Harlequin Rasboras - Not Sure Which Disease

[GrecoTank]

I had 8 Rasboras.

2 have recently died, and they all acted strangely in similar patterns. A third is beginning to exhibit these signs.


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Tank size: 10 Gallons
pH: 7.6
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 2ppm
kH: (Alkalinity?) 140ppm
gH: (Hardness?) 80
tank temp: 78-82 F

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):

Fish behaved normally, but over the course of about a week would begin swimming haphazardly. They wouldn't bump into stuff, but they seemed less intentional with their movements when swimming. A very common symptom is that over about 4 days their tail goes from splayed out to fused together. They breath rapidly (>80 gill movements a minute). Also, 2 would isolate themselves to the top of the tank. There are no noticeable markings or anything and no odd coloration.

Also, I had a couple fish exhibiting some fungal growth on their fins or face, respectively. They are normal now and are not part of the dying group, though they swim strangely and seem sickly.

I have 4 fish that are much larger than the others. None of the large ones have died or shown any signs of problems.

Volume and Frequency of water changes:

I change their water once a week at about 20% of their total each change.

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank:

I have been dosing the tank with PimaFix(r) antifungal fish remedy once a day at one tsp per dosage. They have had 5 doses so far. I started this the day after I noticed one of my fish with fungal growth on his face. Also note that the first death occurred by the previously explained symptomes (Fusing tail, etc) before I placed this chemical into the tank.

Tank inhabitants:

Just the Harlequins

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):

None other than the fish themselves. A hornwort was floating in the bag they came in, so now it is growing in the tank.

Exposure to chemicals:

See chemical additives.

Digital photo (include if possible):

Here's the current target of this calamity:

 

[GrecoTank]

Third one just died.

I hope no more succumb to whatever is going on.

I am going to do a 60% water change to get some of the meds out tomorrow. I just gave them their final dose. For the fish with fungal problems, the API Pimafix is working wonders. The other sickness has claimed all its victims I believe. All other fish look really healthy.

I don't know if this is coincidence of if i'm watching Darwinian selection at work, but the only fish to succumb to anything have been the smaller scrawny fish. The larger "alpha" fish haven't been phased since I got them.

Third fish (notice the tail, it isn't complete, but it was well on its way to fusing.):

 

[KittyKat]

Hi, from what I can see, you are doing everything right, so the problem is unlikely to be of your making.

The "fusing" of the tail and fins is usually referred to as "clamped fins/tail" and is a sign of stress.

What are you feeding the fish? I ask because the first dead fish appears to be slightly bloated around the anus.

Unfortunately I can not give you a clear assessment of what caused their deaths, but I would recommend that you keep looking for signs of disease and worms. You took the same course of action I would have taken in your circumstances.

 

[WILDER]

Poor things.

What does it look like when your fish go to the toilet.
is the anus enlarged or red and inflamed.
Any fish look skinny, as I thought I saw a fish that look on the thin side in the pic.
Do any fish show symtoms of a bent spine.

Any signs of darting, or erratic swimming.
The fungus on the fish, does it look like fluffy cotton wool.
Used an chemicals near the tank.
What do the fish gills look like. Do they look red and inflamed, or pale with excess mucas.
Any signs of flicking and rubbing.
Any red patches, or red pin prick marks on the fish, or red streaking, bleeding beneath the skin.

What's the make of the test kit you are using?

 

[GrecoTank]

