Fish are dieing, Only 2 left

[jawzforlife]

I use to have back in Febuary:

3 tiger barbs
2 catfish
5 gourami

And now I'm down to one gourami and a pictus catfish. The fish seam to have sores behind the gills. Since I only have 2 fish left, I'm not too worried about them, I'll probably just start over. But what kind of diseases did they have? When my few fish are all gone, and I get new fish, What do I have to do to the tank, so the new fish dont get sick?

Here's a pic of the fish, the sore is right behind the gill.

 

[savga]

Hmm...First everyone will want to know 1) Was your tank properly cycled? 2) Do you monitor your water parameters and if so what are they? (pH, NH3, NO2, NO3), 3) Have you been doing regular 20% water changes? 4) What size tank is it? Let us know so we can prevent this tragedy in the future.

 

[Menagerie]

[center:0e6abfb528] Welcome to AA, jawzforlife! [/center:0e6abfb528]
It sounds like the tank wasn't ready for fish. It's hard to see from the pic, but I don't think the fish are ill, it sounds like the gills are inflamed. The area turns red due to poor water quality, which can result in numerous problems.

Since I only have 2 fish left, I'm not too worried about them, I'll probably just start over.

~Before you start over, read the article on the nitrogen cycle in the Articles section.
~Allow your tank to cycle (we can help).
~Buy liquid test kits for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate.

Look over these sites, they talk about various diseases fish can get and some of the sites discuss how water quality affects fish health.
http://www.aquatronicsonline.com/hobbyist/hobbyist3.htm
http://www.aqualink.com/disease/sdisease.html#ich
http://fish.mongabay.com/diseases.htm
http://www.everythingfishy.com/med_info.html
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/AqBizSubWebIndex/fishdisho.htm
http://www.fishpondinfo.com/health.htm

Also provide answers to savga's Qs and we will get your tank ready for new fish!

 

[jawzforlife]

Hmm...First everyone will want to know 1) Was your tank properly cycled? 2) Do you monitor your water parameters and if so what are they? (pH, NH3, NO2, NO3), 3) Have you been doing regular 20% water changes? 4) What size tank is it? Let us know so we can prevent this tragedy in the future.

I brought my water to 2 different stores to get tested, so I didn’t do it at home, so I don’t have the numbers. But they both said my water was perfectly fine.

I have a 29-gallon tank with a 55-gallon charcoal filter on the back.

Before I bought all my fish, I put 2 small zebra fish in there for about a week and they were fine.

For water change, I probably don't do a full 20%

I’m not to worried about saving the fish that are in there (all 2 of them) but I just don’t want it to continue when I get new fish.


If you need anymore info let me know. I'll go check out the links that Menagerie posted.

Thanks -Adam

 

[Menagerie]

A tank can take up to 6 weeks to fully cycle. How long were all the fish in the tank before they began dieing?

 

[jawzforlife]

I had my 2 small zebras in there for about a week.
Then got all the other fish in a span of a weekend.
Then one of the zebras disappeared (prob got eaten)
Then I would say it was about a month before the first Gourami died.

After that it's all been down hill.

 

[Menagerie]

Okay, some newbie mistakes. The best thing for you and your two current fish is to do a 50% water change. Right now the fish are suffering, but without nitrite or ammonia readings, it's best just to do a water change. Also, if you own a gravel vac, vacuum the gravel.
Next, you need to educate yourself on fish keeping. I see you said you would look through the links I already gave you. That's a good start.
If you have any questions on the nitrogen cycle, post them.

 

[jawzforlife]

Ok I'll do a 50% change when I get home.
I do have a "water vac" that I got from my dad.

I dont have the nitrite or ammonia readings, but I did get my water tested at the store and they said it was fine. Do they test for those at the store. I can go and get my own water tester on my way home, thats not a problem.

My dad has had fish for a long time and everything went so easy for him. So I had him come over and help we setting mine up. I guess my tank didn't go as easy has his

Are the fish getting sick from the water or from a diseases? If its from a diseases, does doing water changes fix that?

Thanks -Adam

 

[Menagerie]

Fish getting ill from poor water quality is more than likely not a disease. Many things can happen. Nitrate poisoning, ammonia poisoning. If the water isn't turning over enough, the fish can suffocate (that would be connected to the filter flow rate).
You will want your own water testing kits. The major ones to purchase are ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Get the liquid tests--they are more reliable than strips.

