skinny and reddish gills with good tank parameters ; (

[J rider]

Hi,
I'm so distressed over my sick fish!!! My 55 gallon planted tank is about 3 months old. It houses 4 (declining) zebra danios, 4 clown loaches, 5 otocinclus and 2 siamese algae eaters. The ammonia and nitrite levels have been undetectable for 2 months, pH stable at 7.6, GH 6-8. Fluval 304, 120 watts (lighting) and no CO2. Water changes religiously about 30-40% weekly. Using Novaqua tap treatment. Kents micronutrient fert weekly after water change. About 50% of tank is planted and I have been struggling with each type of algae for entire 3 months. Currently mostly hair algae and green spot and greenish clumpy stuff.
Since the beginning the zebra danios have been dropping off. I have lost 4 so far. Always the same thing. Reddish gills then skinny or curved body structure. I usually pull them before they actually die. The clown loaches and every other fish have always looked great. But, now they are looking thin and are a bit less active. Their lateral line seems to be more apparent.
I just can't understand whats wrong. The tank parameters have never been a problem. Could I be carrying a case of tuberculosis from the intial set up when I bought a few zebra danios from LPS and they were already sick???
Please help I don't want to lose anymore.

Thanks
PS I don't have a sick tank set up ; (

 

[BrianNY]

It's hard to say where the problem stems from but I suspect something parasitic was brought in with either the fish or the plants. Red inflamed gills are a sign of gill flukes. I've had success with a product called Parasite Clear from Jungle Labs. Good luck.

HTH

 

[J rider]

need more help

Well,

Thank you for replying. Based on the fact that the fish have the curved body structure and not tremenously red gills I would say that it may be TB. I really wish more people would reply. I guess its bad timing.

I was thinking last night about the philosophy of keeping animals in general. I have a cat and these fish. I tend to want to make their lives as happy as possible. Trying to achieve a natural lifestyle would be unrealistic. So, as a pet owner you feel directly responsible for the well-being of the animals. When I first set up the tank the zebra danios were really happy. My interpretation of the happiness was based on the fact that they were breeding. I went to sleep with a warm feeling because I had been responsible in some way for their thriving success.
Now as my beautiful and usually constantly active and playing clown loaches get skinnier each day I can't help feeling depressed about the tank instead of happy. Instead of creating a relaxing and interesting focal point in my small apartment I have a 55 gallon death tank ; (. In addition I now wonder whether I should suit up each time I do a water change and imagine purple lumps growing on my hands. Its not easy. I was planning to investigate CO2 options and now I am looking forward to bleaching my tank contents and starting over?!

Any advice technical or emotional is appreciated.

Thanks

 

[tetrin]

i know exactly how u feel...and believe me when i say that most guys out there keeping fish have felt the same way one time or other...as a recent example follow what moxiegrrl has been through even after a lot of research...
its just the irony of nature i guess...u create something beautiful and one fine morning, its all ragged and melancholy...

sorry for rambling on...
from what it looks like, ur diagnosis may be correct...in that case please be careful u don't contract the disease urself...avoid contact of aquarium water with broken skin...
but give them some more time and keep up with the water changes...
best of luck...

 

[savga]

From what I have read, TB takes quite a while to develop. I would suspect gill flukes first. Wild south american fishes like otocinclus can be carriers.

 

[BrianNY]

Take heart Jackie. Just as tetrin said, you aren't going through something that most haven't already experienced. I'm still suspecting gill flukes as well. Try using the parasite clear, it just may be the cure.

 

[J rider]

thanks

Thank you for your thoughts.
I really hope my clown loaches hang in their I'll see about getting soe treatment done tonight. BTW I had the sick danios before I got any other fish. It seems to clear up and then all the sudden a few get sick again. So, it has been confusing from the beginning. Some fish die after a week and others in the tank look fine. I'm down to.

I would like some more input on the diagnoses if anyone has some. The thought of getting sick from my tank worries me. Of course I've been up to my elbows in their every week.

1 danio
2 sick clown loaches
2 healthy clown loaches
5 very healthy ottos
2 very healthy saimese algae eaters
Jackie

 

[BrianNY]

Some fish can live with gill flukes all their adult lives and never show the symptoms. Others, in a state of stress succumb. The problem with parasites is that you have to kill not only them, but their eggs as well. Otherwise infestations occur over and over. I would treat for gill flukes. What have you got to lose?

