Reoccuring Illness In 55gal Tank

[slowcountry]

Tank size: 55gal
pH:8.2
ammonia:0
nitrite:0
nitrate:40ppm
kH:268.5
gH:89.5
tank temp:78.3 degrees F

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

Female mollies lethargic and shimmering occasionally, a number of guppies and mollies occasionally rubbing their bellies on the air lines in the tank, they do not appear to scratch the gravel or any other object. One female molly that is ruffly 3months old has developed Popeye. One female guppy that is 6 months old has some damage, (possibly fin rot) and a little discoloration on its pectoral fins.

Volume and Frequency of water changes: 20% weekly, 50% 2 days ago

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: Standard aquarium gravel, outboard Aqueon 55 filter, 1 Tbsp aquarium salt / 10 gallons. After the 50% water change added API Stress Coat. 4 varieties of live plants, and 2 artificial logs.

Tank inhabitants: 4 Adult mollies, 12 juvenile mollies, 6 adult guppies, 6 neon tetras, 3 marble angels, 2 sparkling (Miniature) gourami, 1 cory catfish, 1 red tail shark.

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):None

Exposure to chemicals:None

Digital photo (include if possible):None

3 weeks ago 6 of my Guppies and 4 sword tails developed white material on their bodies. I used Melafix for seven days. At day 4 and 5 I started losing fish, by day 7 I lost all the infected fish but one female sword. Before the fish died, the white material started clearing up. The surviving green sword then developed Popeye and her scales looked like a pine cone on her head and 1/4 way back on her body. At day 5 I also added 1/2 the dose of Pimafix to see if this would help. At day 7 I did a 25% water change and started a treatment of Maracyn Plus. The green sword recovered by the end of the treatment however, it would appear that she is blind in one eye.

1 week ago, a number of the fish started scratching the gravel, fake logs, and airline tubing. Although no external markings were present, I assumed that there were parasites present so I treated with Maracide with Biospheres for the recommended duration. This seemed to pretty much cure the problem for the exception that several of the live bearers appeared lethargic.

2 days ago, I did a 50% water change. Normally I use the water from my home's water softener, but after asking a number of questions on the forum and reading the replies, I started using the well water before it enters the softener. The GH number included in this post is obviously a combination of the existing water and the added well water. The well water's GH before entering the softener is ruffly 286.4 ppm. Now, as mentioned a number of the live bearers are scratching their bellies on the air line, one juvenile molly has Popeye, and one guppy has what appears to be fin rot on its pectoral fins and appears lethargic, two adult female mollies appear lethargic and shimmy occasionally. None of the angels, neons, gourami, red tail shark, or cory cat show any sign of stress and appear very happy.

Before the last water change, I filled my water bottles with hot water, about 160 degrees F to see if there was some bacteria present. I let these sit overnight before use. Normally I do not add water conditioner, but during the 50% water change I did to see if it would help. I always maintain 1 Tbsp aquarium salt per 10 gallons. I have two 10 gallon tanks and 1 20 gallon tank with the same water make-up and living conditions. These house jouvinile fish born from the live bearers from my display tank. None of these fish have shown any signs remotely similar to my display tank. I periodically lose about 25% of my molly fry, the females both have 90+ every 35 days or so.

I don't like treating the fish as I believe it is hard on them. When I do, I try to use medications that will be compatible with the plants and more delicate fish. I am at a loss what is at work here and how to eradicate the problem.

 

[WILDER]

The white on the fish was if fluffy like cotton wool.

You say some of the fish are shimmering are they swimming in one spot and getting no where.
Any excess mucas on the gills or body of the fish.
Is there any meds still left in the tank.
Lost any fish due to looking skinny or bent spines.
What does it look like when the fish go to the toilet.

Never add meds till you know what you are treating for.

Shimmies
Info taken from here.

[URL="http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm"]http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm[/URL]


Symptoms:

This disease is named for the curious behavior seen in afflicted fish. Fish will swim with an odd, shimmying movement of the body. If left untreated, the afflicted fish will become unable to swim and will sit on the bottom, listlessly shimmying. This disease affects mostly livebearers, and particularly Mollies.



