Sore Angel

[xamy_valox]

Ok, I have added the interpret no. 9. Why do you need to dilute it? The half litre of water it says to be added aswell doesn't say wether it needs to be dechlorinated either. I didn't as the instructions didn't mention it so I hope thats ok?

There is one thing that has come to min that may be a cause I don't know. My temperature indicator sticker on the front of the glass was reading 27/28 degrees a couple of weeks ago, so I panicked thinking my heater was over compensating (we have put the heating on in my house as many English forum users will understand!!!) so I had lowered the thermostat on the heater to around 24/25 to keep it down. I also put a proper thermometer in the tank to ensure it wasn't just the sticker that was bein unreliable, but I never seem to get an accurate reading? Could this be it?

And no, none of my other fish look any different at all. They give no sign they are going to kick the bucket other than seeming to not know what to do with themselves, like swimming a bit frantically in one place. But no marks, no different coloration, nothing.

 

[WILDER]

It's best to add the med to really hot water. It meant to activate the med.
You don't need to use water conditioner for the amount of water going into the tank.

I had juwel tanks and there sticker thernostat were good. But I still used a thernostat inside the tank.

Central heating can raise your tank temp by 2 degree's.
So check your room temp.
That way when the heating off the tank temp won't drop to low.

Does it sound like this what your fish are doing.

Shimmies

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+.

Fish+Diseases.Net

 

[WILDER]

Your tank over stocked for a 125 litre.
What brand name is the test kit.

 

[xamy_valox]

Yeah that does kinda sound like what they do but only literally for like 10-15 mins before they actually die. Before that they are perfectly normal. I don't have another tank to use as a hospital tank.

And it's the API Master Tester Kit. My stocking is from advice given to me from my LFS. Most of my fish are under an inch in length.

 

[WILDER]

I would buy another filter to cope with your stocking. It always best to over filter a tank.

Sorry. I thought you meant your fish were showing the shimmering symptoms now.

Fish can dart, turn upside down, swim in circles before death,.

 

[xamy_valox]

Yeah that's what they are seeming to do.
I was thinking of getting another filter, just a small one to put alongside my current one, but to be honest after all these deaths I think I may just get rid of some fish and re think my stocking.

I hate it when it gets like this cus it just makes me want to jack it all in!! I never seem to be able to just enjoy the tank, there's always something to worry me!

 

[Chad]

Yeah that's what they are seeming to do.
I was thinking of getting another filter, just a small one to put alongside my current one, but to be honest after all these deaths I think I may just get rid of some fish and re think my stocking.

I hate it when it gets like this cus it just makes me want to jack it all in!! I never seem to be able to just enjoy the tank, there's always something to worry me!

That's why I do low stocking levels on my tanks. I would rather have just a couple nice fish than have worry!

I also agree about over filtration.

 

[WILDER]

I would just buy a 40 gallon filter. Then remove your mature filter sponges over to the new filter.

 

[xamy_valox]

Had the last ruby barb and an Oto go since =[ one of my big platy's looks like its gonna be next. I seriously think I might just try and sell the remaining fish to a LFS and sell the tank.

I can't deal with it. I didn't used to stress about them at all, just my weekly water changes, but now it's just a joke! I can't believe bigger tanks are supposed to be easier than smaller ones. My Fluval was amazing! Wish I hadn't got greedy now and wanted bigger.

 

[WILDER]

You can't really sell your fish to things start to settle down. You don't want to be selling sick fish on.

We all have bad patches in fish keeping.


Good Luck.

 

[xamy_valox]

If I was to start my tank from scratch again to eliminate whatever it is that is causing the fish to die off what steps would I need to take?

If whatever it is is part of the filter would I need a new filter + media or just transfer my current media to a bigger filter? I'd prefer to over filter if I was to do it again but I worry that the current is too strong.

 

[WILDER]

When you invest in a better filter you just transfer the mature media over from the old filter, to the new one.
If the current to strong you can turn the filter down. If that still
to strong you can slow the flow down with a net over the outlet pipe. Fastened
with a rubber band.

If you have a really bad bacteria infection in a tank it's best to kill
the bacteria.
Sterilize gravel, or sand with boiling water.
Sterilize filter in boiling water.
Sterilize heater.
Sterilize wood, rocks, ornaments.
Sterilize filer sponges in microwave.

I had other tanks running so it was easy for me to start up again.
As i took some matured filter sponges from other tanks.

 

[xamy_valox]

I think I am going to get something done with the fish, much as it breaks my heart to give them away as I am in love with my Angel I just can't help them.
I think I am gonna completely bin the sand I currently have as I bought such a big bag of it when I originally bought it I can afford to just add new. I'll serialise the heater in boiling water, but if I sterilise the filter media will I not just kill all the bacteria and ruin anything good in there?
Would I be best to bin plants and start again or could I get away with thoroughly washing them?
Also one last question: out of the 2 angels I have owned I have always bought them from tiny little babies, am I better to buy them when they are more mature? I only want one in my tank as contrary to advice given to me, I don't believe I have the room for another unless I had no other fish in there and very little wood/rocks etc which I think is cruel as it would be very bare.

 

[WILDER]

I would only strip your tank down as a last resort.
Also same with the filter sponges.


How are the fish today?

If there real plants you can sterilize them with myxazin by waterlife.
Plastic plants, or silk plants, boiling water.

 

[xamy_valox]

Not great, my Angel seems to be spending all of its time behind the filter where as usually it would come and greet you at the front of the tank, 2 of my platy's really are on their last fins, just kinda floating about with no direction, upside down etc.
I lost a cory and a platy yesterday. The only fish seemingly not bothered are my male GBR, my harlequin rasboras and my neons. Everything else just seems to be waiting to die, its so depressing. Its more like a graveyard than a fish tank. I have done another water change but the water is so cloudy.