish). Don't worry about the brown algae - yes it is unsightly but is quite common in new tanks and will go away. Increased lighting seems to help get rid of it quicker.

Andy