Parasitic & Bacterial INFECTION (Bad)

[corster]

Major Parasitic infection of at least half my fish. It all happened in less than a week. Most of my goramies are affected. I lost a Parasitic fish from Parasitic infection resulting in lowered immune system and he died from secondary infection . I tried all that I could I bought 40.00 dollers of fish medication just to try and save him (way more than the fish was worth, but he was my fish [his colors were crazy]), but my efforts were in vain. He broke out in red sours all over his body. After two days of medication for his sours he was looking better (wasn't all white actually had some color). I'm on my 3ed day treating with clout and my tank still isn't under control. If I lose another fish I'm planing on nuking my tank; my tank is overstocked as it is.

 

[Marc118]

Sounds like Hemorrhagic Septicemia. What are you using to treat? Also what is your ammonia level?

 

[corster]

Sounds like Hemorrhagic Septicemia. What are you using to treat?

I started with E.M. Erythromycin (because I had it on hand [if something like this happened]) Did 2 treatments of that, discontinued that treatment after my paridice fish died. Third day treating with clout. I am also adding scale protection stuff to protect their scales because they are scratching (i think the correct term is flickering [not sure]).

 

[Marc118]

Give Maracyn-Two a try. What is your ammonia levels? Better yet all tank parameters.

 

[corster]

Nitrate, ammonia, and other levels are in low/normal levels (planted tank [cant use copper]). I am also doing daily water changes because of my dragon fish (vilot gobie)

Fish List:
3 gold gouramis
1 gray gouramis
1 bumble gobie
1 dragon fish
3 albino barbs
3 tirger barbs
3 green barbs
1 flying fox
1 catfish
2 zebras
1 sucker fish

 

[Marc118]

Sigh...

I cant do much more help without a real reading of the tank water.

What size tank? Filtration, etc.

 

[corster]

Sigh...

I cant do much more help without a real reading of the tank water.

What size tank? Filtration, etc.

give me 5-10 min. Ill have all my tanks levels and specifications.

 

[Marc118]

Ok, but when was the last time you tested your water?

 

[corster]

I'm running:
29 gallon
Aquaclear Power filter (200GPH)
Penguin 170 (170GPH [older model I estimate its pushing 100-130 GPH])
Britelite Hood (compact florescent hood) 65 Watt
Jungle CO2 system (tab)

Water:
Ammonia - 0-.25 PPM
Nitrate - 0-.25
Nitrite - 0
PH - 7.2
GH - 150 - 200
Alkalinity - 100-150

 

[Marc118]

Let me say this right now, I am not a FW expert by any means as I keep all SW tanks.

But thats WAY too many fish if you ask me...I could be terribly wrong though, a FW member will have to chime in.

Are your fish breathing heavy or gasping at the surface? Ammonia spikes are the cause of Hemorrhagic Septicemia.

Did you just test your water?

 

[corster]

yea just right now, no there not gasping at the moment. the paridice fish was.

 

[LandGhoti]

Yeah, that is WAY too many fish. I have a 29 gallon and am for sure fully stocked at 13 fish.

How often do you do water changes? And how much do you change out?

Your ammonia and nitrites should be at 0, and your nitrates should be in the 20-40 ppm range. If you have that many fish, it is probably near impossible to keep ammonia/nitrite at 0 without doing more than one water change per week.

That said, I know literally nothing about treating fish infection, so I hope things get better for your tank!

 

[corster]

I do at least 1 water change a week just to keep the wast down, but my nitrites and nitrates dont go out of range anymore. Im pushing 300+ GPH.

 

[Marc118]

GPH wont mean jack with that many fish. I wouldnt be suprised if you had to do 3 PWC a week.

 

[LandGhoti]

Have you taken the carbon out of your filter when you treat the tank? If not, the medicine is just getting trapped in the filter and is of no benefit to the fish.

I would change out at least 50-60% of your water per week. I do 50% with 13 fish and could probably do a bit more. Perhaps do a water change, then dose the tank with medicine if you haven't already. I think the recommendation is to dose every 48 hours and do a water change before each dose.

 

[Zagz]

How long has the tank been set up? Ammonia and nitrite should be 0ppm. First do a large water change of at least 50%. I would try treating with maracyn II for starters. I wouldn't add any slime medications, the best treatment for your fish is clean water. The tank is overstocked and doing 50% pwc's a week would be a minimum IMO. I would probably do 2 per week.

 

[corster]

Iv been treating with clout for 4 days now, yesterday there was some very little scratching, haven't seen any today but my gold prized gorami (hes the biggest) isn't eating he was my first fish. I really don't want to lose him any ideas why he isn't eating???

 

[LandGhoti]

He is probably stressed from the sick tank and the medicine. I think most fish don't each much when stressed. Do you have the lights on? If so, I would keep them off most of the time and let the fish try and recuperate. I suppose it's similar to lying in bed when you're sick.

 

[Zagz]

I agree, keep the lights off and reduce feedings to half of what you normally feed. You have treated with more than one medication and I don't know if you ran any carbon in the filter to remove the meds between treatments. The medications can be making the fish not eat.

 

[corster]

I agree, keep the lights off and reduce feedings to half of what you normally feed. You have treated with more than one medication and I don't know if you ran any carbon in the filter to remove the meds between treatments. The medications can be making the fish not eat.

Is this just an idea (turning the lights off)? Or is this a proven fact that fish will and can heal faster with the lights off and refusing fish stress? I have a planted tank and I'd like to keep the lights on as long as possible w/ CO2 injection also, but the fish come first so please inform me about this topic.