Why Do They Keep Dying?

[Brouss29]

First all the background info:

Tank size: 55gal
pH:7.6
ammonia:0
nitrite:0
nitrate:10
Hardness:120
Alkalinity:180
Ph:7.6
tank temp:78F

I have a Magnum 350 filter with bio wheels and I use the carbon basket.
I do weekly 30% water changes.
The tank has been set up for a year.

Current Tank Inhabitants:
1 pleco
1 pictus cat
4 Zebra Danios
1 Dwarf Gourami

Over the past two months I have lost three Dwarf Gouramis and an angelfish

Gourami 1 had popeye: I removed him from the tank and treated with antibiotic, within a week the eye went back to normal, he started eating and acting normal again so I put him back in the tank and he died two days later.

Gourami 2 had a white moldy loking spot (columnaris?) and he was treated with antibiotics. Within a few days he got very bloated and died.

Gourami 3 stopped eating became sluggish and died a few days later.

I waited a month after the Gourami's were gone, watched the current tank inhabitants, watched my water parameters. I then brought home 1 dwarf Gourami and 1 angelfish. When I got home I noticed the angelfish fins were nipped. He ate well and was pretty active so I decided not to return him.

He didn't eat last night and died today. There were no external signs of illness. The existing gourami looks healthy and is eating well.

I am open to any suggestions you have, I really enjoy keeping fish but I'm getting very frustrated.

Is it possible that there is some kind of illness in my tank that doesn't effect the danios, pleco or cat?

Thanks for all your help in advance!

 

[teaker1s]

internal bacterial infection possibly

 

[FBF]

all the illness that you mention can all be traced back to water maintenance. how often do you carry out a water change and how much do you change each time? treating a problem with a medication is the first mistake people always make..

"this will fix that.. problem solved"

but the fact is that theres always a cause that really needs to be addressed or the medication is pointless.

 

[teaker1s]

10 ppm nitrate isn't high, have you researched your speices for water hardness requirements

 

[Brouss29]

FBF:

I do 30% weekly is this enough?

 

[tttnjfttt]

Most of the problems you list sound like bacterial infections. Did you quarentine the new fish before introducing them? Was it possible thye were sick when you brought them home from the LPS?

Your harness does sound very hard. Maybe it would help to use some RO water mixed in wiht your tap water to decrease the hardness. That may help with your overall fish halth in the long run.

 

[IceH2O]

His hardness isn't high..Its about 7

the 120 is a ppm to find the degrees you take that number 120 and divide it by 17.9 which comes out to 6.7 or so.

Since your akalinity and hardness are being written out in ppms I'm assuming you're using strip tests. They aren't very accurate. Invest in a test tube kit they are more reliable. Aquaruim Pharmacuticals is the easiest and best I've used.


Are you acclimating them or just dropping them into the tank?
Angels and Gourmais prefer a more acidic water, below 7, but with proper acclimating they will adjust.

If you are acclimating them then try doing it a little slower, another hour in the bag won't hurt them.

 

[Brouss29]

Update

I don't think the Gourami will last the night. He's swimming around like he has no control. The water levels are still the same as my last post. The Zebras, pleco and the cat are still fine. I will get a better hardness tester to clarify if I have hard water or not.

Is there something else I should be testing for?

Is the 30% weekly water changes enough?

Is it possible that there is some kind of infection that is in my tank that doesn't bother the other fish?

I'm really reaching here because I love fish keeping and I feel horrible that they keep dying.

Please help me I'm getting very discouraged and I'm tired of having to explain to my son why his fish keep disapearing.

I am open to any suggestions you may have.

Thank You,
Jessica

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Update

I don't think the Gourami will last the night. He's swimming around like he has no control. The water levels are still the same as my last post. The Zebras, pleco and the cat are still fine. I will get a better hardness tester to clarify if I have hard water or not.

Is there something else I should be testing for?

Is the 30% weekly water changes enough?

