Help! My tank is driving me nuts!!!

[silverrose11436]

Ok let's see where to start!I have a 10 gallon tank... A couple of weeks ago everything was going fine. I had 2 red platty's, 2 mickey mouse platty's, a sucker fish, a blue betta and a red platty fry in my tank...oh and a guppy. Water quality was good, everything was going ok until i woke up one day to a dead fish...no big deal, scooped him up and went on with my day. Then next day I woke up to another dead fish...I started to get suspicious that something was up so I took my water to my local fish store to have it tested. I was told the nitrate was "a little off" but still close to normal that i didn't need to treat it, and that the pH was off. I got the pH kit so I could regulate it at home. Then I noticed my beta's nose was white and had "dead eyes" as i call it...not sure how to describe it otherwise. I had put him in a seperate tank (2 gallon tank my son got for christmas before I upgraded to the 10 gallon) in hopes of getting him better. I tried Bettafix (was told that would work wonders for him) but woke up to him dead the next morning.
When I looked in the main tank the next morning my fry was dying along with another fish...I happened to notice some white spots on the guppy(who i think started all this in the first place now). Before I could get the ick remover stuff the entire tank (except 1 red platty-who was pregnant) and a new betta that my local fish store replaced (who had only been in the tank about 6 hours at most when i realized what happened) died. The mama platty and the betta had be seperated from the tank (in hopes of keeping them alive). After they died I cleaned out the entire tank- 100% water change. I cleaned the gravel, cleaned all the decorations, cleaned the filter, whole 9 yards! I let the tank run for 24 hours add the ick stuff, melafix and water conditioner and aquarium salt (water conditioner and salt i've always used, the other 2 are new and for current problem) before I put the betta and mama back in. Within 24 hours the betta is dead and I think mama is on her way out if not gone already. HHHHEEEELLLLLPPPPPPP!!!!! I don't know what to do any more...I want to get my tank back up and running again but i'm afraid to go get more fish!!! Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!

 

[dave2010]

This is exactly what happened to me! I bought a ammonia test kit and found that my ammonia levels were very high! And my fish were dying each day, I done a large 50% water change and then 25% water changes for about another 6 days and the ammonia went to 0 and my fish had stopped dying. Now I'm currently dealing with ich after dealing with all that! I was told to use esha 2000 and esha exit to treat ich, on the box it says to use for 3 days so I did but it hasn't worked, the spots had gone but reappeared in different places!

Sent from my Desire HD using Aquarium

 

[Bettababe1011]

Did you cycle your tank before putting the fish in?

Courtesy of Dakota's iPod.

 

[WendiDell]

