Another epidemic?

[biss444]

as far as water changes i always had my new water ready and a airstone in it running way before i actually put new water in, fills water withair and gets rid of sny unwanted gasses that might be in there, and increases the ph in water

 

[HUKIT]

as far as water changes i always had my new water ready and a airstone in it running way before i actually put new water in, fills water withair and gets rid of sny unwanted gasses that might be in there, and increases the ph in water

I have a 1000g+ worth of tanks and with 50-60% weekly water changes having a 500-600g tank sitting there with water isn't a option( if I did you could surely bet I'd have fish swimming around it too!).

 

[k.mascher86]

I've never had this happen nor do i know anything about this subject, but if it happening at night when the lights are off, have you tried keeping lights off during the day and lights on at night?

 

[CraigMac]

I read another article where the guys albino zebra was killing all his fish. It killed 8 fish in one night! I have an albino zebra. That's going on the board as a suspect.

Take him into the interrogation room for questioning! LOL

Good luck man, this sucks.

 

[Convict2161]

I've never had this happen nor do i know anything about this subject, but if it happening at night when the lights are off, have you tried keeping lights off during the day and lights on at night?

I don't have the lights on much. Just I viewing pleasure. So the blue and purples come on at 4 the daylight at 6 then daylights off at 8 blues and purples off at 10. So from the time I wake up with the natural light hitting the room I don't see anything going on. It's overnight and then when the lights are on I find a fish DOA. I'm gonna turn the blue and purples on right now just to see.

 

[Convict2161]

These 2 just look guilty! The first pic, just look at it just staring at me....

Maybe it's a team effort. There going on the board! Now I have 3 suspects.

 

[Gboy66]

Yes your fish being killed are all mature, aggressive fish don't see fry/smaller fish as a threat so naturally they won't be targeted unless to simply be eaten. I've had fish snap and kill every fish in the tank overnight. Why would adverse water conditions only effect older hardier and mature fish? Why would water conditions cause fish to die only at night? It's nice to know what your water contains but don't be surprised when the magic bullet isn't found, it's aggression pure and simple.

Hukit, im curious..

Why would fish be killed..but have no markings on them? No cut up fins, open wounds, markings, etc? When it happened to you, why were there no marks?

Im just asking because i have no idea! Its weird to me..usually when there is a bully, there are more signs than just a floater!

 

[biss444]

try keeping lights on for a couple days. feel the same way about no murder marks

 

[Convict2161]

Hukit, im curious..

Why would fish be killed..but have no markings on them? No cut up fins, open wounds, markings, etc? When it happened to you, why were there no marks?

Im just asking because i have no idea! Its weird to me..usually when there is a bully, there are more signs than just a floater!

try keeping lights on for a couple days. feel the same way about no murder marks

Maybe the killer is stressing it to death? Not letting it rest or eat? Maybe the killer isn't even letting it sleep? Just chasing it around until the poor victim just hyperventilates? Just theories but ya never know. Stress will kill and if there never being able to relax for a second then that night be enough.

 

[biss444]

could be wrong but this killer would have shown his hand and kill during the day when they are more ative anyway. they are just not that smart

 

[Convict2161]

could be wrong but this killer would have shown his hand and kill during the day when they are more ative anyway. they are just not that smart

Well that's why I'm doing everything. Getting water tested by the pool company for everything and looking into my tank mates. I'm going to my buddy's store tomorrow and he's gonna right down my entire stock and take a look at some videos I made for him. Hopefully with his help as well as everyone here we can get to the bottom of this.

The only thing that is strange is lights on, dead fish.

 

[Convict2161]

Turned the lights on to take a peak. You can add another fish to the list only this time I couldn't tell ya what kind only that it's been dead a while. I just saw the skeleton of a fish bottom left hand side.

This is too much.

 

[biss444]

wow man, hope this can get resolved quickly

 

[Convict2161]

Something just isn't right about this guy. I don't remember him looking like this.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Its not uncommon with Africans for a dominant fish to stress other fish to death simply by chasing them. They also bump them - seldom with Africans do you see torn fins or open wounds. It does happen, but rarely.

