Harlequin Rasboras - Not Sure Which Disease

[WILDER]

Swollen enlarged anus can also be constipation due to over feeding to many dried foods.

Feed some shelled peas to see if that makes a difference.
Keep a look out for when your fish go to the toilet.

 

[GrecoTank]

I found the third casualty.

As I suspected, the scrawny one with the erratic swimming patterns was belly up on the floor of my tank just like the others.

The only signs different with this one is that the tail remained normal, but it had some slight, what looked to me to be, fin rot on his tail fin. He just looked generally haggard.

Here are the autopsy photos:

 

[WILDER]

Did his black marking fade after death?

How are the other fish acting?

Bless Him.
R.I.P.

 

[GrecoTank]

The other fish are acting really good. Yes, the black mark began to become more faded as he became more sick. The other larger, healthy fish have dark black in their spot.

 

[GrecoTank]

Good grief! I found another fish that is acting strangely.

I just fed them, and everyone was acting normal chasing around the flakes, but then I noticed one who went to the surface. He didn't get food, he just floated right at the surface, his body slightly tilting backwards.

Due to this strange occurrence I sat and watched him for a while. I noticed that his mouth seems permanently open, and when he rests, he tends to float backwards with his face raising and rear falling. The more I pay attention, the more I realize his swimming patterns have a hint of the other who died earlier, though not nearly as progressed.

I really don't know what to do at this point. It's not the water quality, but I don't know why this is happening.

I am actually watching the fish now and he is currently floating head at the surface, lower body hanging down at about a 30 degree angle.

Please help.


PS. I have been perusing the net and looking at pictures of healthy harlequin rasboras. It appears that the gills on my fish are unusually red. Thoughts?

PSS. I just say and stared for a while, and I have noticed a couple of the fish also have a red spot behind the gills. Is this common?

 

[GrecoTank]

The death toll is rising.

The fish that acted strangely today, the one bobbing backwards and staying at the surface, was dead when I came into my room about 5 minutes ago.

 

[BethK]

I'm taking a hunch to say your tank isn't cycled and they are going down hill due to bad water quality. You really do need the API testmaster kit and not the strips. Cycling a tank is very important, if it's not cycled, it can stress a fish out, rasboras aren't the hardiest of fish about, either.

I would conduct 2 water changes a day, 1 in the morn and one in the evening, 50% each. Stresscoat is a good dechlorinator to use IMO.

 

[JoshuaA]

If it wasn't cycled you would usually see nearly all the fish gasping for breath at the surface of the tank and rapid gill movement throughout.

I couldn't find anywhere in his first or further posts how long the tank had been set up so it could well be a possibility.

 

[WILDER]

Think he said his tanks been set up 2 months.

I agree water changes.

I've lost harlequins due to open mouths. They never seem to make it. Nobody seems to no what causes it.
It's quite common in harlequins sadly.

Really need to know water stats tested by liquid test kits, as the symtoms are pointing towards bad water quality, parasites.

 

[KittyKat]

Bells are ringing for gill flukes over here..

 

[the biffster]

water quality for me on this one

 

[GrecoTank]

I will start doing 50% water changes everyday.

I'm in the process of one now. Please rule out water quality as I don't think it was that from the start.


I really think it is something else.

All the fish are acting up now. They will jerk back in a rotational motion, their head moving up and their tail down. A couple have redish gills. Two have red spots behind their gills on their sides, in front of the black triangle marking.

The fish who is exhibiting the greatest signs of distress has a dark patch behind his gills as well.

 

[WILDER]

I think I would treat for gill flukes.
There a waterlife med but I would redose after two weeks to make sure they have completely gone.

 

[GrecoTank]

Well my fish have stopped dying.

I did a few extra water changes, and their behavior has gone back to normal. Actually, I'm pretty sure a couple have no been attempting to breed.

Also, I bought a liquid kit by API. The water quality is good:

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
pH: 7.6

As far as I know this is good. I added a good bit of greenery to my tank as well which has helped keep the nitrates pretty much a non issue.

I have a snail too that I forgot to mention. He has been fine throughout, and now, so are the fish, even if there are only 3 left.

Death toll: 7 Harlequin rasboras