Help!!! (Zebra Danio down!)

[Ridicules]

Hey, I need some help.

By biggest Zebra Danio is just sitting on the bottom of the tank, she's breathing way faster than usual. Her tail is kind of bent downward and it's freaking me out!

She's a relatively new addition to my 30gal tank (Which was cycled through using materials from my other tank, such as extra sponge filter, gravel, plants and time!) and just started this weird behavior today.

Ammonia:0
Nitrates: 5-10ppm
Nitrites: 0
Temp: 76 Degrees
(Taken from strip tests, going to get a better kit tomorrow)

EDIT:

She's kind of swimming around when the other Danios swim by there, it doesn't look like they're picking on her though.

 

[absolutangel04]

Poor danio! Btw, welcome to the site!
What sort of test kit are you using? Its weird that there are not nitrates. I cycled tank should have some nitrates unless its crazy-heavy planted.
If she is a new addition, then bad stock is always an option. What else is in the tank? How long have you had her? How did you acclimate her?
You can try doing a big pwc and see if she perks up any.

 

[nathey6]

This exact thing happened to me a few months back, same readings as you, 78 degrees. I looked it up and could find nothing, so I did a parcial water change. Didn't help. the next morning it was dead. Same thing next morning, another dead. Sorry but no help here.

 

[Ridicules]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/members/absolutangel04-41295.htmlabsolutangel04, Thanks I figured I should stop stalking and get some answers. Haha

It's just a strip test, every time I end up at the store I have the goal of getting a liquid kit but I get distracted by all of the fish..

Well, I have
4 platies
3 other Zebras
2 Hatchet fish
and an upside down catfish.

I've had her about a week and a half. I put the bag in the water for about 30 minutes then drain some of the bag water and replace with the tank water, wait awhile more, then get the fish in a net and into the tank.

 

[Ridicules]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/members/nathey6-53619.htmlnathey6, thanks I've done a water change as it was all I could think to do..
I also looked up the symptoms and they've all seemed to end horribly.

 

[adadkins1]

How long have you had your aquarium set up? If it isn't cycled it may be ammonia/nitrite poisoning.

 

[Ridicules]

Shoot, 4-5 months?

 

[adadkins1]

Oh, okay then you are cycled so that is ruled out. I wonder if she wasn't just bad stock since you haven't had her for a very long time. There are more and more issues with bad stock coming from LFS across the world.

 

[Ridicules]

That's possible, it's just sad.. I really like her, should I quarantine her and add some salt maybe?

 

[adadkins1]

Uhhh, well QT is about the only thing you can do a this point. I agree that it is very sad.

I personally wouldn't use salt since you haven't ID'ed it as Ich or something that would need salt treatment. I treat salt just like a medicine in FW tanks, only using it when I know it will help.

 

[Sisserydoo]

Yes, it sounds bad. I'm sure you know that zebras are incredibly active fish, if they're not swimming, something's wrong. Water changes can only help. Just make sure the temps are very close since it's already acting sick, and maybe a little extra water conditioner.

 

[Ridicules]

Thank you Sisserydoo I will do that.

 

[absolutangel04]

OK. Well, I still suggest trying a pwc to see if you see any difference. Without a better test kit ot know the exact parameters, its hard to say though. Often, when a fish gets sick for no apparent reason within a month or so of purchase, it can just be from bad stock. If the fish had an underlying problem, then all the transport can aggrivate that and the fish may not last long. Also, if was not always in the best conditions, that can have lasting effects and weaken the fish a lot. So, bad stock is certainly an option IMO.
If you have a hospital tank, it wouldn't hurt to put her in there. Sometimes hospital tanks are stressful for the fish, but she sounds like she is in bad shape so the risk might be worth it to let her rest a bit away form other fish.
I would try to pwc first and see if she perks up any.

 

[VioletEmber]

I agree it may be bad stock. I got 6 zebras from a local breeder and only 3 are left. But everytime I have tried to add zebras to bring them up to a full school, the new ones die pretty quickly-- from several stores... So actually the local breeder has had the strongest ones I've found yet! He had one lone leopard danio in the bag and she has lasted all throughout... Don't know if leopards are different enough to be stronger or if she is just a tough one!

 

[Ridicules]

Thank you absolutangel04, I will try the pwc then maybe hospital tank if she doesn't perk up.

Thank you Violet, I guess it helps to know I'm not alone. I'm glad you found a good breeder, I should start shopping around for new fish places.

 

[Ridicules]

How much of a water change should I do?

 

[absolutangel04]

In the hospital tank? I would do about 25%. If its still in the main tank, I would do like 50%.

 

[Ridicules]

Well she made it through the night and I got a liquid test kit.
Ammonia is at 0, Nitrite is at 0, Nitrate is at 5-10 ppm?

But now a few of my other fish are sitting on the bottom!!

 

[Ridicules]

I was looking at the stickied thread topics and came across Gill Disease?
Could it be that and has it spread to my other fish?

 

[absolutangel04]

I am not familiar with that one. I will have to look it up. It a bummer about the others. Unfortunately, its likely they came to you with something, but its really hard to say what it is. Ich can live in the gills and kill fish without you seeing it. Internal parasites can do that too. Are there any symptoms besides sitting on the bottom breathing heavily?