Strange Fungus Infection

[ElaAlex]

Hi, need urgent help with fungal infection of my tank. I lost 5 fish in the last 7 days and absolutely devestated. Some fish (rainbow, synodontis, neon tetras and plec seem uneffected). Fish lost were all Ram's, but swordtail is also becoming reclusive with occasional erratic swimming behaviour, but no other changes on body yet. Had also some weird fungal growth in tank. Odd white patches and stringy looking carpet like growth. Tried to get rid via gravel cleaner and scrubbing aquarium interior, but is coming back after couple of days.


Tank size: 60l
pH: 6.9
ammonia:0
nitrite:0
nitrate:30
kH:6
gH:8
tank temp:26

Fish Symptoms: very lethargic, stopped swimming around/staying in one spot, fins are clamped with cotton like shows, one poorly ram is now showing a small white patch on side of body hence my suspicion of fungal disease.
Volume and Frequency of water changes: 10% every week

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: have been using Myxazin for 2 days and started using pimafix since yesterday to treat fungus. Have also added 2 tbsp of salt and increased temperature to 28 degrees to get rid of fungus

Tank inhabitants: swordtail, celebs rainbow, blue rams, neon tetra, 3 shrimp, Five striped barbs, guppy, bristelnose, dwarf loach, synodontist, plec

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): 1 Golden Ram 2 wks ago


Can anyone recognize the fungus and symptoms? Would be very grateful for some advise?

Thanks,

Ela

 

[fluttermoth]

Hi there, welcome to the forum and sorry to hear of your troubles.

Sorry, but I need to ask a lot more questions of you so we can get to the root of the problem.

How long have you had the tank running and was it cycled?

Who's doing your tests, and what test kit are they using? I'm immediately suspicous of any set of test results that come back as having zero nitrate; I have some of the best tap water in the UK and even mine shows 5 or 10ppm, and 20 or 30ppm in my tanks.

Most of the health problems sound like they're related to poor water quality, so I'd do a 50% water change every day (warmed, dechlorinated water, of course) for a week and see how things look.

You're also quite badly overstocked, I'm afraid to say, which won't be helping. The synodontis and the plec (whatever species it is) definitely grow far too large for a 60l tank.

 

[This Old Spouse]

+1

Also, you should actually drop the temp in the tank, not increase it when you're dealing with this stuff. It sounds like the same stuff I had which is not actually fungus but a bacterial problem, and it doesn't like cooler temps.

 

[ElaAlex]

Hi there,

Many thanks for your response. In regards to the water testing; I use the stick tests once a week. Nitrite is always white, Nitrate is slightly coloured, but maybe due to the fertiliser I add weekly as I have quite a few plants in the tank.
I had the tank since March this year and all the fish were added in a 3 month period. I was planning to get a 90l tank shortly, but now hesitating as I have two internal filters in my current tank and worried they are infected as well. I guess I could cycle it for 2 month and transfer the fish then (if any are left).

Will try the daily water change. Any idea about the fungal growth in the tank? Could it be algae?

Thanks again for all your comments.

 

[This Old Spouse]

We've found that the strip tests are notoriously inaccurate. You should really buy a liquid test kit, such as Nutrafin, Salifert or even an API master test kit (the least reliable according to folks here, but still better than paper strips).

Daily water changes are definitely in order and won't harm your fish.

You should have a nitrate reading of somewhere less than 100 ppm (this argument continues) but your nitrite and ammonia levels should always be at 0.

Can you post a photo of the "fungal growth" in your tank? It would really help.

 

[ElaAlex]

Quick update on my tank issues.

I tested the water again before and after the water change again with a Interpet kit and no issues. Nitrite is 0, Nitrate is ~30, ph >7

Got rid again with growth of fungus or algae with gravel cleaner and done 20% water change. One of my Ram's is still suffering and very withdrawn. She also has a small growth of a cotton like patch on the side of her body. However, as she is still going strong, I am hopefull she is pulling through as the treatments seemed to work. I added an Indian Almond Leave as well just to help the recovery. Will continue with Myxazin and Pimafix and adding salt durin water changes.

I am wondering if the growth in the tank (whatever it is - fungus or algae) is actually effecting the oxygin levels hence the rapid fish loss last week. Today, I added a small dose of the "Green Algae Control" from King British just in case it is algae after all.

Again, any comments and advise very welcome as I am still a newcomer to the tropical fishkeeping.

Cheers

 

[fluttermoth]

What's your ammonia level?

Please don't add salt; it's very, very bad for rams who need very, very clean warm, soft water to thrive. I would up your water changes to 25 or 30% every day for a few days. Plenty of good, clean water is the best medicine.

You should use one med rather than trying to mix; I have no faith in Pimafix once infection has taken hold (although it and Melafix maybe useful as a preventative, if your fish have a physical wound, to stop the fungus taking hold); I'd keep up with the Myxazin and forget everything else.

 

[ElaAlex]

Hi there, Many thanks for the advise about the salt - something I did not know. I cannot detect any ammonia in the water. I checked just before todays 20% water change. My female Ram is improving; the white patch is still there but here dorsal fin is up now. Her caudal fin is still clamped up, but she even started eating today (gave some frozen blood worm).
What is your oppinion of the Green Algae control medicine? Also, you mentioned my plec and synodontists (1 pair) will get too big for my current 60l tank. My new tank is a Fluval Studio 900 (190l). Do you think this will work for them?

 

[fluttermoth]

I wouldn't use anything in my tanks, apart from dechlorinator. Most algae problem can be solved by reducing the amount of light the tank gets.

Your new tank should be fine for the synos; I can't really say for the plec as it depends what species it is; some can get to 18"/2 feet, so if it's one of those, even a 190l won't be big enough long term.

 

[ElaAlex]

I have one clown plec, who I believe won't grow beyond 10cm. Thanks again for the help.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Which Synodontis catfish do you have? This family contains fish that can be fully grown at 6cm in tanks all the way up to beyond 30cm, plus only a select few will tolerate other Synodontis tankmates of the same type or other species (eg. nigriventris; contracta; decora; flavitaeniata; alberti), while others are down right nasty and will kill similar catfish and other tankmates that like the tank floor.

 

[HayzH]

Which Synodontis catfish do you have? This family contains fish that can be fully grown at 6cm in tanks all the way up to beyond 30cm, plus only a select few will tolerate other Synodontis tankmates of the same type or other species (eg. nigriventris; contracta; decora; flavitaeniata; alberti), while others are down right nasty and will kill similar catfish and other tankmates that like the tank floor.

sorry to jump in...but out of intrest which is the catfish that is fully grown at 6cm?

 

[ElaAlex]

Hi there, I have 2 synodontist petricola. Have had them since May and currently look very happy. A slight concern of mine is that I just discovered they prefer very alkine water and my tank is mainly inhabited by rams hence a <7 ph.

Still struggeling with my filter. I had an internal Powerfilter initially,that alwasy cut out. I then added a Fluval to mature in case the PF cuts out again. I now decided to through the Pf out and just relying on the Fluval filter. However, the strength of the flow is very weak and its really just trickeling. My question; is this normal?

 

[ElaAlex]

ok, filter issue sorted as I just done a 20% water change and checked the filter. Middle bit with biological granuals were blocked - the flow is now much better.

Have started a shrimp tank (30l) and put my 3 tetras in to lighten the load the 60l tank had to deal with. I always liked the cherry shrimp, but keep dying on me. Any advise?

 

[ElaAlex]

Got to the bottom of my "strange fungus infection" - its actually Cyanobacteria. Has anybody any experience with this? Don't want to use antibiotics as I heard this will harm some sensitive fish. Help?