 

[Danio35]

Re: need more help

I was thinking last night about the philosophy of keeping animals in general. I have a cat and these fish. I tend to want to make their lives as happy as possible. Trying to achieve a natural lifestyle would be unrealistic. So, as a pet owner you feel directly responsible for the well-being of the animals. When I first set up the tank the zebra danios were really happy. My interpretation of the happiness was

Wow, I know exactly what you are talking about! I find my self worrying about how to keep my guys happy. Even though the little guys I've bought have only been less than a dollar a piece, I feel very responsible for them. It's a good thing I don't have kids, cuz I'd probably really stress out! I've only had one fish die so far on me and I felt so bad. I think I could have prevented it, but I was so new at this. I think he had swimbladder disease.

I'm starting to think true aquarium owners have type A personality. I know I do, but then, I'm like that in many areas of my life

 

[sciencegirl]

You guys are great - I feel the same way too. I'm having problems with my fish dying, and they were doing so well. I just want them to be happy! I keep asking my DH if he thinks they're happy...obviously not anymore, if they keep dying. I feel so bad that I'm keeping them in the aquarium of death.

 

[J rider]

treatment

Hi,
I started Jungle Labs Parasite Clear Tank Buddies treatment yesterday. There are 2 choices for treatment. 1) 2 doses in 48 hours 2) 3 doses in 3 weeks. Can anyone reccommend one or the other. I have a feeling that I'll go with the 3 week. I think I can still do water changes but no carbon in my filter. I'll feed lightly. I have 2 clown locahes who might not make it but I hope I can save the rest?! I really hope its gill flukes. Its funny that zebra danios are so hearty because they were the only ones getting sick till now. I've lost about 8 danios since I set up my tank 3 months ago.
Jackie

 

[BrianNY]

If it is gill flukes Jackie, 3 weeks is the minimum time you'll need to treat. The med is ineffective on the eggs of the flukes and will only kill them once they've hatched. You can be sure that the adult flukes have laid eggs and so an extended period of treatment is needed to insure the infestation does not reoccur.

Good Luck and keep us posted.

 

[J rider]

will do

At least I haven'ty lost anymore yet. I'm trying for them. Fingers crossed.
Thanks

 

[Danio35]

J Rider, how have your fish been doing with the addition of the Parasite Clear Tank Buddies?

 

[J rider]

Since the treatment none of the symptoms have worsened. Due to the bent shape of the danios of think TB but the clown loaches are skinny with reddish gills and have grown sluggish this indicates gill glukes. I guess if I have really bad luck it could be both. I have 1 healthy danio left with no signs of illness.
We'll see.
Jackie

 

[J rider]

new tests

Hi,
I'm continuing treatment but I just did some water tests with my new test kits.
nitra = 5 mg/L
KH = 11.5 dKH, 4.11 meq/L
phoshapte = 1 mg/L
pH = 7.6
What do you think?
Thanks

 

[J rider]

update

Tonight I did a 50% water change and threw in some more tank buddy parasite clear. Over the last 2 days my clown loaches seem to be getting a little sicker. They looked thinner and were luthargic again. I wanted to do the water change for the phosphates and I hope they look better tomorrow.
Jackie

 

[J rider]

Ok,
I have treated with Parasite Clear for 3 weeks. Over this time period I lost 3 clown loaches and 2 danios?! They were all sick before I started treating. This brings the overall death toll to 12 since I started the tank in Sept. The clown cloaches looked really really skinny when I finally removed them. They weren't dead but I knew they weren't going to survive. They just kept getting skinnier and every now and then they would lay on their backs then swim around again. They showed interest in eating but would spit out food and never gained any weight.

In addition to battling whatever disease ails them, the fish had to deal with quickly plumeting temps, due to last weeks storm. Tank temp low 65 degrees. Apartment temp low <50, my cat was soo cold that he never stopped sitting on me. Also we had a pet sitter who fed too much.
Anywho, My last danio looks like he may be sick. Same symptoms I have come to recognize... slightly reddish and enlarged gills, slightly clamped fins, maybe a few missing scales.

All I have left is 1 clown loach, 2 siamese algea eaters, 5 ottos. They all look healthy. Makes me want a tank of SAE they are so cool. But, I won't be buying any fish for a while. Not until I rule out TB somehow?!
Please let me know what you think.
I have been cautioned against treating my tank with meds again since it is killing my plants too.
Can I be sure at this point that if it was gills flukes I've killed them. If its not gills flukes what is it and what is my next course of action.
THANKS