Dying Fish

[james512]

hi everyone.
new to this hobby and need some help.
I've had two fish die on me in the last two days and another looks sick.
from what i have read it sounds like it could be fin rot but i had a small silver dollar die within 2 days of showing symptoms. i also had a gourami die and now my other gourami has white/gray colouring on fins and parts missing. my solver dollar was slightly different in that a white spot appeared first on tail and then all fins turned grey and the fish became unable to swim. i will try and attach photo's if i can but they are not good quality as they are off of my phone.
thanks in advance.

p.s did water test and all levels seemed OK.

View attachment 62056 this was the first spot
View attachment 62057 and then this happened
now this is my gourami

please help..

hi everyone.
new to this hobby and need some help.
I've had two fish die on me in the last two days and another looks sick.
from what i have read it sounds like it could be fin rot but i had a small silver dollar die within 2 days of showing symptoms. i also had a gourami die and now my other gourami has white/gray colouring on fins and parts missing. my solver dollar was slightly different in that a white spot appeared first on tail and then all fins turned grey and the fish became unable to swim. i will try and attach photo's if i can but they are not good quality as they are off of my phone.
thanks in advance.

p.s did water test and all levels seemed OK.

View attachment 62056 this was the first spot
View attachment 62057 and then this happened
now this is my gourami

please help..

sorry here are the other two photo's

 

[Skins]

Hello and welcome to the forum, sorry to hear about your losses.
Can you please post some more info:
A)how long has the tank been setup?
B)how did you cycle your filter?
C)can you post water parameters(ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,pH)?
D)how often do you perform water changes/gravel vacs?
* how much tank water do you change?
E)Tank size and its occupants?

This will help the members with your issue.

Keep us all posted, Keith.

 

[james512]

Hello and welcome to the forum, sorry to hear about your losses.
Can you please post some more info:
A)how long has the tank been setup?
B)how did you cycle your filter?
C)can you post water parameters(ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,pH)?
D)how often do you perform water changes/gravel vacs?
* how much tank water do you change?
E)Tank size and its occupants?

This will help the members with your issue.

Keep us all posted, Keith.

a, around 4 months
b, soaked sponge of filter in dads tank for a few days then ran fishless cycle for 2 weeks before adding zebra danios.
c,ph 7.2 , ammonia 0 , nitrite 0 , nitrate 40
d,20% change gravel vac around every 4 days.
e, 65L after losses - 1 small(4/5 cm) silver dollar , 5 danio , 7 tetra. 1 small plec , 1 gourami


gourami now having trouble swimming slightly, keeps going vertical now and again and struggling to regain horizontal position. or will sometimes stay on bottom for a while. all of which I've never seen except when other was about to die.

 

[mirrorpad]

Hi there.

Your tank is seriously overstock. The plec, if a common one needs a larger tank than this by its self. Your Nitrates are also too high (should be less than 20). This an environmental issue. Do some large water changes with de-chlorinated water, same temp and PH. I would also treat with finrot treatment.
This may have been started by the plec as they are known to suck flat bodied fish i.e Angels, Tinfoil Barbs etc which can remove scales leaving a wound. With poor water conditions these become infected and hey presto, Finrot/fungus.

 

[james512]

Hi there.

Your tank is seriously overstock. The plec, if a common one needs a larger tank than this by its self. Your Nitrates are also too high (should be less than 20). This an environmental issue. Do some large water changes with de-chlorinated water, same temp and PH. I would also treat with finrot treatment.
This may have been started by the plec as they are known to suck flat bodied fish i.e Angels, Tinfoil Barbs etc which can remove scales leaving a wound. With poor water conditions these become infected and hey presto, Finrot/fungus.

Thank you very much for the advice. its not a plec i have in fact it is a peckoltia. but i guess this gives the same problems? what would you advice as a suitable stock as i can move fish to my dads tank if need be. how dangerous is fin rot. will my other fish be affected? is the overstocking issue the reason for high nitrates and will the large water changes be ok to remove this high reading?
thanks again.

 

[mirrorpad]

Hi there.

Your tank is seriously overstock. The plec, if a common one needs a larger tank than this by its self. Your Nitrates are also too high (should be less than 20). This an environmental issue. Do some large water changes with de-chlorinated water, same temp and PH. I would also treat with finrot treatment.
This may have been started by the plec as they are known to suck flat bodied fish i.e Angels, Tinfoil Barbs etc which can remove scales leaving a wound. With poor water conditions these become infected and hey presto, Finrot/fungus.