Ok let's see where to start!I have a 10 gallon tank... A couple of weeks ago everything was going fine. I had 2 red platty's, 2 mickey mouse platty's, a sucker fish, a blue betta and a red platty fry in my tank...oh and a guppy. Water quality was good, everything was going ok until i woke up one day to a dead fish...no big deal, scooped him up and went on with my day. Then next day I woke up to another dead fish...I started to get suspicious that something was up so I took my water to my local fish store to have it tested. I was told the nitrate was "a little off" but still close to normal that i didn't need to treat it, and that the pH was off. I got the pH kit so I could regulate it at home. Then I noticed my beta's nose was white and had "dead eyes" as i call it...not sure how to describe it otherwise. I had put him in a seperate tank (2 gallon tank my son got for christmas before I upgraded to the 10 gallon) in hopes of getting him better. I tried Bettafix (was told that would work wonders for him) but woke up to him dead the next morning.
When I looked in the main tank the next morning my fry was dying along with another fish...I happened to notice some white spots on the guppy(who i think started all this in the first place now). Before I could get the ick remover stuff the entire tank (except 1 red platty-who was pregnant) and a new betta that my local fish store replaced (who had only been in the tank about 6 hours at most when i realized what happened) died. The mama platty and the betta had be seperated from the tank (in hopes of keeping them alive). After they died I cleaned out the entire tank- 100% water change. I cleaned the gravel, cleaned all the decorations, cleaned the filter, whole 9 yards! I let the tank run for 24 hours add the ick stuff, melafix and water conditioner and aquarium salt (water conditioner and salt i've always used, the other 2 are new and for current problem) before I put the betta and mama back in. Within 24 hours the betta is dead and I think mama is on her way out if not gone already. HHHHEEEELLLLLPPPPPPP!!!!! I don't know what to do any more...I want to get my tank back up and running again but i'm afraid to go get more fish!!! Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Bettababe is on the right track. When you washed everything to try and get rid of the ick. You got rid of all your good bacteria. You now have a brand new tank that's not cycled.
I don't think I can save your fish at this late date. But I can help it never to happen again.
To kill off the ick when you see the first white spots. Do a PWC and increase your tank temp. to 84-86 degrees, a few degrees at a time per day. Be sure and add an air stone when you increase the temp., the warmer water goes through O2/air faster, so your fish need more.
Doing 50% PWC and adding salt every day for 10-14 days. This will speed up the ick cycle and kill any eggs as they hatch.
The Fishguy can explain all the stages of ick and when they are killed. He's amazing with the science of it all.
Back to you, if the ick doesn't start to die off after the first day then remove any charcoal from the filters and fallow the medications directions.
For now you are going to need to cycle your tank, like it's new. After you get your Nitrates back you can get new fish
Ick is awful, I did the same as you with my first ick outbreak. I cleaned everything to the extreme. And then all our fish died. So your not alone. Mine was a 55g tank so the scrubbing was a lot more but the same idea.
I wish I could do something to help save the last of your fish. But you have a few issues going and they all can kill your fish. Fixing the trouble will take more time than your fish have.
But stick around on AA, they will be a great help with the cycle and the restocking of your tank.

 

[Darwin]

wow, have you had a bad time! DONT GIVE UP!! This kinda thing happens all the time to people just starting out. You came to the right place for sure. The people here give great advice. After you learn from this and get going again you will be doing alot better.
Next time you get an issue and fear the worst take a picture of the issue and post it here with your water conditions and anything else you think might have an effect and you will get an answer fast here!
everyones got to start somewhere. sorry for your losses and best of luck on the next round.....

 

[silverrose11436]

Did you cycle your tank before putting the fish in?

Courtesy of Dakota's iPod.

I don't think I cycled it long enough...I did add Nutrafin's Cycle to the tank when I started it, so it had some good bacteria.

On a happier note, my water levels are all back within normal limits again!!! And the only fish to survive this ick attach was the mama platty. I got another betta once I found out my levels were all good to see how it goes. Water is clear, fish are going on day 2 of living together and so far so good. *knocks on wood* I'm still doing the ick treatment, with a 20-25% WC before each treatment (Per instructions) figured I'd give it another couple of days to make sure it works. Sadly I haven't been able to afford a heater that I can adjust, the one in there I got at walmart for like $15, I am planning on upgrading it once i get a few extra dollars. When I did my power cleaning I did add a bubble bar to the tank, which I think I want to change to a bigger one-just need to get a different air pump for it. I love the way the bubble wall looks and my new betta loves to play in the bubble- and apparently by the filter too (which scares me, i think he's stuck when he's not! LOL)

Thank you to everyone for your responses, I have definitely learned my lesson and will be more vigilant in the future. I never realized how much work went into an aquarium before...now i know. And to think this was supposed to be my son's christmas gift! HAHA (well i think i knew it would end up being more mine than his since he's too young to actually take care of the fish yet- he's almost 2 years)
Thank you again, I'm glad I found this place!

 

[silverrose11436]

Thought I would show you pics of how the tank looks now. I wish I had done before & after shots (such a big difference) but my camera was acting silly.

The platty is the Mama platty that survived this ordeal and my new betta. I got a pic of him hanging out on the filter intake (on of his fav spots- strange fish, lol) he also loves the bubble wall.

I want to get some more platty's and if i can find one around where I live I'd love to get a blue swordtail or two (saw one on aquabid and fell in love- just don't have the money for the shipping on top of the price of it too)