SOS! Fish dying everyday

[h317]

It's been very tough on me for the last 2 weeks. I lost at least 20 fish over this period. I don't know why this happened and I am going to list all the possible causes I can think of here and hopefully someone can show me the right direction.

I bought 12 rummy nose at the beginning of the year and put them into the tank (yes, I should have quarantined them). Lost two the next 2 days. During those 2 days, I fed live blackworms (I rinse them once everday) to ALL the fish (Never done that before. I usually feed them to my disucs only) by spraying them over the tank. Then disaster struck, I lost at least two fish every day. Victims include: 7-8 cardinals, 7 rummy nose, 1 bristlenose. Today, I lost a khuli loach, a SAE and some more tetras.

During all this, I lost no invertebrates (zebra snails, wood shrimps and amano shrimps). I have not lost any of my 9 rasboras as well. My pair of discus still alive. Before this disaster, the tetras do have ick but not very serious.

I did lower my pH from 6.8 to 6.7 during that period (I have a pH controller). I do 33% water change every 3-4 days so nitrate should not be the cause. Temperature has been around 28-29. Plants are doing ok. :(

Please help. I may get to the point of giving up . Thank

[Chaos]

I have experience this in the past. It was due to the tank not being cycled. If the tank is not cycled, you will need to at least change 50% of the water everyday. The ammonia and nitrite swings is what kills the fish. I have a friend who had to return his complete collection of fish (about $250 worth of Rummys, Loaches, Plecos, Angels, Bala Shart, other tetras) in a frozen bag because of this. It takes about 6 weeks or more to cycle a fishless tank without any additives. Amono shrimp and snails did survived.

[Carol_Roberts]

Sounds to me like your Rummy Nose brought in a contagious disease and it ran like wildfire thru your tank with many deaths. My guess is that the invertebrates were immune to this pathogen. Perhaps the Rasboras were survivors of this from a prior time and immune too.

I don't know which disease they were carrying, but you said it yourself . . . "Yes, I should have quarantined them" :-\

Carol :heart1:

[h317]

I got my hands full now!

I have another tank (20G) of juvenile discus. When I checked them tonight, the ones that normally come to the front of the tank hid behind the sponge filter. The ones that used to be shy dashed across the tank madly. I hope I did not pass any disease from the show tank.

What should I do on the discus tank? Salt? How much? If medication is needed, what kind (I have General Cure and Heximita on hand)? I have raised the temperature to 31 (used to be 30).

Please help. Thanks.

For the discus tank-Raise the temp. to 32 degree and put some salt in the mean time. Don't forget to increase the aeration also. Wait till to-morrow when the store is open and get some Furan II and follow the direction on the package. Make a large water change before medicate your fish.
I'm sorry that I cannot give you direction on your planted show tank. I use fake plastic plant only. I'm free to do anything without killing my plastic plant. HTH
Jimmy.

[lion]

Hi H317

Do at least a 30% w/c everyday and add 2 tblsp salt p/10gallons

[h317]

Just to thank eveyone who offered help.

I followed Jimmy's instructions and, after a full course of Furan 2, five of the six discus come right to the front of the tank for food whenever I walk near it :D

I hope the other one with come through soon (it's not in dark color but just not interested in joining the group)

Once again, thanks.

Lawrence

[jim_shedden]

Lawrence : My advise to you is to keep Jimmy L's email address close by. I do.

Glad things are working out.

Jim