Rainbow fish not eating and wasting away, BUT WHY?

[dnaelting]

I have a 70 gallon tank with some plants filtered with a Ehiem can filter and Aquclear HOB filter. My water paramters have always been good; 0 amonia, 0 nitrite, nitrate around 20. Tank is 8 months old.

I had 11 rainbows, 1 died due to injury on my part a few months ago. A second rainbow just stopped eating, and after a couple weeks died. I watched for hours and never saw any aggressiion toward the rainbow from any other fish. I checked the fish and did not see any signs of anything on the outside of the fish. I did not autopsy it.

I now have a second rainbow that has stopped eating. Swim behavior and everything else looks normal. Just not eating and getting very thin. I don't have any idea what could be going on. They are not full size yet, so it's not old age.

Anyone have any ideas.

 

[ChileRelleno]

First off do full spectrum water testing, PH, NH3, NO2, NO3 and GH* & KH* (if you have & use'em normally), how do your current levels compare to past and what exactly are they. Any temp fluctuation? New fish, unquarantined?
Mature tank, how old? How long have you had these Rainbows?

 

[talloulou]

What are you feeding them? Have you tried black worms, brine shrimp, bloodworms, earthworms?

 

[megladonsharky]

My praecox rainbows love blood worms

 

[Blucat]

Could it be a disease? What is the faeces like? Symptoms of internal parasites is white poo and lack of appetite

 

[Toirtis]

i am thinking some internal parasite/protozoan.

 

[dnaelting]

Thanks for the input.

Further facts:
Ph steady at 8
GH 12
KH 5
Amonia and Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20ish

Allthese values have been steady. since winter is over temp has gone up slowly and now sits around 81.

The tank is 8 months old, these rainbows have been the original residence. We did a fishless cycle, so they were not exposed to high amonia, etc.

Feeding, variety of flake food and bloodworms (freeze dried) as a treat.

I will watch for the white poo, if I see it, we will know.

Thanks again.

 

[talloulou]

I would also recommend some frozen foods, my fish go crazy for the frozen stuff more so than the freeze dried. The reaction I get when I put frozen bloodworms in the tank vs. freeze dried bloodworms is amzing. The only freeze dried food I would say they go crazy over is krill.

 

[jersysman]

Which variety of Rainbow fish are they?

 

[An t-iasg]

Not eating and getting thin sounds like parasites, like the others have suggested. If you happen to see white stringy poop, that is another sign. Jungle has some anti-parasitic food, or Seachem has some internal parasite products also. I would consider these meds if the fish still are not eating in a day or two.

http://www.junglelabs.com/pages/details.asp?item=JF170
http://www.seachem.com/products/product_pages/Metronidazole.html

 

[TankGirl]

I will also agree that this sounds like an internal parasite type of situation, and the fish needs to be removed and treated, if possible.

 

[dnaelting]

I agree, we have seen white poo. So I tried to find the Jungle Labs parasite food, without luck. I have it on order, hopefully she will last until the food gets here. I will keep you posted.

 

[greenmaji]

Good Luck

 

[caudelfin]

I have heard of Rainbows dying with a wasting disease and it was fish tuberculous. I would have one checked that can be serious and if it is the tuberculous that I know about, it is possible that you could get it through a cut or broken skin on the hand or arm. I am not sure but it worth checking into
Ed

 

[TankGirl]

Yes, humans can get Mycobacterium infection, but it is pretty rare and most often Mycobacterium marinum, a SW bacteria that you might get from cleaning fish you caught or getting stuck with a hook while fishing.

This could definitely be TB, though, you are right, and for that possibilty it is wise to remove the fish to a hospital tank. The medicated food is great but only if the fish will eat.