Thank you very much for the advice. its not a plec i have in fact it is a peckoltia. but i guess this gives the same problems? what would you advice as a suitable stock as i can move fish to my dads tank if need be. how dangerous is fin rot. will my other fish be affected? is the overstocking issue the reason for high nitrates and will the large water changes be ok to remove this high reading?
thanks again.

If you do a 50% water change the NitrAtes reduce by 50%. Unfortunatley the filter media may be harbouring fish waste/rotting food etc. I would clean this (with water from the aquarium)as well. Also vacuuming the gravel will help remove sources for the nitrAte.

Once this is done, keep up with the water changes and keep the feeding down to a minimum and enjoy your tank. Finrot can and will kill quite quickly but with a good environment it can also clear up fine.

I would also trade in the Barb as this will outgrow your tank and also should be kept in groups.

Good luck

 

[james512]

Hi there.

Your tank is seriously overstock. The plec, if a common one needs a larger tank than this by its self. Your Nitrates are also too high (should be less than 20). This an environmental issue. Do some large water changes with de-chlorinated water, same temp and PH. I would also treat with finrot treatment.
This may have been started by the plec as they are known to suck flat bodied fish i.e Angels, Tinfoil Barbs etc which can remove scales leaving a wound. With poor water conditions these become infected and hey presto, Finrot/fungus.

Thank you very much for the advice. its not a plec i have in fact it is a peckoltia. but i guess this gives the same problems? what would you advice as a suitable stock as i can move fish to my dads tank if need be. how dangerous is fin rot. will my other fish be affected? is the overstocking issue the reason for high nitrates and will the large water changes be ok to remove this high reading?
thanks again.

If you do a 50% water change the NitrAtes reduce by 50%. Unfortunatley the filter media may be harbouring fish waste/rotting food etc. I would clean this (with water from the aquarium)as well. Also vacuuming the gravel will help remove sources for the nitrAte.

Once this is done, keep up with the water changes and keep the feeding down to a minimum and enjoy your tank. Finrot can and will kill quite quickly but with a good environment it can also clear up fine.

I would also trade in the Barb as this will outgrow your tank and also should be kept in groups.

Good luck

 

[james512]

Hi there.

Your tank is seriously overstock. The plec, if a common one needs a larger tank than this by its self. Your Nitrates are also too high (should be less than 20). This an environmental issue. Do some large water changes with de-chlorinated water, same temp and PH. I would also treat with finrot treatment.
This may have been started by the plec as they are known to suck flat bodied fish i.e Angels, Tinfoil Barbs etc which can remove scales leaving a wound. With poor water conditions these become infected and hey presto, Finrot/fungus.

Thank you very much for the advice. its not a plec i have in fact it is a peckoltia. but i guess this gives the same problems? what would you advice as a suitable stock as i can move fish to my dads tank if need be. how dangerous is fin rot. will my other fish be affected? is the overstocking issue the reason for high nitrates and will the large water changes be ok to remove this high reading?
thanks again.

If you do a 50% water change the NitrAtes reduce by 50%. Unfortunatley the filter media may be harbouring fish waste/rotting food etc. I would clean this (with water from the aquarium)as well. Also vacuuming the gravel will help remove sources for the nitrAte.

Once this is done, keep up with the water changes and keep the feeding down to a minimum and enjoy your tank. Finrot can and will kill quite quickly but with a good environment it can also clear up fine.

I would also trade in the Barb as this will outgrow your tank and also should be kept in groups.

Good luck

ok will do i will head to get some finrot treatment asap tomorrow. is there any particular brand etc? i can give my dad the barb. i originally had a pair male and female but now down to one. i have a friend that i was planning to give once it outgrew my tank. should this alone solve my overstocking problem?

 

[mirrorpad]

Hi there.

Your tank is seriously overstock. The plec, if a common one needs a larger tank than this by its self. Your Nitrates are also too high (should be less than 20). This an environmental issue. Do some large water changes with de-chlorinated water, same temp and PH. I would also treat with finrot treatment.
This may have been started by the plec as they are known to suck flat bodied fish i.e Angels, Tinfoil Barbs etc which can remove scales leaving a wound. With poor water conditions these become infected and hey presto, Finrot/fungus.

