Fish Dieing. Need Help!

[tararizer]

Mm1. Water parameters. (ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, PH, temp', Hardness etc)
I do not have a test kit and currently low on cash. I haven't been using a test kit and I have had my water tested at Petsmart. I haven't recently but will today.
2. A full description of the fishes symptoms.I started noticing a problem when two neon tetras died. 3 platys have cotton like fungus or bacteria all over their fins and body. Frayed tails and fins.
3. How often you do water changes and how much. typically 20% water changes maybe once a week now I am doing everyday until the problem is resolved.
4. Any chemicals and treatments you add to the water. I have recently started melafix treatment 3 days ago and adding good bacteria called microbe lift Special Blend. And also I add a water conditioner whenever I add water to the tank
5. What tank mates are in the tank. 3 platys, 3 guppies, 2 African dwarf frogs, albino catfish and 2neon tetras. 4 live plants.
6. Tank size. 20 gallon
7. Finally Have you recently added any new fish? No
tank temp:78-80 degrees Fahrenheit

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): lethargic, swimming on the bottom of the tank in near the heater. Cloudy cotton like substance all over body and frayed fins

Volume and Frequency of water changes: 20% daily as of three days ago. Usually once a week however when healthy.

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: water conditioner, good bacteria and melafix
I have 4 live plants in my tank

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Well, it started about 4 days ago. I realize my problems started because I over cleaned my tank. Have learned from my mistake but am trying to stop it in its tracks. I cleaned out the filter, bad idea. pretty sure I killed off all the good bacteria. my guppies tail was a quarter gone and I did some research and thought that it may be fin rot. I bought the melafix and started treatment 3 days ago. Along with the good bacteria. Now I'm noticing the condition of the platys appearance has worsened but they aren't as lethargic as they were. I wasn't sure if this is now mouth rot I'm dealing with, and what further action I need to take. I've heard a lot about adding salt but I also I'm not sure if it will affect my catfish.

 

[tararizer]

also I took my carbon out of the filter 3 days ago when I started the melafix treatment. I just put it back in the tank because the water is starting to cloud. I'm not sure if this is a good idea or bad idea. Petsmart opens in 30 minutes and am going down there. I need all the advice I can get! What do I do?!

 

[fm1978]

It's best you remove the carbon from the filter when medicating. The meds will lose their efficacy almost entirely if the carbon is in there and especially if it's quite new.
 
The cloudiness is likely there due to a bacterial bloom which usually occurs with newly cycling tanks. I this case, you cleaned the filter, perhaps a little too well, and you've probably got yourself back to square one with a new cycle.
 
You've sort of got a couple of problems to deal with now. 1st is the growths on your fish and second is a fish-in cycle. I'd deal with the medication 1st and try to get rid of the cotton type fungus. Protozin from Waterlife is very good so I'd recommend that as treatment. You'll need to aerate much more with medications, typically as they can remove oxygen from the water, even more so if (depending on your choice of med) the instruction suggest an increase in temperature during the treatment.
 
Having your water tested is a must, even if you just go to your LFS, but then at least you can rule out Ammo poisoning etc...(hopefully). The next thing to deal with is a fish-in cycle which will take much more time and effort than a fish-less cycle. Lots of larger water changes and much more often (daily) and keeping a close eye on NH3/4, NO2, NO3, ph and temperatures are an absolute must. 

 

[tararizer]

Thank you! I just got off the phone with Petco and they suggested I add Pimafix to my regimen. I have live plants so they said no to the salt. I'm going to keep up with my water changes daily.and I'm going to try and buy a test kit today. Do you know if it isn't a fungal infection can pimafix hurt them?

 

[fm1978]

It certainly sounds and looks fungal and Pimafix is an anti-fungal as well as treating a few other ailments. It's not a bad treatment and if you can get it easily then it's worth a try. And no, it won't hurt them if it's not fungal so don't worry about that.
 
