# dying one by one...



## Aquarius Keeper (Sep 22, 2008)

This is depressing - I thought I was really on top of this but they keep dying - I just watched my favorite fish die.

Aquarium finished cycling two weeks ago. I lost a khuli loach right away, then last night my upside-down catfish went belly up without warning (he had been acting lazy, I guess) this morning a female guppy added this week died, looked almost like she was hemorrhaging. That's when I noticed my guppies and my leaf fish had ich - so I used the recommended dose of rid ich. Shortly after my leaf fish (my favorite) started hanging around the surface, unusual for him. then he started thrashing about erratically before drifting to the bottom and slowly dying.

I think the loach and the guppy were already unhealthy, but the catfish and the leaf fish really bug me.

Here is more info - 30gallon fw, 76 degrees, ammonia & nitrite 0ppm, nitrate 10 ppm, ph 7.2 changed 25% of water tonight before using rid ich, and 10% four days ago, all water is conditioned before going into aquairum, no direct sunlight, surviving fish include blue dwarf gourami, 2 khulis, 7 glolight tetra, 3 guppies. flake food twice a day, also been throwing in some blackworms for the leaf fish, since he wasn't as speedy with the flakes.
 
Anybody have any advice? I didn't realize keeping fish alive was so hard...

Thanks,

Jonathan


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Am curious as to whether water parameter readings you posted were before or after water change? Also wonder what brand of conditioner you are using. That seems to me to be a lot of fish for a tank that was finished cycling only two weeks ago. Have you replaced the filters recently? It could be biological filter can't keep up with the number of fish. Are you using anything (chemicals) other than dechlorinator that detoxifys ammonia, chlorine, and chloramines? Is it possible you introduced a sick fish to the tank recently?Do you quarantine new fish ?


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## Aquarius Keeper (Sep 22, 2008)

1077 said:


> Am curious as to whether water parameter readings you posted were before or after water change? Also wonder what brand of conditioner you are using. That seems to me to be a lot of fish for a tank that was finished cycling only two weeks ago. Have you replaced the filters recently? It could be biological filter can't keep up with the number of fish. Are you using anything (chemicals) other than dechlorinator that detoxifys ammonia, chlorine, and chloramines? Is it possible you introduced a sick fish to the tank recently?Do you quarantine new fish ?



I tested the water after the 25% change done last night, but ammonia and nitrite have tested at zero consistently for two weeks, I don't think it's a bio-filter issue, - the tank is over-filtered. Conditioner is kordon novaqua, no other chemicals used in this tank, other than the rid ich that I put in last night.

Since I've only been stocking the tank for ten days, any of the fish could have been sick, in theory. Last week I brought home a female guppy and a school of tetra from petco, and that guppy was dead within days, so perhaps that's the culprit (this petco does not take very good care of it's fish).

I read somewhere that quarantine tanks are generally used for larger aquariums and more often for saltwater than for fresh, so I don't have one at present. 

So basically you think that's the issue? I introduced a sick fish and it's killing the others? Is there anything I can do at this point to prevent the plague spreading?

Thanks,

Jonathan


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## Amphitrite (Sep 8, 2006)

It's possible that one or more of the fish you introduced were already sick. What sort of test kit are you using?


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## Aquarius Keeper (Sep 22, 2008)

Amphitrite said:


> It's possible that one or more of the fish you introduced were already sick. What sort of test kit are you using?


API freshwater master kit. I'm thinking sick fish must be the culprit... are all my fish going to die now?


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

I hope your fish do not perish but sometimes they do despite our best efforts. Continue with your ich medication for fish that are affected and use no more than is recommended more is not better. I would also ask that you consider switching water conditioner to AMQUEL+ or PRIME. I would also monitor the water parameters closely for the next couple weeks and change the water only when ammonia spike is detected. I am not a fan of meds or chemicals in the tank so I cannot suggest or advise in that respect. But many fish can recover if water conditions are maintained. Trust me on the water conditioners mentioned for I am not sure that the one you are using is as effective as those I suggested.


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## Aquarius Keeper (Sep 22, 2008)

Thanks for the advice.

The conditioner I'm using, NOVAQUA+ is another Kordon dechlorinating product - doesn't have the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate removal of AMQUEL+, and has some health boosters instead.

Do you think it's necessary to have a quarantine for a 30g freshwater tank? In any case, I think I'm not going to buy anymore fish at petco...


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## Amphitrite (Sep 8, 2006)

I would say that a quarantine tank is necessary wherever new fish are going to be introducted to existing ones, no matter what size the tank. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that your remaining fish are okay


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## Aquarius Keeper (Sep 22, 2008)

Okay, I'll look into getting one ... so are you talking about a cycled tank that always has a filter running?

It's tricky because I'm about out of surface space in my tiny apartment, and I'd need to create two, one fresh and one brackish...


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

It is also helpful to be able to identify healthy fish. You do not want fish that are cowering in the corner of the fish store aquarium, you do not want fish whose fins are clamped. healthy fishes fins should be erect and fish should be swimming about especially schooling fish. You do not want fish with lumps or abnormal growths on the body. same with open sores or wounds. Fishes eyes should be clear not cloudy. You do not want fish that are breathing rapidly, more so than their tank mates. You NEVER want fish from a tank that contains dead fish. This not only indicates poor care but possible disease as well. Ask questions! how long have fish been in the tank? What water parameters are in the store tank? temp? what foods are offered. And lastly, try not to buy fish on impulse. Take the time to research the fishes needs water parameters, foods, compatibilitywith your other fish, and what size the fish is capable of reaching so as not to buy a fish that will out grow its tank before you can provide a suitable one. Hope some of this helps.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

hi
how are things going ?


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