Thank you very much for the advice. its not a plec i have in fact it is a peckoltia. but i guess this gives the same problems? what would you advice as a suitable stock as i can move fish to my dads tank if need be. how dangerous is fin rot. will my other fish be affected? is the overstocking issue the reason for high nitrates and will the large water changes be ok to remove this high reading?
thanks again.

If you do a 50% water change the NitrAtes reduce by 50%. Unfortunatley the filter media may be harbouring fish waste/rotting food etc. I would clean this (with water from the aquarium)as well. Also vacuuming the gravel will help remove sources for the nitrAte.

Once this is done, keep up with the water changes and keep the feeding down to a minimum and enjoy your tank. Finrot can and will kill quite quickly but with a good environment it can also clear up fine.

I would also trade in the Barb as this will outgrow your tank and also should be kept in groups.

Good luck

ok will do i will head to get some finrot treatment asap tomorrow. is there any particular brand etc? i can give my dad the barb. i originally had a pair male and female but now down to one. i have a friend that i was planning to give once it outgrew my tank. should this alone solve my overstocking problem?

Maracyn is what i would recommend although other brands will probably suffice. As for stocking, i would also remove the gourami as these fish grow quite large and also can be bullys towards smaller fish, which inturn causes stress and sick fish. If you would like a plec, then bristlenose plecs are a lot better choice. These stay quite small, especially the females, will eat algae as oppose to the common plecs and are not very aggressive. Keep a pair with some bogwood and you will also expect to see young at some point.
Your bioload will be fine with the removal of the said fish.

 

[ZoddyZod]

Your Nitrates are also too high (should be less than 20). This an environmental issue.

disagree with that - 40 for Nitrates is absolutely fine. Some people even have that level coming from their tap. Some studies suggest nitrates only become toxic at 400ppm if the fish are not overly sensitive to them (German Blue Rams for example).

If you do a 50% water change the NitrAtes reduce by 50%. Unfortunatley the filter media may be harbouring fish waste/rotting food etc. I would clean this (with water from the aquarium)as well. Also vacuuming the gravel will help remove sources for the nitrAte.

Good luck

again, there is absoloutely no need to panic about a 40ppm nitAte reading. I do agree with the rest of your advise though on stocking for the tank.

 

[This Old Spouse]

I've lost 3 of my dwarf gouramis to the mysterious viral disease that affects them. I'm now down to 1 male and 1 female, and they both appear very healthy. The other gouramis died within a day or so of showing symptoms, and it doesn't seem to affect the other fish in any way. Happily I was able to remove the dead fish before there were any ammonia spikes. Still, it's a heartbreaker because these are my favorite fish. If you can isolate your sick one, do so. So sorry, but I don't hold out much hope for him.

 

[ZoddyZod]

I've lost 3 of my dwarf gouramis to the mysterious viral disease that affects them.

that disease is specific to dwarf gouramis though, so would not be seen in the opaline(?) one that the OP has.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Oh! Good point ... didn't realize that. With luck, then, there's hope!

 

[Skins]

How are things looking now James?

Keith.

 

[mirrorpad]

Your Nitrates are also too high (should be less than 20). This an environmental issue.

disagree with that - 40 for Nitrates is absolutely fine. Some people even have that level coming from their tap. Some studies suggest nitrates only become toxic at 400ppm if the fish are not overly sensitive to them (German Blue Rams for example).

If you do a 50% water change the NitrAtes reduce by 50%. Unfortunatley the filter media may be harbouring fish waste/rotting food etc. I would clean this (with water from the aquarium)as well. Also vacuuming the gravel will help remove sources for the nitrAte.

Good luck

again, there is absoloutely no need to panic about a 40ppm nitAte reading. I do agree with the rest of your advise though on stocking for the tank.

Nitrate in aquariums is generally bad for fish. Although there are few exceptions. Nitrate stunts the growth of fish, promotes algae growth and induces stress. Although i agree there isn't a hard set number for danger, a conscious fishkeeper will aim for as low as possible with most agreeing, less than 20. I'm not saying a nitrate reading of 40 will outright kill your fish overnight, but it will do more harm than good, especially under the circumstances addressed above.

I would also like to read the case studies regarding Nitrate not becoming harmful until a level above 400ppm if you have a link?