So I can help you further, what type of filter are you using (I don't understand what a 55 gal charcoal filter is)? What temp is your tank at?

When you use the vac, get into the gravel and try to remove as much fish waste and excess food as possible.

Many people get lucky with their tanks and the fish don't die, but the best thing is to cycle the tank properly and your tank is set for life (well, if all goes right ).

 

[jawzforlife]

I know that if fish are getting sick from poor water, that is not a diseases. What I was woundering is, if my fish are getting sick from the water OR a diseases.

I'll get a liquid test kit on the way home for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

My filter is made for 55 gallon tank and uses a charcoal to clean.

 

[Menagerie]

More than likely from the water. I'm not there, so this is my educated guess.

The charcoal acts as a chemical filter. Does the filter also have a sponge (mechanical filter--will remove big chunks o'stuff)? Does the filter have a pad (biological filter--will allow bacteria to grow. Some bacteria will convert ammonia to nitrite, some bacteria will convert nitrite to nitrate)?
This filter must be a HOB. When you get home, let me know what brand it is and if the other components are present.

 

[jawzforlife]

Yes there is a foam "sponge" that wraps around the container that holds the charcoal. (all of this is inside the unit). And alot of "stuff" builds up on the sponge. It does HOB. Also it is the kind were I pour the charcoal into the filter, it doesnt come in its own charcoal bags.

I dont know the brand name from memory (I have the box at home) but it is a white box with an angel fish on it. Its a big name brand filter.

 

[ScottS]

Definitely pick up the kit, and make sure you get a nitrate tester. Once everything is settled, that's the one you want for maintaining the tank.

Charcoal really doesn't work that long. When you clean your filter, just rinse the cartridge off with old tank water. If you just rinse it off in the sink, you'll be contaminating it with chlorine.

Also, I think you mentioned elsewhere you had a water softener, make sure when you do the 50% change, you don't use the softened water. And in the future, try and draw the water about a week before you intend to change it.

Oh, and welcome from the cz28 board

 

[jawzforlife]

And thanks to Scott for showing me the board.
I asked the guy at the store about softened water, and he said he used it with no problem??

My filter looks like this.

 

[Menagerie]

That hangs off the back of your tank! That looks like a canister that goes under the tank.
As for the charcoal, it does not last long. It is up to the individual fish keeper whether or not to use charcoal at all. Personally, I do not use any charcoal in my 6 tanks.
It's not necessary to draw the water early. Just have your dechlor ready to go!

 

[jawzforlife]

Yep it HOB, you can see the "hanger" on the left side of the canister near the top. It sucks the water in through one top on the top, and spits it out through the other.

What do you mean charcoal doesn't last long. I opened by canister and it was still full of charcoal. Do you mean the charcoal dissolves to fast (because mine hasn't) or do you mean there will still be charcoal in the canister, but it becomes ineffective after a while?

It's not necessary to draw the water early. Just have your dechlor ready to go!

What does that mean???

 

[Menagerie]

It becomes ineffective after a while. It will not dissolve. In fact, some people just leave it in there and it becomes another place for bacteria to grow.

 

[jawzforlife]

But I have more charcoal that I can place inside when the other stuff gets old. Its refillable.

 

[Menagerie]

Oh, did not see the second part of the post. ScottS said to draw the water a week before you change your tank. That means having gallons of water sitting around each week for the weekly 25% water change. Chlorine will evaporate out and the water will be at room temp.
IME, this is not necessary. When I do water changes, I vac the gravel until 25% of the water is taken out. I dump the water outside, or in the tub (depends on how cold it is ). For the smaller tanks, I fill up a fish only bucket (never use the bucket for anything other than tank changes) with 5 gals of water, add the appropriate amount of dechlorinator and add the water to the tank. I do this numerous times. Also, by using tap water, I can adjust the water temperature to match the temp in the fish tank. For my large tanks, I add water back using a food grade garden hose (only use it with the tanks). After attaching the hose to the kitchen sink, I adjust the tap water temp, and add the water to the tank. As I add the water, I put in the dechlorinator.

 

[jawzforlife]

I too have the dechlorinator chemical, to remove the chlorine from the tap water.