Dying, two tanks

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TracyRee

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jun 26, 2004
Messages
47
Location
USA
Two tanks involved as I started the second tank off of the first tanks filter media.

First death was about 3 weeks ago. My German Ram. No noticed symptoms. Two days later my other german ram and two male guppies died with no noticed symptoms proceeding death.

So. I had been cycling a tank from the first one's media at this time and moved by female guppy and her fry to that new tank after it cycled. All was well with that tank until yesterday. Ten 3 week old fry dropped dead. Mother not eating and just hanging out at top. 0 ammonia. 0 nitrite 5 nitrate and 7.2 pH Temp 78 degrees

Was hoping the german rams death was a fluke as that original tanks water tested fine as well. pH always a little high, 7.2, but stable. Replaced rams and within 2 days they started acting sick and have been dying. Their symptoms are these white growths on head and lateral line. I diagnosed hexamita and starter API General Cure Sunday night. Only one of the three rams is alive and it doesn't look long for this world. The growths, not eating and swollen abdomen are it's symptoms.
The neon rainbows in that tank are fine. Two of the black skirts are fine, one has white feces.

So. Think Hexamita caused the guppy deaths? They shouldn't have been under any stress at all. Large tank, well fed, great parameters.... I started that tank of the general cure yesterday


Now after all that, my question is, after this ram dies as it looks like it will, how do I safely get new rams? I won't buy from our lfs again as I have researched and realize the imported rams have little chance as they are medicated and all. But my guppies succumbed to it and they were perfecty healthy.

Ideas? Maybe wrong diagnosis?
 
I think your diagnosis might have been wrong. It sounds more like Columnaris.
Consider a big 50% WC, with gravel vac, try to save the remaining tankmates.
 
Picture of the ram with white growths would help.
I breed top notch rams and ship around the country.
Need to get your tank straight first though.
 
Thanks for helping. (I'm super excited to hear you breed rams. Been looking for a trusted source) It'll be a few weeks before I'm ready, I want to get this 100% solved before adding anything.

So last ram died. The API General Cure was either not the right medicine, or it was too late.

The neon rainbows look great. The one black skirt tetra looks bloated on one side now.

The rams all went through the exact symptoms. Each started with on white thing on middle of head. It was like a white head that popped. Gross, sorry. Best way I can describe. Not fluffy or cottony, but like tiny column of white coming out of head. Then they developed a few more on heads and then on sides of face and a few by base of tale on lateral line.

They weren't eating. The would hide all the time and hang out on bottom, resting on bottom.

They each developed swollen abdomens towards the end that looks whitish. Here are some pictures from early on. (don't know why that is upsidedown??)
View attachment 307913
IMG_3965.jpg
 
Been researching all night and think it is in fact columnaris. Only thing that accounts for the sudden deaths in perfect water. Lost three more tonight, i'll see what meds i can get local tomorrow.
 
You want furan 2 and kanamycin.
You will use both at the same time following directions for each .
Salt can be used to start the treatment.
These are the recommended meds for columnaris and basically should work for many other bacterial issues .
Good luck as it is not easy to kill.
These are the best two links on columnaris IMO.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...ts-1689.html&usg=AOvVaw31CC_glS6hh4rAe5K3QSC0

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...umnaris.html&usg=AOvVaw1Z4zRnhpufHCA84p_l_L7g
 
Thanks! Ordered the Furan-2 and Kanaplex Amazon same day, so they'll be here tonight. Running carbon now to pull out the API General Cure and will do a huge water change today. Lost a black skirt tetra today. DOwn to 2 black skirts, 2 panda cory cats and three neon rainbows. The tetras look weak, but the others all ok at the moment. (Went to all local pet stores for meds, no one carries them)

Thank you
 
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