Help - Fish are dying

[builderguy]

Help!

I bought a bunch of fish last weekend and they're in QT, but they are dying one by one with no visible sign of disease. They just start having a hard time swimming and breathing then gone. It happens in less than a day each time. So far I have lost 4 of the 7 fish! Anyone know what it could be?

I treated for a few days with Formalin 3, then put carbon in to suck it out and switched to Melafix antibacterial and antifungal.

 

[n8rad]

Is your QT tank cycled? Cause if not, ammonia and nitrites are probably the cause.

 

[builderguy]

Nope...tested for Ammonia...nada

I put a large filter sponge that I keep in my fuge in the QT to seed it and have a bio-wheel running.

The first fish died within 24 hours of purchase.

I think it might be some type of gill parasite...but the Formallin should have knocked that out.

 

[matttaylor]

What size is the qt tank, and what type of fish? What is the tanks temp and ph? Do you have any means of keeping oxygen levels high (ie: skimmer. airstone)?

You haven't provided us with enough information to even come close to an educated guess. Please elaborate on the qt setup and water parameters.

Matt

 

[pbetito]

It really sounds like velvet IMO. It strikes much faster than ich and is very difficult to see. It also spreads quickly and wipes out an entire tank. You can find cures for it on the fish disease forum. Although it does leave a tiny white film on the fish, It is fairly impossible to see with the naked eye. Best of luck!

 

[miracles38]

I really think it depends on the size of the the qt. 7 fish is a lot. Remember that they are allready stressed from all the catching shipping and handling and then if you put 7 of them in a small qt they will just be more stressed and likely die. I have found that only one or two fish in qt at a time is very helpful. Gives them time regain their strength and health without competition and heirarchy.

 

[pbetito]

Great point Kim.

 

[builderguy]

Okay...more details:

It's a 37 gallon tank with a HOB Bio-wheel filter with filter floss but no carbon. The water temperature is 81 degrees. PH is 8.2 and no detectable ammonia.

The fish:

Ribbon Wrasse about 2-1/2" long - DEAD
4 Cardinal Fish - 2 Dead
1 Coral Beauty - Still alive
1 Midas Blenny about 5" long - very cool - still alive.


I'm thinking about putting a UV sterlizer on the tank (I have one in the garage) and hooking up my Remora Pro.

 

[Justin74]

Im still suspicsious of an amonia spike. Just because it is undetectable doesnt mean there wasnt any. By the time you catch up to it with your test kit it could've already broken down to nitrites. If there is any nitrites, best believe there was amonia.

A gill parasite would not wipe your fish out within 24 hours. Amonia would. To put 7 fish in any tank at one time is banking on amonia. Even though bioligical filtration is in place it is certainly not established, nor heavily populated. Takes time to build up the population for a sucessfull biological filter. To throw a handfull of fish at once means the bacteria has to continue to populate in order to "catch up" with all the waste that is being produced. Until that happens the biolode is out of whack, and fish will drop off one by one til that balanced is reached. That's why in any tank it's a good idea to just add 1-2 fish at a time.

Parasites usually takes a week to a couple months before consuming there host and there mortality.

Upon getting ANY fish I highly recommend a FW dip with Formalin matched to the tank's pH for up to a minute, depending on the vigor of the fish. This will scurge the fish of most nasties that otherwise could harm the fish. I wont add a fish without doing that, and have seen the difference with mortality rates, pretty major IMO.

-Justin

 

[builderguy]

Hmmm...I'll do a major water change on the tank tonight...10 gallons. Then test for nitrite and nitrates as well.

 

[Justin74]

I wouldnt sweat the nitrates, I would just go on assuming that they were there. But not a bad idea at al to test for nitrites though, that will give you an idea if there may have been amonia, and will definately tell you if your system will have nitrates.

I wouldnt worry about dipping any fish out of the current crew that may still be alive. The stress would surely push them over the edge. But any new fish you plan on adding, I highly recommend the FW formalin dip for future additions.

Also on a further note if you do dips and medications do them outside of the QT. This way you can bank that your not dessimating any biological activity and growth with any of these medications. Basically I'd use a bucket to dip, and the QT as a holding system for watching and waiting and allow for the fish's health to recouperate.

Good luck Tom!

-Justin

 

[builderguy]

Thanks Justin

 

[rafael13]

I agree with Justin, a QT has to be well established in order to support that many fish.
On the other hand ask any LFS how many fish they lose every shipment, it might just be that the fish were doom before you even got them

 

[Underwaterparadise]

Have the fish ever eaten since you purchased them? Any idea where they were collected from? Sounds like a possible cyanide issue but could be ammonia as others have mentioned

 

[builderguy]

They eat until they start to die. I bought the Wrasse & Coral Beauty from Exotic and the rest from Aquaworx.

 

[builderguy]

I think the Wrasse may have had Velvet and that may be spreading...stress making the fish more suseptible. I'm going to do a water change, then add Coppersafe and a few other prophylactic medications.

 

[plankton]

builderguy - I was gunna ask the same question: what are the levels of Ammonia and Nitrite as both are toxic.

Copper and/or very brief fresh water dips can help treat parasites, but if ick that is a different matter... Lots of good articles on webwebmedia (Fenner, Calfo, et al).

Good luck.

Scott

 

[builderguy]

The three fish that survived are doing well. They are active and eating. I am using copper, metafix, and pemafix at this point. Ammonia was still zero, but Nitrites were at 1.0...so there must have been a spike. I did a water change and everyone seems happy.

 

[builderguy]

Ohh...and I did a dose of Malachite Green after the water change...I think it saved the cardinal fish...but he does have a fairly large discoloration/spot (size of your small fingernail) on his side...not sure what that is.

 

[philter4]

Be careful of the malachite, it is a form of copper and very toxic to fish as well as parasites, they may handle it ok normally, but you said they were dying and stressed.