# Need help with Swordtail.



## Amatrine (Apr 23, 2012)

I just got a 55 gallon tank from my brother. We removed most of the water, and moved it here. 
The next day all the little fish in it died. The swordtails remained and the two catfish. One of the catfish died too a few days later. 

After a couple days we went and bought some silver mollies . They died the the next day. 
I went back to pets mart and they said others were complaining about the silver mollies dying. 

Next we got some tetras and platies and black mollies. 

The female swordtail got cotton spots on her and died. I looked it up and thought it was cotton disease. I treated the tank with medication. Now the male has it. Then all the fish starting getting swim bladder. 

I fed them peas and that part went away. Then a black molly turned silver and died. Eyes clouded. 

I thought, ICK. Treated tank. All fish now are doing great, BUT the swordtail. He still has the cotton stuff on his mouth, he will not eat. He has skin flaking off. 

My water is all safe, except that it is hard. Some nitrate but in safe area. 

I have put in a new filter after using medications. He has not eaten in a week and has been hiding in the log. He came out yesterday finally but is still not eating. I do not know what else to do. 

I am doing a weekly 25 percent water change. We have a hot magnum water filter. that is very powerful. Now on one note , his fins were looking kinda green spots, but that has healed. 

The only thing I have not checked is ammonia, I have nothing to check it with and this point out of money for this week on buying so much fish stuff, but it was ammonia, I would think others would be sick too. 

Only thing new, I bought a new heater. The one my brother had was broke and water was to cold. 
Now water is at 80. Should I lower it a bit, and can the tetras handle that?


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

oh boy your moving too fast.don't add anymore fish.is there gravel in the tank?from what i'm reading in your post it tells me the water is either very dirty that's how the get cotton wool and cloudy eyes or your fish died of ammonia poisoning and the medication only made it worst.how many fish do you have left? if it is not many move them some where clean strip the tank give it a good wash then start the cycling process again


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

The water should be at about 76F. 80F is much too hot. It's not helping your fish, just the fungus.

Do you have a separate container to put the swordtail in?

In general the best medication is clean water.. I'd run a 60-70% change for them right now.

Has the tank been cycled properly? 
If you have a new filter, I'm guessing you restarted the nitrogen cycle all over. Your tetra will probably not survive the new cycle.
How are the nitrItes? That's what I'm concerned about...


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## Amatrine (Apr 23, 2012)

No , water not dirty. Those fish lived a long time before they got moved here. I think when we introduced the silver mollies that died fast, they brought something into the tank. Especially when the petmart lady said others complained they were dying after they bought them to. Maybe something in that tank water, when mixed in mine, contaminated it. 

I clean the tank each weekend, not that much waste or dirt, water runs pretty clear. I turned the temp down. 

I plan on getting an ammonia tester today, will see if that is a problem in our water here. 
I know our water is not the best. I have had yellow water in my tub sometimes. I live in a rural are next to farms, and its Arzona water. Very hard.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Livebearers do fine in hard water. The tetra will have shortened lifespans however.
A fungus is caused by a weakened slime coat, which would be do to improper conditions.
I'm suspecting ammonia might be high.
Is the tank cycled?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Amatrine (Apr 23, 2012)

Yeah it is. Tetras are doing great so far, in fact they are doing the best. I also use water conditioner, and I use the stuff that cancels out chlorine when I add new water. 

My daughter is on the way to pets mart rite now with a water sample to test the ammonia. That is the last thing I have not tested. 

One thing, My brother was using an anti anti algae stuff in the tank, and when I read the bottle said for salt water only, maybe it did something . 

There were no sick fish though until those silver mollies. If not ammonia , then I will be thinking bacterial. 
Will find out here real shortly. I did add a pinch of salt for the mollies. (black mollies doing fine) 

Like I said after the two medications we used, and feeding peas for the swimbladder, all fish were doing great except the swordtail. The sword tails were also the ONLY ones to have that cotton stuff on mouth. 
But why then did the cotton medication not work , unless its not that at all.... around around I go. Lets see what this ammonia test says .

I do not have another tank to separate him.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Could you offer us a nice photo to see? 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Amatrine (Apr 23, 2012)

I tried to take a picture of the sword, but the white stuff is so small and clear it wont show in photo. Now my photo streaming is not working. Will check in later


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## Amatrine (Apr 23, 2012)

oko trying photos. :


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## Amatrine (Apr 23, 2012)

one more


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## Amatrine (Apr 23, 2012)

still a bit green from meds


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## Amatrine (Apr 23, 2012)

amonia is negative. Water all test good. I do see in that blown up photo that he appears to have a blister.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Hmmm. I'm not totally sure. Kind of at a loss, sorry.


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

did you wash the gravel when you got home? did you know when you move the tank and it contains gravel that has been sitting in the tank for a long time you'll release toxins when you add water without cleaning the gravel properly.if you did clean the gravel properly did you use old water,de-chlorinated water or just pipe water? there is a difference.how about the filter how was it washed? i'm sorry to ask too many question but theres a few things we need to rule out as a would be cause


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