Some people use Pimafix as a preventative treatment even when there isn't necessarily anything wrong with the fish. 
 
Never heard not to use salt if you have live plant... Besides, I'd be more interested in the fish health than the plant health. Salt can be a help, but, I'm not sure it's absolutely necessary in this case.
 
As I mentioned before, Protozin is very good as it treats for a lot of different ailments at the same time - ich, fungal infections, neon tetra disease, velvet etc... If you can get your hands on that I would use that over Pimafix.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I would not trust pet store advice almost ever.
 
Salt will treat fungus and for the amount of time the treatment will last, may or may not harm plants. Some plants are able to do quite well in brackish. So it depends what plants you have as to how they might react to salt. But as observed above- which would you rather see die a plant or a fish?
 
My personal opinion of Melafix is it is basically useless for anything of consequence. My preferred medication of choice for fungal outbreaks is MarOxy by Mardel. Methyl Blue works great but can stain a tank and contents.
 
Cotton mouth is not fungus and, except for on the mouth, does not look cottony at all, so the odds are good it isn't that. If it were, it is not a fungus and would require antibiotics.
 
Stop adding anything besides meds and required dechlor. It usually does more harm than good. Do not change the water when medicating except as directed in the instructions for using any given med.
 
Find out if you have any cycling type issues ASAP and report back on this.

 

[tararizer]

Okay i will check for that medication at petco today. I was told to do 20 percent water changes in case I'm having ammonia spikes? I've been doing the water changes everyday and then adding the melafix to the water should I not be doing this now? and I would much rather the plants die than the fish I didn't even think of it that way, stupid me. So should I get salt as well?
does fin rot have the same type of symptoms as I'm describing? Or do you think it is fungal?
I have noticed severe change in activity since I started the melafix. They are much more active now. The same film however is still coated on their bodies. But my guppys tail that was starting to deteriate has not progressed anymore.
I have about five fish that are showing signs of sickness. I didn't know if fin rot was contagious? There are other fish that are acting as normal as ever though. But everyone seems to agree that you think it's fungal?
the tank has been cycled but I think I am going to have to start from scratch since I killed all the good bacteria. That's why I've been adding the good bacteria.

 

[Mamashack]

Pictures would be a huge help to us here. Can you get some and post them so we can see what you are trying to deal with?
My understanding that finrot is contagious and bacterial.
I have seen Interpet do an antifungus and finrot tx which might cover all bases (fungal and bacterial). Not sure how widely available it is over there
Have never used it tho and I'm sure people with more experience will jump in if I am wrong.

 

[paradiddle]

You can't really over clean a filter if your using tank water and your doing it fast
Just make sure you use either a bucket of tank water (safest way) or a bucket of dechlorinated water

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Have a look here, it might help
 
http/badmanstropicalfish.com/fish_palace/tropicalfish_disease_identification.html

 

[tararizer]

I've had the worst luck lately but unfortunately my boyfriend had it worse. he had an emergency surgery last night due to appendicitis. I just came from the hospital this morning and never got a chance to buy any meds for the fish. Two of them died. & I did list pictures in the above original post. my only question right now is should I be still doing water changes daily. I'm not really concerned about the fish anymore because my boyfriend almost died lastnight bc his appendix burst, so. I have bigger things to worry about thank you all for your help. I wont be able to go and get anything new for the tank.

 

[Mamashack]

Hope your boyfriend is on the mend soon - that must have been really scary for you and of course he is your priority right now. Make sure you look after yourself too after your shock.
The only way to check whether you need to continue the PCWs is to have the water tested - does your LFS offer tests instore if you take along say a 20ml sample?
When things are back to normal it is definitely worth investing in a test kit when you can manage it. Just start with the ammonia one if that's all you can afford - then as and when you can, add the others - pH & nitrIte are the basic ones that you'll need - and you can probably manage without the NitrAte one for a while, tho it's useful if the tank develops problems and you are asking for help here in the forum.
Take care