Is it possible that there is some kind of infection that is in my tank that doesn't bother the other fish?

I'm really reaching here because I love fish keeping and I feel horrible that they keep dying.

Please help me I'm getting very discouraged and I'm tired of having to explain to my son why his fish keep disapearing.

I am open to any suggestions you may have.

Thank You,
Jessica

The fish all appear to have died from bacterial infections, what antibiotics/meds are you using exactly or have used to treat them? Your tank sounds fine other than that, a 30% weekly water change with dechlorinator is fine and should be more than aqequate for your tank and its stocking . How did you go about acclimatising the new fish to the tank and for how long, plus how long did it take to transport them from the petshop to your tank?

 

[Brouss29]

I treated the first fish (the one with pop eye) with antbiotic fish food. His eye got better and then he died. The next one died too fast for me to treat. I was using melafix when the angelfish died and the last Gourami got sick. He's still hanging on, I'm feeding him antibiotic food in an in-tank quarantine. He spends most of his time floating on his side at the top. Should I euthanize or is there a chance he'll recover?

Is it possible that the bacterial infections are secondary to an internal parasite? I read something that it is common for Dwarf gourami's to have internal paracites. Maybe it's something doesn't affect the zebras, cat and pleco. Maybe I could treat the tank with an anti parasite medication before trying again? I am in the process of setting up my 10 gal as a quarantine. Would there be any harm in giving new fish antiparasite food while in the quarantine tank?

I don't think the hardness is my problem because my first 2 gourami's were thriving until I added the third (he must have been carrying something).

The last two fish I got home within 10 minutes. Floated in the tank for 20 min. Added tank water to the bag and waited another 10 min and then put him in the tank.

Any ideas or suggestions are welcome

 

[WILDER]

Yes the can get bacteria infections on top of parasites it common, but what makes you think they have internal parasites.

 

[Brouss29]

Wilder: I'm really reaching here, just trying to figure this out.

It seems like all the fish that have died have had a variety of symptoms.
Anitbiotics don't seem to be working.
Whatever is going on is contagious (but not to the other fish?)
Gourami #2 got very bloated before he died.
Gourami #1 (with popeye) antibiotics cured his popeye but he died anyway.
The last gourami has been eating antibiotic food for 4 days and doesn't look any better.

 

[WILDER]

What antibiotic are you using.
Plus just ask a member this so i will ask you as you have alot bacterial problems.
A mature tank should smell earthy like a peat smell.
If you have a bad bacteria infection in your tank it can smell awful, like rotten eggs, or sulphur.

 

[Brouss29]

Here is the description of the antibiotic food I've been using:

Anti-Bacteria contains sodium sulfathiazole and nitrofurazone to help control internal bacterial infections as well as external infection, open sores, ulcers, columnaris and fin rot.

I've used melafix in the tank. Removed carbon filtration, used for 7 days, followed dosage on package.

Tank doesn't smell like rotten eggs or sulfer.

Should I try a stronger antibiotic?
Is it possible that the zebras, cat and pleco are hardier fish and this is why it doesn't bother them?

Thanks for all your help,
Jessica

 

[WILDER]

Just not affecting the others that's all, gouramis are prone to bacterial infections.
Need an antibiotic like tetracycline as it a gram negative and gram positive med.
But best to issolate as it wipes bacteria colony out in the filter.
Increase aeration and turn temp up.


Tetracycline
Manufacturer: Aquatronics
A broad-spectrum antibiotic used in the treatment of gram-positive and some gram-negative bacterial infections. For infections of fin and tail rot, frayed fins, popeye, inflamed gills, mouth and body open sores/ulcers, livebearer disease, dropsy, Columnaris, and secondary infections such as fungal. Specific for livebearers and goldfish. Aerate the aquarium well when using. Useful for the control of some common bacterial diseases, including Aeromonias and Pseudomonas Genera and the Mysobacterial group.