Does ANYONE know this disease? (KILLING EVERYTHING)

[bloodlucky]

Okay so in my old account which I lost I posted multiple threads regarding this disease, nobody could help, I thought it finally died out, but I'm almost positive it's still here.

Basically it was first in one platy that I got and it's stomach was oddly thinner than the other ones. I assumed it was nothing until I started seeing it become sluggish and staying at the top, and began to stop eating. Then it's stomach was almost paper thin like an angelfish, and then it died. Then it killed it's mate, about 5 more platys and then a juvenile one I was raising for a year since it's birth.

I assumed whatever it is, platys are the most vulnerable. I have neons and danios which don't seen to ever become hosts of whatever this disease is, but it did manage to kill off my Bolivian ram, it too had a caved in stomach and stopped eating.

Then it killed off two more platys after I assumed the disease was gone, so now I have no platys, a baby angelfish, a couple neons and a couple gold barbs all in a 40 gallon tank (fully cycled btw.)

I tried everything... Extra water changes, Aquarium salt, API parasite medications, CopperSafe, and medicated flakes for internal parasites, nothing is working as the infected host immediately rejects the medicated food anyway.

Whatever it is, it kills off a single host at a time and I'm pretty sure it's in one of my barbs as he is significantly smaller than the other ones, has a smaller stomach and seems to have swimming problems as well as accepting food.

So what should I do? I don't want to put him down as there could still be a cure, but he might die any day as I've seen this parasite kill my fish in merely a week. I have a 2.5 gallon empty tank with a filter, so I'm thinking about putting him there.

 

[bloodlucky]

I can't imagine how nobody could find an answer or even identify what this is. It's a killing machine and whatever it is it's getting stronger, too. Can someone please read my thread thoroughly and come up with a sensible solution, thanks

 

[gilpi]

I have not read your other posts but, How do you know it is a parasite?
I understand your desperation but not knowing what is wrong with a fish and dosing the tank with all kinds of meds can sometimes be as bad or worse than the disease itself. I believe water conditions play a big part on the fish health and sometimes when fish are under great stress they'll stop eating, a a matter of fact it's been whenever I slacked off on water changes that I have lost fish.

What is the temperature in your tank and how often do you change water?

 

[bloodlucky]

I have not read your other posts but, How do you know it is a parasite?
I understand your desperation but not knowing what is wrong with a fish and dosing the tank with all kinds of meds can sometimes be as bad or worse than the disease itself. I believe water conditions play a big part on the fish health and sometimes when fish are under great stress they'll stop eating, a a matter of fact it's been whenever I slacked off on water changes that I have lost fish.

What is the temperature in your tank and how often do you change water?

I change my water once, sometimes twice a week, my temperature is at 80F. This week I changed the water twice, and when my platys were rapidly dying id even change the water 3 or 4 times out of desperation along with changing the temperature. It's a disease unless coincidentally fish are consecutively dying one by one in the exact same way which I think is very unlikely

 

[bloodlucky]

Does anyone know whether I should separate the infected barb or wait it out...

 

[Delapool]

Separate for sure.

What are your tank water specs? Also is there any chance some chemicals could be getting in to cover all bases?

 

[bloodlucky]

Separate for sure.

What are your tank water specs? Also is there any chance some chemicals could be getting in to cover all bases?

I can't seem to find my ammonia/nitrite kit since after we moved, but my tank lid is completely covered up

 

[Delapool]

Would be good to check those for sure.

I'm sure it's been covered but what dose did you get up to for salt?

 

[bloodlucky]

Would be good to check those for sure.

I'm sure it's been covered but what dose did you get up to for salt?

Can't remember, it was long ago. Very small amount though as I'm paranoid when it comes to adding quantities of anything potentially dangerous to the tank

 

[bloodlucky]

UPDATE: I recleaned and set up my 2.5 gallon, filters running and I added some leafs from my java fern in my 40 to help add some bacteria into the newly running tank. There appears to be no heater for the small aquarium and I'm not sure about how I should heat the tank considering it's size.

I'm not completely sure the gold barb has the disease but I'm planning on moving him anyway since he's smaller, thinner, weaker, and has trouble swimming compared to the other ones.

 

[Delapool]

Is he staying in the school or away? I think I would QT just in case.

 

[bloodlucky]

Is he staying in the school or away? I think I would QT just in case.

He seems to be keeping up but anyone would notice a difference between him and the others

This is him near the top left




And these are the other ones by average

It's blurry but you can clearly see the one in the first photo is thinner and smaller than the one in the second

 

[JSkogh]

I had a similar situation with my 10 gallon tank, everything in it died little by little over the course of 2 weeks. Guppies, swordtail, tetras and even 2 frogs! I took the water to a local pet store and they said it was fine. My best guess was something contaminated the filter system. I threw everything out and bought a new 30 gallon tank (almost done cycling). I could have bought a new filter, gravel and tank decor ... And kept the existing tank, but I was paranoid it would happen again and also used the opportunity to upgrade tank size.
I was very sad to lose all my fish and frogs
I hope you get an answer to your problem

 

[pip walters]

This could be fish tuberculosis. Often, the wasting that causes your fish to go thin can be the only obvious symptom. It can take up to 6 weeks for an infected fish to succumb.

It isn't actually tuberculosis bacteria, but a similar one. Be careful as it can be infectious to humans. I believe I was infected many years ago, when I developed nodules on all my knuckles. I then had a lesion for many years on one had that travelled from knuckle to knuckle, before an enthusiastic doctor took a biopsy. The sample of.skin he took was big enough to remove the entire lesion. No results were obtained, so I can't be certain.

Google fish tuberculosis and have a good read to see if you think this may be youtr problem here.

 

[bloodlucky]

This could be fish tuberculosis. Often, the wasting that causes your fish to go thin can be the only obvious symptom. It can take up to 6 weeks for an infected fish to succumb.

It isn't actually tuberculosis bacteria, but a similar one. Be careful as it can be infectious to humans. I believe I was infected many years ago, when I developed nodules on all my knuckles. I then had a lesion for many years on one had that travelled from knuckle to knuckle, before an enthusiastic doctor took a biopsy. The sample of.skin he took was big enough to remove the entire lesion. No results were obtained, so I can't be certain.

Google fish tuberculosis and have a good read to see if you think this may be youtr problem here.

Jesus Christ! What do you suggest I do?

 

[bloodlucky]

Just a quick update that skinny/smaller gold barb is doing absolutely fine, most fish don't survive the disease for over a few days now but it's been much longer and he's always been smaller. Maybe a genetic defect or a minor difference in species? Activity level is prime, not sure why he's the way he looks

 

[Scottyhorse]

Hmm, wonder if its some sort of bacteria? There is a very stron med used in bettas that has been said to kill Myco. What you are dealing with doesn't sound like mystery disease (in bettas) but could be some sort if bacteria. Let me find the name if the antibiotic. It's very strong.

 

[Scottyhorse]

It will take me a while because I can't get on the Internet on my laptop for some reason. Won't be able to dig the name of the antibiotic up on my iPod.