At the OP, from the description of the dead fish, it sounds to me like a good number of these died awhile ago, and you're just now finding them. Did you mention temperature? Seems like you did and it was 80 something? With high numbers of fish, warmer temps, and little surface agitation, it is not uncommon for a tank to run out of Oxygen, as the fish are more active the warmer the temperature. Especially with a tank that is very overstocked. If you've go that many adult fish, as well as fry in the same tank, you're talking a lot of the fish. The fact that the older larger fish are the ones that are dying makes it sound like aggression, with a dominant male trying to establish the entire tank as his territory. Seems to me that you probably have a couple of different factors playing into your loses. Perhaps the best thing for you to do as mentioned, is to set your tank up with compatible species instead of trying to overstock with such high number in order to prevent aggression.

 

[Convict2161]

Its not uncommon with Africans for a dominant fish to stress other fish to death simply by chasing them. They also bump them - seldom with Africans do you see torn fins or open wounds. It does happen, but rarely.

At the OP, from the description of the dead fish, it sounds to me like a good number of these died awhile ago, and you're just now finding them. Did you mention temperature? Seems like you did and it was 80 something? With high numbers of fish, warmer temps, and little surface agitation, it is not uncommon for a tank to run out of Oxygen, as the fish are more active the warmer the temperature. Especially with a tank that is very overstocked. If you've go that many adult fish, as well as fry in the same tank, you're talking a lot of the fish. The fact that the older larger fish are the ones that are dying makes it sound like aggression, with a dominant male trying to establish the entire tank as his territory. Seems to me that you probably have a couple of different factors playing into your loses. Perhaps the best thing for you to do as mentioned, is to set your tank up with compatible species instead of trying to overstock with such high number in order to prevent aggression.

Yes I agree with you 100% however I'd still like to know which one wants the entire tank. It's obvious that the overstocking doesn't always work. I have some work to do tomorrow then I'll make a tough decision.

 

[Labenator65000]

I dont see how it can be a fish killong the others..honestly..i dont see any marks whatsoever on the dead fish! Its not like they can do headshots! I dunno..just doesnt seem right..

Sorry dino

I can't help but suspect this as well. If a sudden onslaught kills them one would think there would be visible markings on the victims. If they were harassed to death one would think that they would lose their coloration and become bland and/or show visible signs of stress. All of the pics you posted show colorful, healthy-looking fish (well, besides the fact that they are dead).

My guess is that there is some problem with the water itself. Perhaps some toxin that the tests that have been performed cannot detect. How much can you trust City water quality? I had a buddy that was a salty junky. The dude had thousands of dollars invested in several stages of filtration and an auto-top-off system. One day 90% of his whole stock was wiped out by something unknown. His filtration was all working, the temperature was fine, his water parameters showed all good. He never did figure out the cause. He came to the conclusion that something came in by way of the City water and did them all in with no warning.

I feel for you. You have been through the ringer already not too long ago. I really hope you find out the problem while you still have some stock left.

 

[k.mascher86]

Wouldn't the water condition knock off the fry and the weaker, smaller fish first?

 

[Labenator65000]

Wouldn't the water condition knock off the fry and the weaker, smaller fish first?

Yeah good point. It's a conundrum, for sure.

 

[Convict2161]

I can't help but suspect this as well. If a sudden onslaught kills them one would think there would be visible markings on the victims. If they were harassed to death one would think that they would lose their coloration and become bland and/or show visible signs of stress. All of the pics you posted show colorful, healthy-looking fish (well, besides the fact that they are dead).

My guess is that there is some problem with the water itself. Perhaps some toxin that the tests that have been performed cannot detect. How much can you trust City water quality? I had a buddy that was a salty junky. The dude had thousands of dollars invested in several stages of filtration and an auto-top-off system. One day 90% of his whole stock was wiped out by something unknown. His filtration was all working, the temperature was fine, his water parameters showed all good. He never did figure out the cause. He came to the conclusion that something came in by way of the City water and did them all in with no warning.

I feel for you. You have been through the ringer already not too long ago. I really hope you find out the problem while you still have some stock left.

Wow! Your encouraging words will definitely get me through today thank you. I'm bringing a water sample to the pool company. I just for off the phone with them, going tomorrow. No dead fish as of yet to report.

The pool company said they test for chlorine, iron, magnesium, some common bacterias, also test for alkalinity then the common nitrates, nitrites, pH, ammonia, phosphates. He gave a pretty good run down on what they can test for, I guess it's good, I mean try have to make sure the pools are safe for the kids! So I'll head over there tomorrow and see what they find. He did tell me all tap water will have traces of this stuff but they will be able to print out the acceptable range for humans however he said he knows nothing about fish it what they are allowed as far as these things. But at least it will be a base to go off of and a piece of mind to know what's in my tap water.

So I'm happy about that...