Fish-sitter with sick fish

[chrisbloom]

I used to breed Discus and Oscars, many years ago. I am now fish-sitting for a friend who is overseas. He has 26 tanks, some mixed tanks for display and some breeding tanks. He is breeding mostly ciclids (central American), gouramis, discus. He also has a variety of other fish - Corys, bristlenoses, angels, tetras etc... Some of the grow out tanks are quite crowed with small fish. Since taking over his fish I have encountered several tanks with fungal diseases that began to manifest as soon as I took over the management of the aquariums (fin rot, mouth fungus) and a large number of juvenile fish have died. I have treated affected tanks with methylene blue with limited success. A couple of days ago one of his breeding discus developed sudden strange behaviour (swimming quickly around and around the tank, hiding, leaping out of the water) and died within a few hours. Its been a long time since I've looked after aquarium fish and with this many tanks I feel quite out of my depth. I just did not expect that so many problems would develop. I am aware of the problems of over-feeding and tank hygiene and transmission of disease between tanks. I believe that part of the problem is the large number of fish per tank and the lack of instruction provided to me before my friend left and my own lack of recent experience. Any suggestions for better management (my friend is not contactable so I can't ask his advice)?

 

[jondamon]

Is there any water testing kits at your friends?

API FRESHWATER MASTER TESTING KIT for example?

This would be where I would start.

Testing for Ammonia Nitrite and Nitrate.

Once you have readings of these parameters it may tell us something.



Jon

 

[chrisbloom]

My friend left me various types of food and other things. I have just rummaged through the cupboards in the fish room and found many, many bottles of treatments for fungal diseases. Clearly this is an ongoing problem. I will go out and buy the testing kit you suggested and see what information this provides. Slowly all the fishy stuff is seeping back into my consciousness after all these years! Thanks.