All fish struck down with mystery ailments Help Please!

[Ze_Zoe!]

My Friend has not long ago started up a rather large aquarium with all sorts of fish in it. She rang me tonight as they are all "lethargic"
She says she came home and they were fine she fed them and went out for dinner when she got back the following had happened:
Neon Tetras had lost colour gone entirely blue
Kissing Gouramis were just floating at the top of the tank
Guppie one had a black dot in it's stomach and it had turned red
All the rest asst Danios, silver sharks etc were all basically floating none were swimming.

She said that her suckerfish which was a catfish of some form had died a couple days ago and she had left it in for the snails to eat, she has since removed it. But she really has no idea about fish and I can't help her much as I have never had this problem she has checked PH and temp all are fine.

I have told her to do a half tank change but if anyone knows something I don't please let me know.

THANKS!!!!

 

[Terry]

Could you please get your friend to check what the parameters of the tank are ( ie.. Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate ) once we know what they are we can go from there.

 

[Allivymar]

Hiya and welcome to Aquariumadvice Ze_Zoe!

Sure sounds like ammonia poisoning. I agree with Terry; get her to test her water for ammonia/nitrites/nitrates. Always the first place to start. And good call on the water change.

 

[Ze_Zoe!]

Hi Terry,

She doesn't own a test kit for the parameters she was told that if her PH is standard every time and she doesn't have to raise or lower it that she doesn't need to buy the a/n/n test kits. I own one but the problem is getting over to her, I'll see what I can do tonight if I finish work early.