# Help!!! Fish scratching and dying



## Lawn Man (Nov 8, 2010)

I have a 55 Gallon tank and have 2 Guppies and 3 sword fish left. Some have died with the main symptom that they are rubbing them selves on things in the tank. They soon die. They do not have any white spots or any other symptoms. I have tried ick meds and even fungus med. Nothing helps. I have salt in the tank and have tried raising the water temp to 85 86 for about 3 days. This is all stressing my fish even more. This has been going on for about three weeks now. The tank is not over crowded and have massive filtration. I have several baby swordfish in a breeder 
Ph 7.6
Amonia 0
Nitite 0
Nitrate 0
I do water changes very reguler


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## Chicklet (Feb 9, 2009)

Why are these being kept in a saltwater setup.
You've posted in this section so ones left to only assume,

Scratching on objects is either a parasite or something irritating them in the water,

Salt can actually be irritating and is why fish create a thicker slime coat.

These fish certainly do not need to be in a saltwater setup/


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

I moved this thread to the freshwater section. I think(?) this is where you meant to put it, since you are keeping freshwater fish, but are adding salt to the tank as a "treatment". 
Were it me, I would do a massive water change in order to remove the salt. Nearly all freshwater fish are stressed by salt content in a freshwater system, as stated by Chicklet. 
Is this tank planted? I ask because I see you do not have a nitrate reading, which would seem unusual in an unplanted tank. How long has this tank been set up??
If your fish have internal parasites Ich meds and Fungus meds will not solve the problem. Are your remaining fish eating well/pooping well??


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## Lawn Man (Nov 8, 2010)

Sorry did not know I put this in the saltwater section I am new to your site.... I have salt added to the tank that would be normal for a freshwater setup.....I have no live plants in the tank but do alot of water changes.......My question is that I have no symtoms but that the fish are scratching on things in the tank but have no white spots or other apparent external symotoms....Would internal parasites cause this?? Thanx Yes they do well until they get worse then they hide and eventually die


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