What does it look like when your fish go to the toilet.
To be honest I haven't actually seen them go. I feed them either Tetramin Tropical Flakes, BettaMin Tropical Medley, or Bloodworms at my discretion.
is the anus enlarged or red and inflamed.
No, on the healthy fish, it looks normal.
Any fish look skinny, as I thought I saw a fish that look on the thin side in the pic.
Yes one fish of the 5 remaining is a scrawny little #28###. He is one of the Fungus survivors.
Do any fish show symtoms of a bent spine.
No bent spines.
Any signs of darting, or erratic swimming.
The smaller one I just mentioned swims a bit unlike the others and occasionally darted from one side to the other. The dying ones did this also, but eventually would become lethargic and isolate themselves.
The fungus on the fish, does it look like fluffy cotton wool.
It was a very small patch on one and it was white. I don't know if cotton is the right word. It was white and made up of a patch of small microvilli-like vertical growths tightly bunched to make a fuzz.
Used an chemicals near the tank.
Only the PimaFix
What do the fish gills look like. Do they look red and inflamed, or pale with excess mucas.
The gills on the current fish look fine, but the fish that were dyings would breath quickly, and when I looked in their gill seemed very red.
Any signs of flicking and rubbing.
No rubbing, and could you describe flicking?
Any red patches, or red pin prick marks on the fish, or red streaking, bleeding beneath the skin.
No discolorations are noticeable.

Note, all behavior is very normal amongst the larger fishes. But one of the 5 is small and scrawny and swims a bit strangely (darting, seeming less intentional with his movements).
What's the make of the test kit you are using?
#105###t.ers Inc. Test Strips. It's awful. I'm getting an API Master Test Kit today.

 

[WILDER]

Take a sample of your water to the lfs and ask them to write the readings down for you.

Keep a look out for when your fish go to the toilet.

Do any of the fish show signs of swimming in a jerky movement.

Red gills can be bad water quality, gill flukes, bacterial gill rot.
Rapid breathing, bad water quality, toxins, ph shock, bacterial, parasites, stress.
Fluffy cotton wool, bleached out patches can be columnaris.
Swollen anus, dropsy, internal parasites.
Being bloated, constipation, dropsy, swim bladder, internal parasites.
Being thin when still eating, external parasites, internal parasites, fish tb, old age, bacterial.
Clamped fins is due to stress, disease.

Flicking and rubbing means that it looks like something irratating the fish. They will rub themselves on objects in the tank, or flick against objects in the tank.

 

[the biffster]

hi what test kit did you use
to test the tank and how long as it
been set up

 

[WILDER]

He using test strip cards. That's why we need the water tested by liquid test kits, for a more accurate reading.
Until we have reliable water stats we can't rule out bad water quality.

 

[the biffster]

He using test strip cards. That's why we need the water tested by liquid test kits, for a more accurate reading.
Until we have reliable water stats we can't rule out bad water quality.

yeah test strips are a waste
of time i have tested water
for people who the strips
say zero ammonia i tested
the same water with a liquid
test kit and got a reading
that was positive for ammonia
and nitrite when the strips said
it was ok

 

[Carlovel1]

For newbies, Liquid tests are better. For more experianced, test kits are ok, they give a general sort of idea of the water stats. I use Test Strips and I've not had a problem with them
But liquid tests will always be better and much more expensive

 

[GrecoTank]

The fish are acting really good after I did an extra water change yesterday in addition to the regularly scheduled one.

I went to the LFS to have them test my water, but I soon realized I was wasting my time when the guy pulled out the same strip test I have. In all honesty, however, I don't think that the loss in accuracy is paramount. The general readings may be off a bit, but even then, the water quality would still be good. I know the water is clean, and I am sure that the fish who died were doomed anyway. I have nothing but larger healthy fish now, albeit one.

The tank is about 2 months established.

 

[GrecoTank]

The final survivor of the plague, and the last smaller sized fish in the tank, has been darting and swimming strangely. I'm afraid it may have a parasite.

I have been thinking about removing it from the tank, knocking it out, and removing his genes from the gene pool.

Thoughts?

 

[KittyKat]

A bit cruel.. after all, we don't put down people who have a cold just because they're not immune to it.

Keep up the water changes. What type of parasite do you think it is? The problem being, that if one fish has it, so do the rest, which means that the only way forward is to treat the fish against it.

 

[WILDER]

The problem is it could be gill flukes.
But without having accurate water stats fish can flick and rub, dart, red gills, with bad water quality.

 

[GrecoTank]

I just noticed that one fish's anus is a bit pink in hue and slightly inflamed.