Fish Dying Daily

[davis427]

I have been losing one or two fish per day for the past week. I have a 60 gallon freshwater aquarium with livebearers (mollies, platies, and swordtails). The fish that are dying appear to have small/sunken abdomens for about two days before they die. The swordtails and platy seem to be ok, most of the ones that have died are the mollies. All of my water parameters are in the normal range. Does anyone have any advice on what might be happening and solutions to solve the problem? Thanks in advance.

 

[ImACoolguy]

Sounds like dropsy to me.


Caleb

 

[davis427]

Wouldn't Dropsy be the opposite as far as having a swollen abdomen? These are sunk in, not swollen.

 

[coralbandit]

Columnaris!
The fourth internal strain.
No fuzz will be seen,sunken belly and arched back 24-48 hours before death.


Fish Columnaris | Fungus & Saprolegnia | Treatment & Prevention
Keep temp in mid low 70s don't elevate it.

 

[Matt68005]

I agree with the columnaris. My guppies had sunken bellies and i could not figure out what it was, i thought it was mycrobacteria or fish TB or even internal parasites, which is very hard to cure but luckily very uncommon. More often is columnaris or aeromonas/pseudomonas infection.
You need a gram negative antibiotic and salt ASAP.
The best meds currently on the market is a combination of Kanamycin sul. and Furan-2 green.
Coralbandit, what do you mean "the fourth internal strain" would like to know how you know about diffrent "strains" of columnaris? Very curious.

 

[coralbandit]

Coralbandit, what do you mean "the fourth internal strain" would like to know how you know about diffrent "strains" of columnaris? Very curious.

I will post links on your thread Matt.
OP if you are interested look up matts guppy thread.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f17/guppy-woes-continue-337390.html

 

[sinibotia]

Keep in mind that columnaris is gram negative and so is nitrifying bacteria. So I recommend watching water quality very carefully and isolating your biological media if possible.

 

[Matt68005]

I will post links on your thread Matt.
OP if you are interested look up matts guppy thread.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f17/guppy-woes-continue-337390.html

Coral, do you think the 'sunken" bellies is a sign of columnaris or aeromonas/pseudomonas or is it a sign of mycrobacteria "fish TB" ?????
Really curious about what causes this sunken belly in guppies.

 

[Mebbid]

What are your water parameters? Ammonia, Nitrite, nitrate?

 

[Matt68005]

Found this disease could cause it Ichthyophonus hoferi
I have no idea what the parameters are, but i know how to cycle/keep a tank clean and i do very frequent 50% water changes.

 

[coralbandit]

Coral, do you think the 'sunken" bellies is a sign of columnaris or aeromonas/pseudomonas or is it a sign of mycrobacteria "fish TB" ?????
Really curious about what causes this sunken belly in guppies.

First sorry to OP if this seems off track to them(I don't think it is)??
Matt most of this is just MY interpretation of how I read stuff and unfortunately common sense(which requires little to no education!).
A lot is mentioned of enzymes in the fishes system which I interpret as a mild"acid" on the fishes organs.
Much is mentioned on rapid organ failure.
Many mentions of "good bacteria" being killed by "bad bacteria(the columnaris thing)"until the bad is in control.
Add those things together and you get symptoms that show shortly before death.
Many disease actually can have /cause curved spines and sunken belly.
IMO TB will have "s" curved spines not like the arched spine with sunken belly.
Columnaris lives in good water!For real!
Most other disease have compromised water quality in all honesty involved in the issue.
The individual keeper can easily differentiate between aeronomas and columnaris by honestly assessing their water husbandry IMO.
If you know you are always good on waterchanges and have not introduced anything it is columnaris IMO.
If you pay little attention to parameters and a diseased fish may go unnoticed for days or longer then anything can happen as secondary infections are very common also.
I also only really read pretty straight forward info on aeronomas and other common disease,but every page is different on columnaris.
Many don't even understand the difference in the different strains,many don't still fully understand so much about his (IMO) unfortunately evolving disease.
IMO it could "wear a different hat" tomorrow and still be proven to be columnaris.

The more I read on MANY diseases and dissolved organics that are NOT removed enough by water changes makes me think I am glad I know about and have Potassium Permaganate!
Seems to mentioned in almost every read!!!!HUM?

 

[Delapool]

What are your water parameters? Ammonia, Nitrite, nitrate?

Plus 1 as well as ph. Need to know exact details and test method. Bad water chemistry from either tank or tap will cause those deaths.

Also if there has been any changes made to tank (eg new fish), how long set up for, if anything has changed in the tank (eg temp lift, filter clean). Basically the sticky on what to post about sick fish.

Poisons - could anything have been sprayed near the tank.

Were fish eating, schooling, looking good and pooping ok before rapid signs developed and death? This rules out internal parasites outbreak.

Then, yes - we are into bacterial.

 

[Matt68005]

Sorry delapool i sold all my fish equiptment including the water testing stuff.
My ph is 8.4 hardess 200GH and ive been doing daily 50% water changes until it Re-cycles.
Methylene killed my cycle

 

[Mebbid]

Sorry delapool i sold all my fish equiptment including the water testing stuff.
My ph is 8.4 hardess 200GH and ive been doing daily 50% water changes until it Re-cycles.
Methylene killed my cycle

We are referring to Davis427, the one that started the thread

 

[Delapool]

Plus 1 as well as ph. Need to know exact details and test method. Bad water chemistry from either tank or tap will cause those deaths.

Also if there has been any changes made to tank (eg new fish), how long set up for, if anything has changed in the tank (eg temp lift, filter clean). Basically the sticky on what to post about sick fish.

Poisons - could anything have been sprayed near the tank.

Were fish eating, schooling, looking good and pooping ok before rapid signs developed and death? This rules out internal parasites outbreak.

Then, yes - we are into bacterial.

Sorry, was typing on train. Was just follow up questions for OP. I should of worded better.

Edit - I know it sounds a bit anal and whatnot with questions, this just makes sure the OP is thinking through and covering everything. No disrespect intended.