Cause:

Cause unkown but may be due to a variety of numerous pathogens, including protozoan, bacterial, and fungal.



Treatment:

Isolate the fish in a hospital tank and increase the temperature to 85°F (27°C). Treat with a broad spectrum antibiotic. Also ensure that the water chemistry is within acceptable ranges. Livebearers' should always be kept in water that has a pH of 7.8 - 8.3 and a hardness of 15°DH+.

Shouldn't be adding salt with corys, and neons.

 

[slowcountry]

The white on the fish was if fluffy like cotton wool.

You say some of the fish are shimmering are they swimming in one spot and getting no where.
Any excess mucas on the gills or body of the fish.
Is there any meds still left in the tank.
Lost any fish due to looking skinny or bent spines.
What does it look like when the fish go to the toilet.

Never add meds till you know what you are treating for.

Shimmies
Info taken from here.

<a href="http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm" target="_blank">http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm</a>


Symptoms:

This disease is named for the curious behavior seen in afflicted fish. Fish will swim with an odd, shimmying movement of the body. If left untreated, the afflicted fish will become unable to swim and will sit on the bottom, listlessly shimmying. This disease affects mostly livebearers, and particularly Mollies.



Cause:

Cause unkown but may be due to a variety of numerous pathogens, including protozoan, bacterial, and fungal.



Treatment:

Isolate the fish in a hospital tank and increase the temperature to 85°F (27°C). Treat with a broad spectrum antibiotic. Also ensure that the water chemistry is within acceptable ranges. Livebearers' should always be kept in water that has a pH of 7.8 - 8.3 and a hardness of 15°DH+.

Shouldn't be adding salt with corys, and neons.

The white stuff did not look cottony, it did not protrude. It didn't look like mucous, more like a thick even coating. The gills appeared normal.

The fish that expired had the film on them, but it had cleared up considerably from where it started. The fish were not wasting away, their bodies appeared to be its normal size. Some of their scales came off in my hand as I handled the dead bodies. None of the bodies were bent.

The female mollies 'shimmy' periodically now, as in they stay in one place and wag, articulating in the center of their body side to side.

As stated 50% of the water was changed, so I would guess their might be some residual medication remaining.

 

[WILDER]

Excess mucas can be bad water quality, ph shock, bacterial, parasites.
Scales fallling of can be parasites, bacterial, knocked them off fighting or on ornaments in the tank.

Does the skin look like its peeling away.
Its pointing two ways at the moment parasites or bacterial.
Has your ph changed.

 

[slowcountry]

Excess mucas can be bad water quality, ph shock, bacterial, parasites.
Scales fallling of can be parasites, bacterial, knocked them off fighting or on ornaments in the tank.

Does the skin look like its peeling away.
Its pointing two ways at the moment parasites or bacterial.
Has your ph changed.

No, the skin appears to be fully in tact. The pH is an interesting thing. If I fill a container with water, the pH is 7.0. When I leave it set over nite with aeration, the pH rises to 8.3 suggesting CO2 gassing off. I have a 5gal container that sets for the week prior to a water change. But as I do a 20% change weekly, I have to use water directly out of the tap. I ensure that my water is within 3 to 5 tenths of a degree of the tank before I introduce it.

The tank pH is always a rock solid 8.3. It has never changed as I check it at least weekly.

 

[WILDER]

It can't be a ph problem if the ph not altering much when adding it to the tank.
How long did you use the maracide for.

For now if the fish have popeye and finrot I would add a bacterial med. Not melafix is only good on cuts and wounds.

 

[slowcountry]

It can't be a ph problem if the ph not altering much when adding it to the tank.
How long did you use the maracide for.

For now if the fish have popeye and finrot I would add a bacterial med. Not melafix is only good on cuts and wounds.

Maracide treats on days 1, 3, and 5 and this is what I followed.

I have the two infected fish in an isolation tank. Will Maracyn Plus Antibacteria suffice for this?

I will continue to monitor the rest of the stock to see if they develop indication of problems.

 

[WILDER]

If the other fish are fine it sounds like some of the fish have a bacterial infections.
If it was a parasite more fish would be showing signs.