Fish Dying

[belindasteer]

Hi, I have a corner 190litre tank, well established from when I moved here 6 months ago and apart from major brown algae everything has been fine and as it was before I moved - til about a month ago.

I seem to have a bacterial problem, the water quality is perfect, there's a tetratak external filter and an airstone, the readings are all the absolute minimum whenever I test, but I am losing fish, fist a jewel cichlid, then various big rainbows, then a big angel and today a big plec. I bought some maracyn 2 from america snd dosed the tank as instructed today - 2 packets per 10gallons which I made 8 (actually I put 6 packets in) and I have just found that one of my adult severum has died out of the blue.
She has no marks at all, but the other fish have had red spots and streaks.
I am at a total loss what to do and am so scared of losing my remaining fish, some of whom are about 9 years old.
Any ideas please??
Belinda

 

[FreedomFighter]

Could you provide pictures of these spots and streaks please? We may be able to help identify the problem.

Have you done a water change recently? If I ever lose a fish I always do a large water change just in case.

 

[belindasteer]

Yes, did water changes each time. Attached pic of nearly dead plec taken just now.
Gold severum died within 30mins of maracyn being added, not a mark on her, was perfectly fine this afternoon, am heartbroken.

 

[FreedomFighter]

I presume the fish are looking paler than usual when these red marks appear?

This looks like Ammonia poisoning to be honest, what are the tank stats. I suggest you do a large water change immediately.

 

[belindasteer]

No, not particularly - it's an albino plec. The others all looked normal. The angel that died was a gold colour too.

 

[FreedomFighter]

View my edit above. The symptoms look like ammonia poisoning.

 

[belindasteer]

Tested ammonia today and last week yellow on the card so 0 ppm....

 

[FreedomFighter]

Using a liquid test kit I presume?

Well streaking of red on body and fins is classic ammonia poisoning symptoms.

I'm not sure what else it could be.

 

[belindasteer]

Yes. the kit with the 4 testubes and chemical testing for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and ph
Just done it again and it's pale yellow.

Will do a big water change. Do you think the algae has an effect? It's brown and long fronds and is all over all the bogwood etc. I hate it.

 

[FreedomFighter]

Well the brown algae may be there because of phosphate levels.

 

[belindasteer]

Aaah - how do you test for and treat phosphate? I've never had algae before so have no idea. What shall I do, have taken most of the wood out just now actually (left a bit in for the plec as he's so unhappy)

 

[FreedomFighter]

To be honest with you i'm not too hot on algae and phosphate issues, sorry to say.

I've requested some extra help for you, I hope it arrives soon.

 

[belindasteer]

Thanks so much for your help, at least I can sort ammonia if that's what it is. Will look forward to the phosphate/algae help
bx

 

[Euston]

Phosphates I believe come from over feeding or negligence in cleaning... though someone may correct me on that.

What test kit are you using?

How often do you do clean/do water changes?

 

[star4]

The plec looks like Hemorhagic septicemia as you say caused by a bacterial infection, that bad you would need antibiotic meds, its either high ammonia or nitrate poisoning, I would suspect if you have blanket like algae growing out of control it would be nitrate, have you tested that?.