My fish just died! Help!

[DreaminginBlue]

One of my red wag platies, which I've had for two days, just died. He was hiding in the plants as he had been, and I assumed he was just shy, but then he shot to the surface and I saw that he had white slime all over the bottom of his body. He started rolling over and swimming around frantically, and he stayed near the surface. I quickly netted him and put him in a small bowl to try to help him, but he died.
I thought he might have been sick when I saw him pooping stringy white poop the first day I brought him home, but the medicine hasn't shipped yet and I wasn't able to treat him.
What was wrong with him? Is it ich?
I have another platy and four tetras in the tank. Will they be okay? I don't have a quarantine tank, so I can't take them out.
I'm really upset and scared and I don't and I don't know what to do.


Update: I was looking in the tank for the other platy to see if he was okay, and I found a piece of wood covered in white slime. Should I be worried?

 

[coralbandit]

If it looked fuzzy then a fungus issue.
If it did not look fuzzy I would treat tank for columnaris.
There are many links this disease.Most I link are like 4 page boring science crap...
This one is decent on info and to the reader;
http://www.myaquariumclub.com/columnaris-and-what-i-have-learned...-1689.html
How old is the tank?
Do you do your own test kit ,and know your parameters?
Don't get more fish until at least 30 days of healthy tank [completely].
The slime on the wood is unrelated to the fish issue I guarantee it.
What meds did you order for the fish.

 

[DreaminginBlue]

Tank is three days old. I have a test kit and parameters look fine yesterday and the day before, other than PH and GH being a little high. Will test again in a bit.
Turns out my mom didn't order the meds so we're going to the fish store now, what medicine should I get? I was thinking of Tetra or Jungle LifeGuard...

 

[nirbhao]

If it looked fuzzy then a fungus issue.
If it did not look fuzzy I would treat tank for columnaris.
There are many links this disease.Most I link are like 4 page boring science crap...
This one is decent on info and to the reader;
http://www.myaquariumclub.com/columnaris-and-what-i-have-learned...-1689.html
How old is the tank?
Do you do your own test kit ,and know your parameters?
Don't get more fish until at least 30 days of healthy tank [completely].
The slime on the wood is unrelated to the fish issue I guarantee it.
What meds did you order for the fish.

She has a thread about why she has fish in the tank right now- http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/showthread.php?t=353300

Dreamin, the biggest issue you're facing here is that your tank is cycling. I do suspect there are parasite issues as well, but there's a reason that fish-in cycles are now considered inhumane.

I'm sorry you lost your fish. I know you are doing your best. Even doing your best, you might lose more fish. Keep asking questions, though.