Sick Fish, I Don't Know What To Do!

[Eloise]

I've recently (about 3-4 weeks from now) started my new aquarium. It's a 130 gallons. To start the cycling process, I transfered one of my severum, 2 loach clows and 3 corydoras. There was no ammonia surge stronger than 0.5ppm. After a while, I decided to buy two small Jack Dempsey. They're about a inch long. They seemed well enough in the pet shop, but they had put them in quarantine because of white spots. Since they had seen none in the past couple of days, they decided that I could have them - they were probably fine. Well, guess what, I've had white spots all over my severum and I lost two loach clowns. The Severum fared well and so did the Jacks and the corys. Well, until now.

The white spot problem was first noticed last thursday. I began treating it the same day. I only gave half the recommended dose, because of the loaches (the pet shop guy adviced me to do this). The medication is called Riga. I also rose the temperature to 86F. The white spots cleared fast enough. Now the temperature is at 83F (usually it's at 79F, but the outside temperature is so hot the fish tank cannot go lower...) and I'm still using the medication. I haven't seen any white spots in the last 2-3 days or so. I did a small 15% water change yesterday.

However, my Severum, who had been eating well once it was cleared of ich doesn't want to eat anymore. My Jack who were very active now hide all the time and look sluggish. One of the corydoras is stuck against the input to the filter. It's still alive, but it looks very weird. I also noticed two wounds by the side of its head, in the gill area. I don't think it's been fighting, because there hasn't been any aggressivity problem between the fish and the wound are in symetric position...

I like my fish a lot and I don't want to lose them. The guy at the pet shop doesn't know anything! What's happening and what can I do?

Thanks!

 

[Eloise]

I've isolated my sick cory as its health seems to have deteriorated. It has larger wounds each side of his head, near the gills. I don't know what causes that. The ammonia is at 0.3PPM, no nitrite, no nitrate. When he was in the larger tank, he was lying on the gravel, upside down. He looked like he was about to die.

What can cause the wounds he has and is there something I can do to save my fish and to make sure it doesn't happen to the rest of my tank?

 

[Lynda B]

It's possible that, with your tank not through the cycling process, your fish were stressed anyway, and then, getting ich on top of that, they were further compromised and died. I would always isolate a sick fish in a 10 gallon hospital tank. Seems most meds are dosed for 10 gallons.

I find it strange that you're still not seeing a nitrate reading in a tank that's been up and running, with fish, for a month. That's very odd. Are you using drop tests or strip tests? The strip tests are not very trustworthy, from what I've heard.

Have you been doing water changes during your cycling? If so, how much and how often?

I'm afraid I can't guess what your cory is experiencing. I'm sorry for your losses.

 

[WILDER]

There no guranantee's that a fish will make it through the ammonia and nitrite process.
It takes it toll on a fish causing the immune system to shut down.

 

[Eloise]

My cory just died. I was told by the pet shop's guys that maybe it was the ammonia that killed him, as he was stressed already because of the water's temperature and the ich.

The others seem fine, though they're hiding.

 

[WILDER]

Bless him R.I.P.
Good luck.

 

[Lynda B]

I'm sorry for your loss.....