Help...

[dwarfgourami]

Sounds bacterial to me. I don't think either albino corys or bristlenoses are all that sensitive- if you put them in a cycled tank, that shouldn't kill them, even if it isn't mature.

 

[Alps]

Notice how all the hardy platies are alive and the more sensitive BN and cories are dying. The bacteria probably took such a toll because of the stress these fish were under. Just stock slowly, and/or add some plants. How did the latest dead fish look? ...besides dead.

- do some 25% - 33% water changes on alternate days.

 

[WILDER]

Fish are fine wilth bacterial meds if the aeration is good in the tank, more the parasite meds fish can't handle.
I would get treating fast as they are dying fast now.
Good luck.

 

[holidayinn]

It's been a while. After taking out the carbon I went to the lfs and was all set to buy a bottle of melafix. I spoke to the staff and they recommended I leave the fish as they are and wait for another death, if no death then ok to add fish.

It’s been almost two weeks since, no deaths, I didn’t add any more fish, but yesterday the honey gourami passed away after looking weak last couple of days. Again, I have done approx 20% water changes every 5 days or so and ammonia is 0, nitrite 0, nitrate registering.

The fish that have died apart from the BN, do not show any visible signs of damage e.g.fin rot. However, I did notice the gourami flicking and rubbing. It tried to rub against other fish, the glass and ornaments. And I now see more flicking from the remaining platys.

My question is, I know I have to treat the tank. Could the cause of the infection be re-used gravel or the big piece of bogwood in the tank, or something in the filter?

Also, both Myxazin and pimafix are available from my lfs. Which would be the better purchase for this situation?

Any help would be much appreciated

Many thanks

 

[chelbel]

Please treat before any more die

 

[holidayinn]

Please treat before any more die

thats why i'm posting on this forum..for ADVICE

please don't respond if you have no constructive advice e.g. which meds i should go for? what might have cause the infection? etc to add to your note

the lfs said that if a fish dies, then to freeze it and bring it in, they'l have a look at it...so today after work i will take a sample of water as well as the recently deceased fish and c what they recommend...can ne1 else help?

 

[wolfwolf]

I would go in with a bacterial med.
Myxazin and pimafix.
Increase aeration as meds reduce 02 in the water.
Remove black carbon.
With no signs of flicking and rubbing the symtoms point to bacterial, as you can get bacteria that rots the skin away.

My advice is to take Wilder's advice given 22 days ago.

 

[chelbel]

Please treat before any more die

thats why i'm posting on this forum..for ADVICE

please don't respond if you have no constructive advice e.g. which meds i should go for? what might have cause the infection? etc to add to your note

the lfs said that if a fish dies, then to freeze it and bring it in, they'l have a look at it...so today after work i will take a sample of water as well as the recently deceased fish and c what they recommend...can ne1 else help?

I'm terribly sorry if you didn't like my response
Wilder gave excellent advice and it should have been taken like another poster said 22 days ago

You have lost to many fish to be waiting around

 

[holidayinn]

many thanks and yes Wilder does give excellent advice

he also says with no sign of flicking and rubbing it points to a bacterial infection

in my post today i mention seeing an increased amount of flicking and rubbing, which only became apparent to me during the gourami's demise which points more towards a parasitical infection (i think)

i went to the lfs after work and bought a product they recommended called sterazin which is a 10 day treatment, specifically for parasites..he also said something about a product called esher 3000 (unsure spelling) but they didn't sell that..

so a queston, forgive my ineptness and lack of knowledge, is this a product u think would solve this problem?

 

[chelbel]

Sorry if I sounded harsh
I myself am a newbie and not very knowledgeable (other half has gone working away leaving me with our percious fish eek!!!)
I know he has used Sterazin by waterlife with success after some fish we got last time were showing similar symptoms (never buying from that place again ) We lost our bulldog plec but everything else survived
Good luck with everything and I'll cross my fingers for you

BTW I have never heard of the 3000 stuff (just been for food so I look for it at mine for you)

 

[holidayinn]

Thanks for your reply chelbel, and looking back I might have overreacted with my initial response so I apologise for that, apart from keeping an oscar and catfish for a few years I also consider myself a newbie

I have started the treatment of sterazin, it really shocked the fish when I first put it in with its deep green colouring, I think I may mix the next dose with water from the tank before pouring it in

After 10 days, the course ends, how will I know it has worked? When would it be safe to add more fish? Would it be recommended to try a more sensitive fish then a hardy one? not that i want it to die, just been very difficult to tell with the remaining fish whether they are experiencing discomfort, like i said the honey gourami M gave the clearest indication, the other fish that have passed, died overnight

 

[chelbel]

I would suggest that you mix it in a bottle so it's not a shock to them

I would wait at least 2 weeks after the last treatment at least before you add any more
But this time do it very slowly no more than 2 at a time and if you can quantine them in a seperate tank for at least 2 weeks so you can monitor them for illnesses

Hope that helps hun
(We lost a German blue ram today and not sure why either )

 

[TigerLotus]

I Am sorry for all you losses and I hope that your fish do get better now that you treating. If its possible I would also suggest qt for at least 30 days. I have never qt any shorter than that because in IMO 1-3 weeks doesn't give enough time in seeing if any other infection of diseases come out besides some of the obvious like Ick. Any ways good luck and I wish you and your fish the best.

TigerLotus

 

[pica_nuttalli]

Can you post a picture of your tank? I personally am skeptical that any infection would linger for 3 weeks without killing all your fish. I'd be much more inclined to believe that there is a toxin being introduced to your water, possibly through the decor. (Not everything sold in an LFS is actually tank-safe.)

That being said, I would also continue the treatment once started. No sense in skimping and possibly creating a resistance in anything that might be in the tank. Just be prepared for some staining of the silicone when all is said and done.

--edit--
Also, should the unfortunate occur, please note that running the tank for a couple of months without any stock should suffice to kill any pathogens in the water. No freshwater infection can survive without a host (not even ich). After about 6-8 weeks of running the tank empty, you can then start a fishless cycle with ammonia. The levels of ammonia used in fishless cycling are quite potent and should kill off the last of anything that could infect a fish. When you're done cycling, I would stock the tank with a trio of some brightly colored and mildly sensitive fish such as rummynoses. They should color up within a week or two, but if they don't, only then do you need to consider tearing down and starting over.

A lot of people will tell you that to "sterilize" a tank, you need to empty it, bleach it, yadda yadda. You don't have to go that far to get rid of pathogens. No fish and the pathogens starve to death. It's very simple.

 

[holidayinn]

Just be prepared for some staining of the silicone when all is said and done.

how do u mean staining?

I shall post a picture altho there is not much to see, I am puzzled over the source of the infection. I have reused the gravel and some ornaments from a previous tank setup, gravel was kept in a covered container for approx 3 months then rinsed and added back to tank, same as some bogwood, kept in an airtight bag and then boiled and added back to tank. Plastic plants were new, rinsed then entered and now all my decor is also going brown..is this algae? and is it due to lack of light maybe?

I shall continue the treatment, now on day 5, so 5 more days for the treatment, 3 week wait and see period, then if all seems well i shall add a few fish...

since starting the treatment a F honey gourami died, tha platys and cory seem ok..