Unknown Illness Killing Fish Off

[muppet99]

Over the last week or so we have lost about 7 fish from our big tank!

I thought I had found the problem after the 1st 4 or 5 died (no clues as to why they died at the time, just got home from work and they were floating - nothing was visible on them) when I realised that the pre-filter material had got completely blocked solid within about 3 days after changing it.

However, since then I have done one 1/3 to 1/2 water change and another 20%ish change and all seemed to be well in the tank (no visible illnesses on any of the fish) until we noticed that one of the clown loaches seemed to have what looked like red scratches around its mouth.

I netted the clown immediately and temporarily placed it into a measuring jug (filled with the tank water and nothing else) and within 5 mins it had died completely.

Today we have just found a blue neon dead at the filter inlet and another black neon that looks like it has the same red marks as the clown loach had.

The red marks do not look like any of the illnesses described on here and everywhere else that we have looked.

Please can anyone suggest anything that we can try before we lose anything else?

The water parameters are not great at the moment with high nitrates (another big water change will be taking place tomorrow to try and get the levels lower) - all other levels are normal.

 

[WILDER]

The red marks on the fish sound like septicemia and once its progressed it hard to cure.
You will need a bacterial med.
Probably due to the filter getting clogged and causing bad water quality.

http/www.fishtanksandponds.info/care-mai...septicaemia.htm

 

[muppet99]

Not too sure if it is or not - the 'scratch' marks were very thin (almost as if the fishes blood vessels were visible) and there was no other abnormal signs.

The 2 fish that we've seen like this were both normal size and shape and apart from the 'scrtach' marks looked normal.

The marks seemed confined to the mouth area - nothing further back than the gills and certainly nothing like the image on the link you posted.

If it is what you suggested, what medication would be needed?

 

[WILDER]

Septicemia can show it self in many ways, streaking of fins, and also red veining will find you more info.

 

[i_ganjaman]

i agree with wilder,filter not working so perhaps a build up of rubbish on the substrate

 

[WILDER]

You will still need a bacterial med for the mouth.
Look under septicemia.
Is the mouth really red or just marks there.
http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm

Any small blood pimples on the fish.

A fish with septicmia its a cory.
http/www.2cah.com/pandora/[email protected]

 

[muppet99]

OK, it must be septicemia!

Is there any medication that is available without having to go and find a vet to see if I can get some Oxytetracycline Hydrochloride Powder which seems to be the only medication that I can find references to?

 

[WILDER]

Anti internal bacteria med by interpet, but to be honet it might not be strong enough, but i will still add it as it needs a med in the tank.

No 9 Anti Internal Bacteria 100ml
ANTI INTERNAL BACTERIA No 9 : Cures diseases with symptoms such as bacterial gillrot, dropsy, ulcers and septicaemia

For use with coldwater and tropical fish in marine or freshwater systems



http/www.lifeforceonline.co.uk/fish_dise...product590.html

 

[juicebox]

two of my goldfish once had septicemia; i used maracyn-two by mardel and it cured them quickly.

good luck!